BUYER'S BRIEF
Mercedes C107 & R107
Values are rising for this elegant coupé and cabrio, says James Walshe…
Why you want one
Stylish, effortless and beautifully made, the C107 SLC and R107-series SL showed the rest of the world how to make a luxury cruiser. It was so good, in fact, that it took Mercedes-Benz almost 20 years to replace it. Arriving on the scene in 1971, the model was launched as a roadster (SL) with a soft-top and optional (tiny!) rear seats plus a removable hard-top. The SLC was the coupé version, SL-based but with proper rear seats and an optional sunroof.
Was there ever a classier, yet more attainable Mercedes-Benz sports car? We don’t think so. They’re not the cheapest classic to run these days but with its ability to chew up miles so stylishly and effortlessly, keep your SL/C away from road salt and it’ll probably outlast us all. There are still some bad eggs out there, though. Here’s how to buy the better ones!
Which one do I want?
This isn’t an out-and-out sports car – not even the V8 – but for those who prefer their open-top motoring a bit classier, little comes close to the R107. This is the version most will want, so you’ll find values higher than the coupé which has its own unique appeal. However, both offer comfy cabins, smooth, large capacity engines and peerless build quality. Initially only available with 3.5-litre V8 power (350SL and 350SLC), the car was offered with a six-cylinder engine shortly after in the form of the 280, just before which a 4.5-litre V8 joined the line-up (badged 450). The 5-litre V8 450 SLC joined the range in 1977 and was Merc’s homologation model to coincide with the 1978 World Rally Championship.
Two main rounds of updates benefitted the car, first in 1980 when a front spoiler was fitted, the four-speed automatic gearbox replaced the existing three-speeder and the two V8 offerings were enlarged to 3.8 and 5.0 litres (becoming the 380 and 500). At the same time, the car received a subtle facelift. The SLC, which had accompanied the SL up until 1981, was replaced by the S-Class based W126 SEC, leaving the SL roadster to carry on alone.
From 1986, facelift cars saw the M110 straight-six phased out in favour of the smooth new M103 3.0-litre engine (300 SL), the 3.5-litre V8 gained 300cc to become the 380 SL and all cars were fitted with better Bosch KE Jetronic fuel injection, including the top of the pile 500 SL model. Four- and five-speed manual gearboxes were also offered, but automatics are much more common.
The SL turned out to be a particular hit in the United States, where two-thirds of them were sold. Just like with Triumph and MG roadsters of the same era, this has led to a trend of bringing rust-free dry-state cars back to Europe, but this isn’t without issue. Not only are
Bodywork
Eight screws allow you to remove the blower cover so you can insp
