When the 129 was first launched, I instantly loved it. I was about 18 and went to the local dealer, who'd just received their demonstrator. It was being kept in a separate room because it was before the official launch. They kindly let me in to go and have a look at it. It was stunning. I remember - when nobody was looking - kissing the badge on the bonnet! Finally, in 2019, I bought a 1999 R129 after searching for about 2 years. Fantastic car.
The R129 and W140 are two of the best Benzes ever created. They just don’t make them like they used to. The follow up R230 and W220 generations quality dropped off of a cliff as Daimler-Chrysler decided to cut development and manufacturing costs in order to increase profits.
I can remember when the R129 hit the showrooms at Mercedes Benz dealers in North America for the 1990 model year. They were leaps and bounds ahead of the competition and the full automatic folding soft top convertible was the first of its kind. Even 30 years later, they still look gorgeous just like the day they were manufactured!
These cars are beautiful. I have a 99 SL500 and still in 2018 when I take her out with the top down I get so many compliments and people stop me to talk about it. Cant tell you how many offers I've had on her. Mercedes just makes timeless vehicles.
I just pick up my 2nd one. 1997 SL500 Sport with 30K Miles.... What a fantastic car. It's held up well in every aspect from design to engineering. Such a great car to drive.
I have owned my 1999 SL320 for 3 years now and still love it! Daily driver with 93,000 miles still turns heads and gets favourable comments. Had to renew ECU and had a tiny bit of rust attended to but that is it so far. Will need new windows stitched into soft top when I take the panoramic roof off in Spring time.All I have spent out has been as I expected on a 20 year old car. Love the quality, looks, performance and how it makes me feel to drive with the roof off in Summer. Lovely!
Jon Boy - i’ve had my 99 SL500 for 2 1/2 years now. It had the metal hardtop when I purchased it but I was able to locate a matching panoramic top about a year ago and what a huge difference it makes in the outside appearance and the beauty of a full view through the roof from the inside looking out. The panoramic tops are so rare and I was really lucky to find one that matched my car inside and out.
Look at 0:55 how Bruno Sacco anticipated the front grill pulled in front of the headlights. Nowadays, this has become standard automotive design. How advanced his design has always been!
Beethoven80 your approach is correct. However that design was dismissed. Rather they spend all 80s and 90s drawing horizontal lines along the grill and bumpers. Excuse me everyone but now days shapes and volumes so oversized it turns churlish for me. Specially those huge and protruding grills Gretings
If you own a good one today, you’ll never let it go anymore.Our 1995 SL320 with five speed auto is a family member since long time. I admit these cars can be quite a diva in recent days, but, how many 28 year old cars with so much innovation and hightech on board are so reliable, beautiful and fun to drive. I Also would like to recommend to become a patreon of this great channel!
Lea Vohn - that’s a pretty broad question. Are you having problems with water leakage from your top, or hydraulic fluid down the A pillars from the actuators that lock the top in place at the top of the windshield?
Ich habe damals als Ingenieurspraktikant den R129 von Nikki Lauda zur Abgabe fertiggestellt. Nach vielen Schwingungstests und Probefahrten konnte ich das Vorzeigefahrzeug meinem damaligen Abteilungsleiter, Herrn Ehlender, und dem Technischen Direktor, Herrn Dr. Zeyfang, vorstellen. Mein Erfolg wurde leider niemals erwähnt ...
I got my SL 300 24 in 1992 and I still drive it besides new Boxster 718, V167, Audis etc. Yet this R129 is the one I like most of all. While technical topics have already been vastly delt with Id like to add a few thoughts which you might not be aware of. 1. Ordering an SL in Germany meant having to wait for 3 years before taking delivery. 2. Contracts were traded at a premium of 20k deutschmarks, worth about 20k€ in today's money or about 15% of the dealer price on top. 3. The 911, albeit unique too, was a peace of crap compared to the R129 at the time. Every time I opened the soft top, a crowd of people was gathering around my car with their eyes focused on any single part that was moving. As for spare parts, Ive invested around 30k€ to date. Not including any labour costs. As a result my R129's current market value is probably in access of 30k€ while the R107 is testing 100k territory. How I got this car? A college mate of my father - an authorised MB dealer - called us one day ... offering us a contract inclunding a 3% cash discount. More than happy to accept.
