Mercedes SL, where SL stands for Sport Leicht, which in German means sportiness and lightness, was introduced to the market by the Stuttgart-based company in 1952 starting with the 300 SL, the legendary 'Gull Wing'. Thus began an almost 70-year saga, the 300 SL being the German company's first modern two-seater spider.
In 1957 it was the turn of the 300 SL Roadster, which abandoned its vertically opening doors in favour of front-hinged ones and received a soft top.
1963 saw the birth of the 230 SL (W 113), which replaced the latter two and earned the nickname Pagoda because of its optional hard top. The hard top features high windows and is joined by a concave roof supported by narrow pillars, reminiscent of Asian temples.
In 1971 Mercedes introduced the R 107 SL to the wealthy public, later nicknamed the 'panzer wagon' (tank) due to its large size and weight. The first engine was a 3,500 cc V8 with 204 horsepower, later, to meet market requirements, the engine size was increased to the largest 5,600 cc for the US market.

Remaining in the list for 17 years, it is the longest-lived in Mercedes production, equalled only by the G model, an icon in the off-road segment.