Mercedes-Benz produced the 560SL luxury sports van from 1985 to 1989. The 560SL was division of the venerable SL-class two-seat roadsters and coupes dating back to 1954. The mid-1980s models featured V-8 engines, and the 560SL helped come back Mercedes-Benz to the manner of augmented almighty cars consequent the Gauze shortages of the 1970s. The 560SL as well helped the automaker shed some of its older styling, which began showing its generation during the 1980s.
Origins
It took Mercedes-Benz seven second childhood to climb outside of the devastation wrought by Area Fighting II and come back to endurance Car racing, which served as a proving ground for European automakers to essay racecars that presently would evolve into Industry models. In 1952, Mercedes introduced the 300SL coupe, equipped with a 175-horsepower, 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine and its rare gull-wing doors that lifted vertically. The 300SL competed in mucho European course of action races before the Industry narration arrived in 1954. In 1958, the 300SL roadster became available and served as the foundation for the happening SL-Class cars. USA emissions and safety standards hampered horsepower performance on the SL-Class V-8 engines in the 1970s, however the influence prospect brightened in 1981, when the SL-Class received an all-aluminum 155-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-8 for U.S. export. In Europe, buyers of the 500SL received a advanced 240-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8.
560SL
In Sep 1985, Mercedes-Benz launched its 560SL, marking a breakthrough for U.S. buyers in providing a sports machine with portion of muscle under the hood. Mercedes used a target shell identified in-house as "Type 107," originated with the 1970 350SL models. The 560SL was equipped with an all-aluminum, 230-horsepower, 5.6-liter V-8 wielding 287 foot-pounds of torque. A four-speed automatic transmission matched the engine to construct the 560SL the fastest SL-Class machine. Mercedes exported the 230-horsepower 56SLs to North America, Japan and Australia, while a bolder 272-horspower 560SL story was prepared available single for European sales.
Specs
The 1986 ended 1989 representation year rear-wheel impel Mercedes 560SL featured a longitudinally front-mounted V-8 engine with the block and belief constructed of lambent alloy. It sat on a 96.7-inch wheelbase, with a 180.3-inch-long target. The front and rear track Breadth measured 57.7 inches.
Performance, Price and Production
The North American versions of the 560SL models could extent 60 mph from a stop in 6.8 seconds and the quarter mile in 19.6 seconds. The automaker constructed the chassis as a unitary steel Element. The front suspension consisted of a double-wishbone operation with coil springs, torsion bar stabilizer, supplemental rubber suspension, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. The rear was a twist-beam axle system with telescopic shocks, coil springs, supplemental rubber suspension and torsion bar stabilizer. The automobile stopped on all-wheel CD brakes with ventilated front discs and solid discs in the rear. It displaced 338.5 cubic inches, and had a 3.8-inch Muzzle and 3.3-inch stroke. Its compression ratio was 9-to-1, and it had two valves per cylinder, for a complete of 16 valves. A Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel-injection development delivered petrol to the engine.The top speed was 139 mph. The car sold in 1986 for $48,200 ($94,552 in 2010 dollars). Mercedes sold 49,347 units between its debut in Sept. 1985 and the end of production, in early 1989.
