1966 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (San Francisco, CA)

1966 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

As the intended replacement for the legendary 300SL and its baby brother 190SL the Mercedes Benz 230SL (113 chassis) of 1963 represented nothing less than a reinvention of the sports car. It could be driven at high speeds without requiring heroics from the driver but it was also pleasant to drive in the stop and go traffic that was becoming increasingly common on Europe s roadways in the early 1960 s. The shape of the removable steel roof gave the car its enduring nickname the Pagoda. The car was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 1963 a squared off two seat car powered by a sohc 2.3 liter six cylinder engine with 150hp. The car had better handling vastly improved comfort and a higher level of options than the predecessor SL cars. Road and Track delivered the consummate summation of the SL by writing