1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

When Mercedes-Benz redesigned its famed 'Pagoda top' SL in 1971, there was a lot of equity behind it – after all, when the incomparable 300SL Coupe and Roadster were built fewer than 20 years before, they set the world on fire. The next-generation 230/250/280SL in 1963 brought Mercedes' sports car down to Earth, replacing both the incredible 300SL and four-cylinder 190SL.

For the next SL, Mercedes-Benz started with the chassis of the mid-size "W114/115" model and added the motors from the large "W116" S-Class. The result was a luxurious V8 Convertible that ended up being the longest-running passenger car series ever produced by Mercedes-Benz to date, with production through 1989.

Descriptions & pictures by bonhams & dyler & revivaler & classicdigest