Mercedes-Benz 350 SL

A two-seater saloon seems like a contradiction in terms but as a generic title it fits the 350SL admirably. It is rather too big and to heavy to qualify as a sports car, even though it's superb handling and roadholding - especially impressive in the wet - are more than a match for many that do.

As a continential express, a role for which it is primarily designed, the Mercedes proved its worth on a round trip to Turin by sustaining an effortless 120mph on the French autoroutes. That it also has the stability and the brakes to make such a pace safe and reassuring goes almost without saying. Even more impressive was the way this big car cossetted its two occupants and kept them fresh and comfortable for hours on end, thanks to outstanding seats, efficient ventilation and, despite the high revving engine and a removable hardtop, surprisingly little noise.

One's initial impression of a relatively modest performance is fostered by the exceptional smoothness of the engine - one of the smoothest we've tried, Wankels included - modest low speed torque, and fairly low speeds at which the transmission changes into a higher ratio when left to it's own devices. It is only when you explore the upper reaches of the rev range, which extends to 6500 rpm, by locking the selector into a lower gear that the car really shows it's pace.

Although the 350SL is no sports car, its roadholding and cornering powers are outstanding by any standards - better even than you might anticipate of a car with modern all-independant suspension and the finest high speed road tyres of them all in our experience - Michelin's XVRs. The car squats on a very wide track and monster covers, visibly emphasising, even when the car is at rest, the immense feeling of stability which arrow-straight cruising and virtualy roll-free cornering confirm. Unlike its predecessor though, the 350SL has utterly viceless handling, its semi trailing rear suspension minimizing the camber changes that the old low-pivot swing axle design made the 280SL a tricky car to handle in certain circumstances.

All we need say is that few drivers are going to be brave enough to reach the strong understeer that sets in near the limit, let alone the point when the front end breaks away. On a dry road it would need skilled provocation to break the tenacious bond of the back wheels. We were impressed by the cars wet road grip which was vastly superior to that of the BMW 3.0CS on rival covers. But despite the handling, some drivers felt that the cars sheer bulk did not encourage them to exploit these virtues on secondary country roads.

And what Brakes! Discs all round, ventilated at the front, with strong servo assistance - strong enough to give 1g deceleration with only 50lb pressure in action. No fade was recorded during the 20-stop test, nor detected during a stiffer ordeal - a brisk decent of the Mont Cenis Pass which once wilted the brakes of a rival car.

What the 350SL has that most other two-seaters lack is spaciousness. There's certainly no cramping inside as the big seats are set well apart by a central divide , and legroom is so generous that even a tall passenger can stretch out. There's a characteristically heavy elegance about the interior decor, all of it black or dark grey in the test car.

 

What the press had to say...

MERCEDES BENZ 350SL

"The concept is a fast open-closed 2-seater of maximum luxury, with roadholding and brakes to match its speed capability. The speed capability is, for the European version, 130 mph and that means the steering, suspension, tires and brakes all have to be of a very high order - especially so since the "maximum luxury" means high weight."

"The controls of this car are the best worked-out of any we've ever experienced. A convenient steering column stalk does several different things, but that's nothing new for Mercedes. A pushbutton-reset trip odometer is, and so are intermittent-wiping wipers. The seatback adjusters have been moved to the inboard side of the seats, making them easier to operate, and we appreciated the fact that the seatbacks pivot on a point about 6 inches above the cushion to vary lumbar support as the back angle is changed. We had to figure out the heating-air conditioning controls without a manual, and it took a while; but this is a comprehensive system and the controls are logical. There are too many blower speeds to count, the driver and passenger have separate heat controls, the controls are colour-coded and colour-lighted for night use, etc, etc. We could go on for days."

"Handling is close to neutral, a discreet amount of understeer being present under nearly all conditions to stabilize things. The tail will still come out if the throttle foot is lifted in a hard turn, but it does so gently and controllably and causes no problems. Perhaps the best thing we could say about the SL's handling is that we have absolutely no complaint."

"The ride has been improved too. In the old car it was already outstanding, but the new SL is even better at taking monstrous bumps and dips than the old one. No matter what the road surface, you just keep on driving fast and the chassis (not to mention the absolutely stiff, rattle-free body) takes care of you. Amazing. And it's also utterly smooth on good roads too; very little harshness, pitching at a minimum, and so forth. There is no better combination of ride and handling."

Road and Track - October 1971

"As a continental express, a role for which it is primarily designed, the Mercedes proved its worth on a round trip to Turin by sustaining an effortless 120 mph on the autoroutes. That it also has the stability and brakes to make such a pace safe and reassuring goes almost without saying. Even more impressive was the way this big car cosseted its two occupants and kept them fresh and comfortable for hours on end, thanks to outstanding seats, efficient (if rather complicated) heating and ventilation and, despite the high revving engine and a removable hardtop, surprisingly little noise. "

Motor - December 1971