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Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107

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Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107

The Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107 are sports cars which were produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1971 until 1989, being the second longest single series ever produced by the automaker after the G-Class. They were sold under the SL (R107) and SLC (C107) model names in a variety of names indicating the displacement of the engines.

The R107/SL was a two-seat convertible with a detachable roof. During its production run, the R107 was the only roadster offered by Mercedes-Benz, as it replaced the W113 SL-Class in 1971 and was replaced by the R129 SL-Class in 1989. The C107/SLC was a four-seat car with a fixed roof and an optional sliding steel sunroof. It replaced the W111 Coupé in 1971 and was in turn replaced by the C126 S-class coupé in 1981.

The predecessor W113 was notably successful in North America, with 19,440 units (40%) of 48,912 total units sold in the US. The R107 and C107 were even more focused on the American market, with specialized engines, bumper designs, headlights, and emissions management designs. The R107 and C107 sold 204,373 units in the US (68%) of 300,175 total units sold (excluding grey market sales into the US).

The R107 and C107 took the chassis components of the midsize 1968 Mercedes-Benz W114 model and mated them initially to the M116 and M117 V8 engines used in the W108, W109 and W111 series. The body styles for both R107 and C107 did not change materially from introduction in 1971 to their end of production in 1981 (coupé) and 1989 (soft-top) respectively.

The SL (R107) variant was a 2-seat convertible/roadster with standard soft-top, with optional winter hardtop and only rarely ordered very small rear bench-seat.

The SLC (C107) derivative was a 2-door hardtop coupé, on a 36 cm (14.2 in) longer wheelbase, and with normally sized rear seats. The SLC was the first and only time that Mercedes-Benz based their S-class coupé on a stretched SL roadster platform, rather than on a large S-class saloon. The SLC replaced the former saloon-based 280/300SE coupé in the Mercedes lineup, while there was no two-door version of the W116. The SLC model run ended in 1981, much earlier than the SL. It was replaced by the considerably larger 380SEC and 500SEC, once again derived from the 1980 S-class line.

Volume production of the first R107 car, the 350SL, started in April 1971 alongside the last of the W113 cars; the 350SLC followed in October. The early 1971 350SL are very rare and were available with an optional 4 speed fluid coupling automatic gearbox. The 1971 4sp auto were quick cars for the day with 0-60 mph in 8 seconds. In addition, the rare 1971 cars were fitted with Bosch electronic fuel injection.

The 350SL and 350SLC for the European market used a 3.5 liter V8 engine.

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