Just picked up a sl 600 for pennies needed a trans so my friend rebuilt it with modern tech tricks and this car is a hoot! 64 yrs old tryin not to smoke the tires in my neighborhood !
This is my favorite generation of the SL ever. Timeless Bruno Sacco design, one of his best works along with the R230 SL and W140 and C140 Sonderklasse. Hopefully Mercedes-Benz can redesign the current SL and get sales back on track. It would be a shame for them to be forced to discontinue the SL if it continues to sell fewer than 2,000 units per year.
Gedaman - rumors of discontinuing the SL have been floating around for a couple of years. Many auto manufacturers are putting a majority of their design eggs in the SUV basket. Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and even Lamborghini are all producing horribly boring looking SUVs. Although I understand that they are useful and for many family applications, desirable and practical, SUVs are the most God awful boring looking design of a vehicle I’ve ever seen (aside from full size utility vans which of course serve a very functional purpose). But when something sells well, manufacturers will obviously produce more of them. I would like to see opinions regarding what vehicles being produced today will be looked at 30 years from now as Classics or timeless designs. I can guarantee you not a single one will be an SUV.
Здравствуйте! Машина легенда, у меня есть sl500 1993 r129 m119 машину нужно восстанавливать, на машину смотрят и удивляются какие легендарные автомобили делают в мерседес!
Never knew these R129 SL innovated seatbelt integrated seats headrests moved with the mounted seatbelts. Learned something ! Gotta love the supreme fitment to the driver they provide in the later R230 too. The only 2 generations to use them.
@@trexmidnite Why do people always assume those of us who love old MBs can't afford new ones? Come to my work and you'll see a parking lot full of $50- $130000 vehicles. Pickup trucks. Land Cruisers. S class Mercedes. BMWs. Cadillac CTS type V. Lexus' of all kinds. And my 30 year old Benz wagon. I just overspent for that 1991 wagon in fact. Low miles. Diesel. 5 speed. A rarity in this country and about as uncomplicated as they get. I don't like the new ones much. I'll stick to my 1991 250TD and 1995 E320.
I’d rather be driving my car then have it spend much time in the dealership having a DS repaired ABC repaired roof repaired seals repaired the list goes on you can spend thousands and thousands on our 230 all to have it all go wrong again in a few years
Have a 98 sl500 roadsters but has many miles. Still runs great but upkeep is killing me. Trying to stay current with maintenance and small repairs. Car of my dreams. Kills me to think of selling her but would rather see restored to mint by another sl500 enthusiast that could finish it out. The most outstanding vehicle one can covet. I just love these beauties.
I could be wrong here, but my 91 300sl did have a glove box like the vid but it didnt have passenger airbags. When I updated/refreshed all the parts from 2000 sl320 the glove box was gone, replaced with passenger airbags. I wished I still had the glove box.
that famous roll over clip at 1:53 does show the right side of roll bar does and window frame collapse since it more of the brunt of the force during the roll over..the drivers side survived since it didn't same impact...maybe not so good for the passenger
No wonder they weigh nearly 2tonnes , the seat must weigh 100kgs with all those motors and pulleys in it. Proper car built by the greatest auto engineers.
Thanks a lot, my 300SL maybe is the oldest one on the road. Build in 11/1988. Yes 11/1988 and I am Talking about a 300SL R129. Almadinrot and champagne interior. I like this car so much
Not counting the experiment by Ford with the 1958 Fairlane, this is the first car with a reliable, self folding hard top and boot. And those crash tests - this car would get a 4 star safety rating even by 2019-2020 standards. They had the reinforced occupant safety structure long before the rest of the world implemented it. Look at how well the occupants are protected. The windshield frame stays square and the doors are still in alignment and can be easily opened.
Sorry to say that, but the R129 NEVER Hand a folding Hardtop. The hardtop is in one piece and you can lift it by hand. Under the hardtop you have a softtop, hydraulic driven by 12 hydraulic cylinders.
Mercedes was so far ahead on safety, even in the 70s. They were already doing offset frontal crashes and roof strength (rollover) testing and innovating so much of what we take for granted in todays cars. Passenger safety cells. Anti submarining seats. Pedestrian safety. Etc.
