Mercedes-Benz SL.jpg  The first Mercedes-Benz SL I ever drove was a 1981 380SL, with the woefully underperforming 3.8-liter, 155 horsepower V8. Even then I knew enough about the model to know that "SL" stood for "Sport Light," so I remember being highly disappointed. "This thing feels neither sporty nor light" I grumbled out loud as I drove the car to fill it with gas (this was my first post-driver's-license job, as a lot boy?at a used Mercedes-Benz dealership in Denver). But in 1986 this generation SL?remained, despite its questionable performance, an 'it" car by most folks' standards, so cruising around in the slow, lumbering "sports?car"?was still a great way for a 16-year-old to get attention.


Thankfully, this dealership had plenty of older M-B models, including several "pagoda" era SLs (1963-1971). It didn't take long to figure out that, if you really wanted to experience the "SL" aspect of Mercedes' SL model line, you had to go for one of the older SLs, preferably  one of the 280 models with a manual transmission (this remains the last SL to offer a manual transmission in this country). 


Needless to say, I consider 1972 the year the Mercedes-Benz SL jumped the shark. They tried to jump back with the 1986 and later 560SL of that generation (R107), but at this point the car just stopped being painfully slow, it still wasn't fast (and there was still no manual transmission available). The following SL generation (R129) benefitted from more power, but it also got even bigger and heavier. Still an "SL" in name only.


However, a funny (and welcome) thing happened in 2003 (actually spring of 2002), the Mercedes-Benz SL jumped back over the shark tank and re-established itself as a viable combination of luxury and performance. The first time I drove one of the current generation (R230) cars I experienced exactly what I expected back in 1986 behind the wheel of that 380SL pig: power, poise, responsiveness and a bevy of modern luxury items. My mom had always expressd an affinity for Mercedes-Benz SLs; now I finally could, too.


My favorite of the model line remains the mid-1950s "Gullwing" and roadster versions, but all of them before 1972 -- and after 2002 -- are excellent forms of two-seat, open-top motoring. 