This Mercedes-Benz 230SL is a timeless classic
Has elegance left modern-car design? Are there no longer any cars being made which exude grace and class? Some may point to the raucous Jaguar F-Type or a svelte Aston Martin, but those designs are too littered with scoops, “flame surfacing” and spoilers to be considered the essence of elegance.
Take a look at John Geist’s pristine 1966 MercedesBenz 230SL. You won’t find blacked-out trim or imitation brake-cooling ducts anywhere on its stately sheet metal. It’s a purposeful, yet beautiful, design that looks formal and expensive without looking frumpy or overly ostentatious. In contrast to many American offerings from 1966, where chrome was apparently slathered on with a trowel, the SL uses delicate ribbons of chrome to highlight the edges of its shape in the same way a diamond necklace complements an elegant dress.
The 230SL was designed as a bridge between the racy but extravagantly expensive 300SL gull-wing, and the pretty but under-powered 190SL. Compared to the racer-forthe-street that the 300SL was, the 230SL was a more genteel car. It had all the sportscar ingredients, including a multi-point fuel-injected straight-six engine, two seats, four-wheel independent suspension and a removable top. But these components were wrapped in what remains one of the most graceful bodies ever produced. Like scotch in a fine tumbler, it just looks right.
Like many, Geist was initially attracted to the 230SL for its graceful shape, but he likes to enjoy it as more than just art. An active member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Toronto Section, he loves driving his SL to shows and club events.
The SL’s signature design touch is its “pagoda” roof. Mercedes engineers designed the removable hardtop (which is surprisingly heavy) with a unique concave curve in it; most roofs are convex when viewed from the front or rear. One of the reasons for this was to add rigidity to the structure so it could protect the occupants in a rollover crash. The other reason was the upturned roof edges allowed for taller windows and better visibility, giving the car a light and almost delicate appearance.
The 230SL’s design was well ahead of its time and the driving experience is shockingly modern. Multipoint fuel injection means it starts and idles just like a new car; there’s none of the usual carbureted recalcitrance. It rides more smoothly than the 1965 Sunbeam Tiger we recently drove and it’s only slightly less quiet at highway speeds than the superb Citroen SM.
But all that calm is shattered when Geist prompts the four-speed automatic to dip into low gear and accelerate hard. The sound doesn’t seem to come from one point; it surrounds you. You hear the whine of the double-row cam chain, the rush of air being swallowed through the intake runners and the surprisingly racy rasp of the exhaust. It’s a cornucopia of pleasant sounds.
Those looking to buy one of these graceful convertibles would do well to buy a sorted one. Most cars have bolted-on fenders and body panels, but the SL is built entirely with spot-welded panels to increase rigidity and reduce rattles.
Unfortunately, this means rust and dent repair can be very costly and labourintensive ordeals. The first step to repairing the front fenders on an SL is to cry in the fetal position; it won’t be cheap.
The SL was not an inexpensive car when it was new. Its $7,000 price tag was on par with Porsches and Maseratis of the period. Today, values remain high and a perfectly restored car can fetch up to $100,000.
For those wanting the graceful looks of an early SL for a slice of the money, an option exists in the form of the R107 SL. Made from 1971 to 1989, the third-generation SL is an affordable way to enter classic Mercedes ownership. They were made with I6 or V8 engines and their long production run means they’re fairly easy to find for sale.
One ride in Geist’s 230SL explains exactly why these cars are so valuable. It’s a classic that feels modern. It’s one of the few cars from the 1960s that can be driven like a new car. Understandably, Geist plans to drive his 230SL as often as he can, for as long as he can.
“IT’S A PURPOSEFUL, YET BEAUTIFUL, DESIGN THAT LOOKS FORMAL AND EXPENSIVE WITHOUT LOOKING FRUMPY OR OVERLY OSTENTATIOUS.”