Mercedes Benz SL 450

I had never seen this rare vehicle in the streets of Yerevan before- although being some distance away from me, I noticed it, chased it and asked the driver to stop the car and give me some information about his” red wolf”.  This Mercedes is not well known to Armenian motorists, since it was mainly produced for the North American market and wasn’t sold in other countries.

Now I will try to produce some useful information about this car.
This is the Mercedes-Benz 450 SL with R107 body indication. The first model built on R107 body was the 350 SL, the production of which started in 1971. The production line was stopped in 1989 and the last representative of the R107 was the 500 SL.
The 450 SL is the cabriolet version of the R107, which was produced from 1973 to 1980 only for US market. The body was strictly designed in accordance with the US safety standards and was equipped with a special galvanized convertible top to protect it from corrosion.
The anti-lock braking system (ABS) was first applied in this model. Before going on mass production, the car underwent serious trials and is believed to be one of the most reliable cabriolets of its time.
Initially, the 450 SL was equipped with a soft convertible top. However, being forced to pander to the whim of some clients, the designers created an optional rigid convertible top.
The car is equipped with 4.5 L V8 engine with a capacity of 225 HP. This engine is supported with 4-speed automatic transmission and accelerates the car up to 220 km/h consuming 12 L petrol per 100km. The engines of 450 SL were especially highly appreciated by the US specialists and motorists. Before a major overhaul, the engine was used from 700.000 to 1,600.000 kilometers!

Although this 450 SL was manufactured in 1974, it has cruise control system, air conditioning, power windows and heated seats.
This 450 SL was many times filmed in Hollywood movies as a car for millionaires, actors and even gangsters, since it was a symbol of success and wealth.