Per me. Una delle auto più belle del mondo . Ha una linea inarrivabile. Capolavoro di Bruno Sacco. La Mercedes aveva sviluppato questa vettura in modo impeccabile. Davvero stupenda , sotto certi aspetti mai più ne uguagliata ne superata. Ma del resto , la Mercedes aveva già creato prima la sl 300 del 1954. Voglio dire.....
sorry the Germans do not release this model at the present time. would leave this design, but improve the filling ... there would be a lot of buyers all over the world! I would like to see a repeat of this design with the company Mercedes in the future!
أكثر من ٣٠ سنة و ما زال هذا الموديل افضل و اجمل موديل صنعته كرسيدس غي فئة اس ال. اعتمادي و جميل و قيادته يوميا ومريح و يعمر للابد. تغيرو المهندسين للاسواء في كل مكان في العالم و اصبحت المنتجات سيئه و رديئه ولا تعمر رغم ارتفاع سعرها.. على ما يبدو الهدف اقتصادي و استهلاكي بحت.
Everybody knows that Lady Di owned one back in the 90ies. But can someone confirm me that the oldest daughter of ex-king Juan Carlos of Spain owned one. Her name Elena Isabella de Borbon. If so, i could be the actual owner of that car since that is what i can see in the service book as the first owners name.
My R129 was a retirement present to myself and after aching to own one of these for 25 years I have a perfect 1999 SL320 that is mine for ever!
Complimenti. Ottima scelta .
When the 129 was first launched, I instantly loved it. I was about 18 and went to the local dealer, who'd just received their demonstrator. It was being kept in a separate room because it was before the official launch. They kindly let me in to go and have a look at it. It was stunning. I remember - when nobody was looking - kissing the badge on the bonnet! Finally, in 2019, I bought a 1999 R129 after searching for about 2 years. Fantastic car.
Just saw one at the neighbors damned still damned good looking
You'll never beat this over engineering nor attention to detail I only drive 90s German cars... The best or nothing.
w208 is superb in v6 or v8 fashion
Truth is they are ALL superb, it only depends on your taste..
Me tooo
Alexandre うーー
I just bought a 96 SL500 for $1500 bucks. It runs great, but its a salvage title and has lots of little things wrong with it.
The last "painfully beautiful" SL... I will never sell mine, nor my W140 S-Class. Built like a tank and designed to last forever. Thanks for uploading
The R129 and W140 are two of the best Benzes ever created. They just don’t make them like they used to. The follow up R230 and W220 generations quality dropped off of a cliff as Daimler-Chrysler decided to cut development and manufacturing costs in order to increase profits.
Si "dolorosamente bella". Fortunato davvero chi possiede delle auto come le sue. Complimenti davvero.
I own one of these and will never let it go. What an outstanding built quality!
So do i
quality stopped in end of the 1999th
Me too 1994 Sl500 i love my car
Beethoven80
I hope they keep on appreciating in value.
Omg look at these mofos.. latest model is best
almost 30 years ago, it still takes my breath away in the streets
I can remember when the R129 hit the showrooms at Mercedes Benz dealers in North America for the 1990 model year. They were leaps and bounds ahead of the competition and the full automatic folding soft top convertible was the first of its kind. Even 30 years later, they still look gorgeous just like the day they were manufactured!
Hi Ken - bet Bill misses your informed comments on Autohaus of Naples! Don't you just love these cars!
There was no competition
I have a 92 500sl and I can say the build quality is exceptional I love everything about this little car
Proud owner of a 1995 SL500 M119! Never letting it go!
Thanks Bruno!
These cars are beautiful. I have a 99 SL500 and still in 2018 when I take her out with the top down I get so many compliments and people stop me to talk about it. Cant tell you how many offers I've had on her. Mercedes just makes timeless vehicles.
I just pick up my 2nd one. 1997 SL500 Sport with 30K Miles.... What a fantastic car. It's held up well in every aspect from design to engineering. Such a great car to drive.
Philip Davies Enjoy it
I have owned my 1999 SL320 for 3 years now and still love it! Daily driver with 93,000 miles still turns heads and gets favourable comments. Had to renew ECU and had a tiny bit of rust attended to but that is it so far. Will need new windows stitched into soft top when I take the panoramic roof off in Spring time.All I have spent out has been as I expected on a 20 year old car. Love the quality, looks, performance and how it makes me feel to drive with the roof off in Summer. Lovely!
