Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Every Mercedes-Benz SL-Class generation in the Burbles catalogue — complete specs, rarity tiers, interactive 3D cards, and the collectors who have spotted them on the street.
- Lineage Span
- 1955–present 17 generations · 42 published trims
- Power Evolution
- 104 → 621 hp Base lead-trim output across eras
- Catalogue Rarity
- 5 Legendary 5 Legendary · 7 Epic · 5 Rare/Common
All 17 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Generations
Each generation deals in its rarity tier’s alloy with its engine disc, lead specs, and first spotter record. Click into any generation for full trims and market figures.
The R232 SL was sold only as a Mercedes-AMG until the Mercedes-Maybach SL arrived in August 2024.
The SL43 is the first four-cylinder SL in roughly 70 years — the last time Mercedes put an inline-4 in an SL was the 190 SL, back in the 1950s.
The SL badge had worn a six-cylinder or bigger for seven decades — until the R232-generation SL 43 arrived with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four, the first four-cylinder SL since the 1950s' 190 SL.
The SL55's R232 generation brought back genuine 2+2 seating as standard — the first time since the C107/R129 era that an SL could carry four without it being a pricey option.
This SL broke with decades of SL tradition under its trunk lid — AMG swapped the folding metal roof for an electrically-driven fabric one, shedding 21 kg to lower the car's center of gravity.
AMG's own flagship SL didn't make it to the end of its run — Mercedes pulled the SL 63 AMG from sale in 2019 after demand for it dried up.
The R231 used a magnesium-aluminum-steel composite body structure designed to cut weight by over 100 kg compared to the outgoing R230.
Mercedes built just 45 examples of a special SL65 AMG to mark AMG's 45th birthday — and only 5 of those ever reached Japan.
The R230 SL63 switched AMG's SL flagship from supercharging to a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 shared with the C63.
Mercedes swapped the SL65 Black Series' folding hardtop for a fixed roof just to make room for a spoiler.
Mercedes claimed 4.2 seconds to 60 mph for the SL65 AMG — independent testers beat that number every time, some by half a second.
Mercedes engineers claimed the SL55 AMG could hit 208 mph with its speed limiter removed — which would have made it the fastest automatic-transmission car on earth, if only for a year before the SLR McLaren showed up.
The R230 was the first SL to replace a folding soft top with a retractable hardtop as standard equipment across the entire model range.
The R129 was the first SL to include an automatically deploying rollover bar, which sprang up in milliseconds if sensors detected an impending rollover.
The C107 coupe rode a wheelbase stretched 36cm longer than the SL it was built from, the only S-Class coupe born from a roadster.
The W113 got its "Pagoda" nickname because its removable hardtop's roofline curved downward at the edges and up in the center, resembling a pagoda roof.
Positioned as the budget way into Mercedes' SL family, the 190 SL still found 25,881 buyers over its eight-year run — vastly outselling the exotic, far pricier 300 SL it was built alongside.
Collectors Who Spotted the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Generation-by-Generation Comparison
Lead figures across every published generation, newest to oldest. Select any generation to inspect all trims and engine options.
| Generation | Years | Tier & Rarity | Engine | Power & Torque | 0–60 mph | Weight | Trims | First Spotter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 (R232)R232 Maybach | 2025–present | Legendary | — | — | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| SL43 AMG (R232)R232 SL43 AMG | 2023–2026 | Epic | 2.0L I4 | 376 hp · 354 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| R232 SL-ClassR232 | 2022–present | Rare | 4.0L V8 | 577 hp · 590 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| SL55 AMG (R232)R232 SL55 AMG | 2022–2026 | Epic | 4.0L V8 | 469 hp · 516 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| SL63 AMG (R232)R232 SL63 AMG | 2022–2026 | Epic | 4.0L V8 | 577 hp · 590 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL63 AMG (R231)R231 SL63 AMG | 2013–2019 | Epic | 5.5L V8 | 577 hp · 664 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| R231 SL-ClassR231 | 2013–2020 | Rare | 3.0L V6 | 328 hp · 354 lb-ft | — | — | 4 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL65 AMG (R231)R231 SL65 AMG | 2013–2018 | Legendary | 6.0L V12 | 621 hp · 738 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL63 AMG (R230)R230 SL63 AMG | 2009–2012 | Epic | 6.2L I8 | 518 hp · 465 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL65 AMG Black Series (R230) (2008–2011)R230 SL65 AMG Black Series | 2008–2011 | Legendary350 built | — | — | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| SL65 AMG (R230)R230 SL65 AMG | 2005–2011 | Legendary | 6.0L V12 | 604 hp · 738 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL55 AMG (R230)R230 SL55 AMG | 2003–2008 | Epic | 5.4L V8 | 493 hp · 516 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| R230 SL-ClassR230 | 2003–2012 | Rare | 5.5L I8 | 383 hp · 391 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| R129 SL-ClassR129 | 1994–2002 | Rare204,000 built | 3.2L I6 | 228 hp · 200 lb-ft | — | — | 6 trims → | Unclaimed |
| SL (R107) / SLC (C107) (1971–1989)R107/C107 | 1971–1989 | Rare237,287 built | 2.7L I6 | 182 hp · 176 lb-ft | — | — | 7 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Mercedes-Benz 230 SL / 250 SL / 280 SL "Pagoda" (W113)W113 | 1963–1971 | Epic48,912 built | 2.5L I6 | 148 hp · 159 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| 190 SL (W121)W121 | 1955–1963 | Legendary25,881 built | 1.9L I4 | 104 hp · 105 lb-ft | — | 2,552 lb | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
See a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class on the street, point Burbles at it, and that generation’s card goes in your binder with your own photo and serial number. Own one? Add it to your garage in the app.