Rare car spotted: Mercedes-Benz SL 73 AMG R129
Jul 23, 2009 | 10:55 PM
#16
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,034
From: Tampa / Naples, FL
Just watched Top Gear last night with the Zonda in it. Damn, do I love that car.
Aug 27, 2009 | 07:56 PM
#17
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
From: Behind the wheel
Yeah, this was when AMG was just coming into its own. They did this car and the C36 in the mid-90s, their thing was very subtle visual differences, focusing mainly on the powerplant and suspension tuning.
Brabus did their own version with their own 7.3L and I believe RennTech made an SL74 with a 7.4L V12.
Brabus did their own version with their own 7.3L and I believe RennTech made an SL74 with a 7.4L V12.
Aug 29, 2009 | 09:13 AM
#20
Teamspeed Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 485
From: Behind the wheel
According to Wikipedia:
"Even more rare is the Mercedes-Benz SL70 AMG which was powered by a 7.0 L V12 engine.
The SL60 AMG was also extremely rare. Sold through MB from 1996 to 1998, it used a 6.0 litre V8 engine producing between 381 bhp (284 kW) and 384 bhp (286 kW). AMG claimed a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) speed of 5.8 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 155 mph (249 km/h), but with the limiter removed, it was capable of approximately 185 mph (298 km/h). AMG later unofficially admitted that 0-60 mph was closer to 5.0 seconds and the engine produced between 405-410 bhp.
The SL55 AMG was sold through AMG in the R129 bodystyle from 1998 to 2001 in limited quantity. It was the predecessor of the production R230 SL55 AMG sold from 2003 to 2008.
Only about 300 cars in the SL-class were customized by AMG prior to 2003."
And on the Wiki R129 page:
"AMG had already offered an SL version while still independent, the AMG 500 SL 6.0 of 1991. After being taken over by Daimler-Benz, there were several AMG SL-models available through D-B dealers.
The SL60 AMG was the most numerous of these rare cars. Sold from 1993 to 1998, it used a 6.0 litre V8 engine producing 381 PS (376 hp/280 kW) at 5500 rpm[4]. AMG claimed a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) speed of 5.6 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 250 km/h (155 mph), but with the limiter removed, it was capable of approximately 185 mph (298 km/h). AMG later unofficially conceded that 0-60 mph was more like 5.0 seconds and the engine produced between 405-410 bhp.[citation needed]
Extremely rare was the SL73 AMG, sold through Mercedes-AMG in 1995, and offering the most powerful V12 engine ever put into an SL up to that time. After a brief hiatus, the SL73 was offered again from 1998 to 2001. The same 7.3 L V12 was later used by Pagani in the Zonda.
Even rarer is the SL70 AMG. Presumably for those with pockets deep enough to finance the extensive changes wrought by AMG to the M120 V12, stopping at 7.0 litres was penny-pinching when for just a little more they could have 7.3.
The SL55 AMG was sold in the R129 bodystyle from 1998 to 2001 in limited numbers (5.4L V8, 354 PS (349 hp/260 kW) at 5500 rpm). It was the predecessor of the production R230 SL55 AMG sold later, albeit was normally aspirated in the R129 and not supercharged as in its R230 successor."
Last edited by NuclearSymphony; Aug 29, 2009 at 09:54 AM.