Jon Boy - i’ve had my 99 SL500 for 2 1/2 years now. It had the metal hardtop when I purchased it but I was able to locate a matching panoramic top about a year ago and what a huge difference it makes in the outside appearance and the beauty of a full view through the roof from the inside looking out. The panoramic tops are so rare and I was really lucky to find one that matched my car inside and out.
I plan to will my 93 600SL to my grandson when it’s 50 years old. I love that car.
Look at 0:55 how Bruno Sacco anticipated the front grill pulled in front of the headlights. Nowadays, this has become standard automotive design. How advanced his design has always been!
Beethoven80 your approach is correct. However that design was dismissed. Rather they spend all 80s and 90s drawing horizontal lines along the grill and bumpers. Excuse me everyone but now days shapes and volumes so oversized it turns churlish for me. Specially those huge and protruding grills
Gretings
Bruno Sacco Design. I am lucky to own 4 of his designed cars. Please check my video
Its a very italian ferrari thing
If you own a good one today, you’ll never let it go anymore.Our 1995 SL320 with five speed auto is a family member since long time. I admit these cars can be quite a diva in recent days, but, how many 28 year old cars with so much innovation and hightech on board are so reliable, beautiful and fun to drive. I Also would like to recommend to become a patreon of this great channel!
Fascinating. I'm obsessed with my 92'
Does your car leak?
Lea Vohn - that’s a pretty broad question. Are you having problems with water leakage from your top, or hydraulic fluid down the A pillars from the actuators that lock the top in place at the top of the windshield?
Ich habe damals als Ingenieurspraktikant den R129 von Nikki Lauda zur Abgabe fertiggestellt.
Nach vielen Schwingungstests und Probefahrten konnte ich das Vorzeigefahrzeug meinem
damaligen Abteilungsleiter, Herrn Ehlender, und dem Technischen Direktor, Herrn Dr. Zeyfang, vorstellen.
Mein Erfolg wurde leider niemals erwähnt ...
Love my 1996 SL320.
I go to the garage late at night and open and.shut the door just to hear that think!! Sound. it is a vault!
4:54 HAHA with music looks superb :)
Love my '97
I got my SL 300 24 in 1992 and I still drive it besides new Boxster 718, V167, Audis etc. Yet this R129 is the one I like most of all. While technical topics have already been vastly delt with Id like to add a few thoughts which you might not be aware of. 1. Ordering an SL in Germany meant having to wait for 3 years before taking delivery. 2. Contracts were traded at a premium of 20k deutschmarks, worth about 20k€ in today's money or about 15% of the dealer price on top. 3. The 911, albeit unique too, was a peace of crap compared to the R129 at the time. Every time I opened the soft top, a crowd of people was gathering around my car with their eyes focused on any single part that was moving. As for spare parts, Ive invested around 30k€ to date. Not including any labour costs. As a result my R129's current market value is probably in access of 30k€ while the R107 is testing 100k territory. How I got this car? A college mate of my father - an authorised MB dealer - called us one day ... offering us a contract inclunding a 3% cash discount. More than happy to accept.
A very beautiful car / ein wunderschönes Auto. Gezeichnet von Bruno Sacco, einem der besten Designer der Welt.
Just picked up a sl 600 for pennies needed a trans so my friend rebuilt it with modern tech tricks and this car is a hoot! 64 yrs old tryin not to smoke the tires in my neighborhood !
Smoke'em if you got'em.....🤷♂️
Probably one of the best SL ever made...i've a 1990 AMG version ,pre-merc acquisition And i LOVE IT...this Benz have no rivals
one of the beauty Mercedes Maker make
This is my favorite generation of the SL ever. Timeless Bruno Sacco design, one of his best works along with the R230 SL and W140 and C140 Sonderklasse. Hopefully Mercedes-Benz can redesign the current SL and get sales back on track. It would be a shame for them to be forced to discontinue the SL if it continues to sell fewer than 2,000 units per year.
