CLASSIC SL REBORN

Stuart Milne

THERE’S something about the R107-generation Mercedes SL that takes me right back to the eighties It seemed to star – or at least cameo – in pretty much every one of the glamorous prime-time US TV shows that were screened on this side of the Atlantic Even with the huge rubberised ‘safety bumpers’ mandated in the States, the R107 looked desirable and glamorous.

Spin forward 30-odd years, and little has changed The R107’s taut, sleek lines give way to a high-quality interior as you step inside; it’s an eerily similar feeling to a Mercedes built just a few years ago. It feels snug inside – unsurprising when, despite the thrusting bonnet and long bootlid, it’s shorter and only fractionally wider than a new Ford Focus

You sit pretty much precisely in the middle of the car, but the square proportions and delightfully thin windscreen pillars mean it’s easy to place on the road Get behind the wheel of an original R107 today, and you’ll find that the huge steering wheel requires barely any more than a little finger to turn it, while the four-speed auto shifts smoothly. Yet it’s still clearly an old car, with play in the steering and far more body roll than you’ll find in a modern city car, let alone a grand tourer Of course, that’s all part of the appeal, and an original R107 is huge fun to scythe through bends. There is another way, of course And it comes courtesy of SLShop’s SportLine offering, a range of upgrades aimed at improving the way the R107 goes, stops and corners without trampling all over the period appeal and charm that makes the SL so enticing in the first place. The modifications are many and varied, and most customers pick and choose But the Signal Red car here is fitted with all of them

It’s hard to know where to start, but this SportLinefettled SL300 immediately sounds throatier, and with a lightened crank, flywheel, performance crankshaft and electronic ignition, it should It produces 255bhp, more than a factory 500SL, for 0-60mph in 5 9 seconds

The five-speed manual gearbox conversion adds a layer of involvement that was previously missing, but the real transformation comes when you first turn that reprofiled steering wheel New springs, dampers and anti-roll bars deliver poise and flatness through corners that takes decades off the car, while a limited-slip differential should offer more control; not that I was going to push that envelope on a narrow lane, in a classic costing well into six figures.

It’s not just the R107 that gets the SportLine attention, either SLShop is developing similar products for the Pagoda, in response to a surprising number of customers taking their cars on long-distance road trips and rallies. Those timeless looks coupled with some sympathetic modernisation would be an intoxicating thing indeed

SUBTLE Updates transform the way the R107 drives without spoiling its classic looks