R129 (1989 to 2002)

The Mercedes-Benz SL R129 was produced from 1990 to 2002 and represents a major technological leap for the SL-Class, replacing the long-running R107 with a far more advanced and refined roadster. Designed as a two-door, two-seat convertible, the R129 introduced an electro-hydraulic soft top, a standard detachable aluminium hardtop, and groundbreaking safety features including an automatically deploying roll-over bar, making it one of the most advanced open-top cars of its era. Engine options ranged from inline-six and V8 units to the flagship V12, with early models sold as 300SL, 300SL-24, 500SL, and 600SL, later renamed SL280, SL320, SL500, and SL600 following Mercedes’ 1994 naming update, alongside highly desirable AMG variants such as the SL55, SL60, SL70, SL72, and SL73. Approximately 204,940 R129 SLs were built worldwide, and in the Australian market, the R129 is prized for its build quality, usability, and performance, with V8, V12, and AMG examples increasingly recognised as modern Mercedes classics.

The Mercedes-Benz SL R129 was produced from 1990 to 2002 and represents a major technological leap for the SL-Class, replacing the long-running R107 with a far more advanced and refined roadster. Designed as a two-door, two-seat convertible, the R129 introduced an electro-hydraulic soft top, a standard detachable aluminium hardtop, and groundbreaking safety features including an automatically deploying roll-over bar, making it one of the most advanced open-top cars of its era. Engine options ran… Read more