Gedaman - rumors of discontinuing the SL have been floating around for a couple of years. Many auto manufacturers are putting a majority of their design eggs in the SUV basket. Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and even Lamborghini are all producing horribly boring looking SUVs. Although I understand that they are useful and for many family applications, desirable and practical, SUVs are the most God awful boring looking design of a vehicle I’ve ever seen (aside from full size utility vans which of course serve a very functional purpose). But when something sells well, manufacturers will obviously produce more of them. I would like to see opinions regarding what vehicles being produced today will be looked at 30 years from now as Classics or timeless designs. I can guarantee you not a single one will be an SUV.
This has been my dream car for many years. Luckily I found a 96 SL500 and picked it up immediately
my fav Mercedes model
I Love My 1991 300SL
Fantastic engineering unlike today...
I have a 1999 329 and I love it. Man these must have caused a stir when they arrived!
Здравствуйте! Машина легенда, у меня есть sl500 1993 r129 m119 машину нужно восстанавливать, на машину смотрят и удивляются какие легендарные автомобили делают в мерседес!
The superior roadster in the 90th and it is still one of the best cars ever,drove a 320 SL for many years,great experience!
Never knew these R129 SL innovated seatbelt integrated seats headrests moved with the mounted seatbelts. Learned something ! Gotta love the supreme fitment to the driver they provide in the later R230 too. The only 2 generations to use them.
This was the pinnacle of Mercedes engineering, IMO. I don't care for any of the new models.
Depends what you can afford really..
@@trexmidnite Why do people always assume those of us who love old MBs can't afford new ones? Come to my work and you'll see a parking lot full of $50- $130000 vehicles. Pickup trucks. Land Cruisers. S class Mercedes. BMWs. Cadillac CTS type V. Lexus' of all kinds. And my 30 year old Benz wagon.
I just overspent for that 1991 wagon in fact. Low miles. Diesel. 5 speed. A rarity in this country and about as uncomplicated as they get.
I don't like the new ones much. I'll stick to my 1991 250TD and 1995 E320.
trex midnite yeah and you can only afford a new A class LOL
Last best SL ever
I’d rather be driving my car then have it spend much time in the dealership having a DS repaired ABC repaired roof repaired seals repaired the list goes on you can spend thousands and thousands on our 230 all to have it all go wrong again in a few years
There's only one thing missing here; a standing star on the bonnet. So the driver could follow the star.
i own a 1994 sl500, very iconic and timeless car. Such beatifull to see, own and drive!
AWESOME video!!!!
The car of my Dreams!! Mercedes Benz. the best or nothing... the best engineering of the world
excelente machine..................mi favorito...................
Truly one of the greatest cars ever made!
I just bought )’97 SL500. Totally smitten with it...😍
Great car,have 95 and 99 ,looking for 2002 last production year
Have a 98 sl500 roadsters but has many miles. Still runs great but upkeep is killing me. Trying to stay current with maintenance and small repairs. Car of my dreams. Kills me to think of selling her but would rather see restored to mint by another sl500 enthusiast that could finish it out. The most outstanding vehicle one can covet. I just love these beauties.
My all time favorite Mercedes!
what a beauty
Die musik ist geil!! Das auto auch!!😘
Damn! I want a big ass glove box in my SL500 like the one at 12:41!! I have never seen one of those in an R129.
I could be wrong here, but my 91 300sl did have a glove box like the vid but it didnt have passenger airbags. When I updated/refreshed all the parts from 2000 sl320 the glove box was gone, replaced with passenger airbags.
I wished I still had the glove box.
super film !!!!!! Very interesting !!!
Sehr schöner SL 👌
Benz‘s craftsmanship is way more better than nowadays Japanese engineers！
Debatable.
Best video ever
Que hermoso auto de mis sueños
Love this Great Find!
ein schönes neues Jahr 2019 🤗
Been wanting one for a few years now...
Золотые времена были!!!
Да!!! 👍
Неміс халқы керемет ғажап жарайсыңдар мен сендерді өте қатты құрметпен қараймын.
Love it !!!!
ein wunder schönes cabrio, mit einer wunder schönen vorm, ich besitze ein sl r 129 300 24 v, bj 93 in blau schwarz, ich liebe mein baby sehr,
Realistic Dream car Since Need For Speed 3 :D
Bruno Sacco's masterpiece
Beside the w126
This model came out in 1989 and ended in 2001 unbelievable
Bravo!!!
Отличный автомобиль😉👍
I. Own a 260 e 4 d. 4 door. 1989 in fantastic . My storey is yet to be told
The best or nothing!!!
that famous roll over clip at 1:53 does show the right side of roll bar does and window frame collapse since it more of the brunt of the force during the roll over..the drivers side survived since it didn't same impact...maybe not so good for the passenger
No wonder they weigh nearly 2tonnes , the seat must weigh 100kgs with all those motors and pulleys in it. Proper car built by the greatest auto engineers.
Nice music
The oldest, viewed at 0'34, is the very much beautiful SL ! 😁
Thanks a lot, my 300SL maybe is the oldest one on the road. Build in 11/1988. Yes 11/1988 and I am Talking about a 300SL R129. Almadinrot and champagne interior. I like this car so much
Are there more videos like this? I like it very much 😄
There are such videos. But judging by the views, these videos few people like them))
OldBenz Unfortunately 😕
1989 Mercedes-Benz SL R129 development.
Los mejores
best music for this video
Great
Not counting the experiment by Ford with the 1958 Fairlane, this is the first car with a reliable, self folding hard top and boot. And those crash tests - this car would get a 4 star safety rating even by 2019-2020 standards. They had the reinforced occupant safety structure long before the rest of the world implemented it. Look at how well the occupants are protected. The windshield frame stays square and the doors are still in alignment and can be easily opened.
Sorry to say that, but the R129 NEVER Hand a folding Hardtop. The hardtop is in one piece and you can lift it by hand. Under the hardtop you have a softtop, hydraulic driven by 12 hydraulic cylinders.
Mercedes was so far ahead on safety, even in the 70s. They were already doing offset frontal crashes and roof strength (rollover) testing and innovating so much of what we take for granted in todays cars. Passenger safety cells. Anti submarining seats. Pedestrian safety. Etc.
I remember hearing of people paying $10K over msrp because there was a waiting list to take delivery, upwards of $90-100K for 500SL!!
Per me. Una delle auto più belle del mondo . Ha una linea inarrivabile. Capolavoro di Bruno Sacco. La Mercedes aveva sviluppato questa vettura in modo impeccabile. Davvero stupenda , sotto certi aspetti mai più ne uguagliata ne superata. Ma del resto , la Mercedes aveva già creato prima la sl 300 del 1954. Voglio dire.....
Bruno Saco designed this 🚗
Proud owner
sorry the Germans do not release this model at the present time. would leave this design, but improve the filling ... there would be a lot of buyers all over the world! I would like to see a repeat of this design with the company Mercedes in the future!
Would be awesome if you could find a video on the W211
0:38 Interessant, dass BB-ST410 damals die gängige Nummer war.
Had every one except the first generation
Is this a royalty free music?? Can i use it in a video?
German's ancient technologies...
Red 1990 sl500 chrome wheels 69000 miles. Only problem is the dash flash
أكثر من ٣٠ سنة و ما زال هذا الموديل افضل و اجمل موديل صنعته كرسيدس غي فئة اس ال. اعتمادي و جميل و قيادته يوميا
ومريح و يعمر للابد.
تغيرو المهندسين للاسواء في كل مكان في العالم و اصبحت المنتجات سيئه و رديئه ولا تعمر رغم ارتفاع سعرها.. على ما يبدو الهدف اقتصادي و استهلاكي بحت.
Last of the Sls a curse on the house of Mercedes for producing shit for ever since.
Bourdeaux burgandy
Mercedes-Benz. The Best or Nothing.
❤ERCEDES BENZ
Name of soundtrack please?
Lea Vohn - the artist is Jonathan MT.
the name of the track is Dreaming Of Anything - Darling You Are My World.
06:35 Wurde ja tatsächlich auf deutschen Strassen getestet. Ob das heute immer noch so gemacht wird?
i wishd id had 560sel and 280sl
Everybody knows that Lady Di owned one back in the 90ies. But can someone confirm me that the oldest daughter of ex-king Juan Carlos of Spain owned one. Her name Elena Isabella de Borbon.
If so, i could be the actual owner of that car since that is what i can see in the service book as the first owners name.
والله فنانين
👍😍