Mercedes-Benz SL-Class First generation
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (First generation) was built from 1954 to 1963. Powertrain: Petrol: 1.9 L I4; 3.0 L M198 I6. Size: 4,520 x 1,790 x 1,300 mm (L x W x H).
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: allen watkin from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.
Overview
The 300 SL was a road-going version of the W194 racing car with extensive modifications to the body. The 300 SL in coupé form was introduced in 1954, featuring its trademark gullwing doors. In 1957, the roadster succeeded the coupé and had the larger conventional passenger doors and larger form-fitting headlamps and was in production until 1963. In 1955, the smaller 190 SL presented an attractive, more affordable alternative to the exclusive Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, sharing its basic styling, engineering, detailing, and fully independent suspension. Both cars had double wishbones in front and swing axles at the rear.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Check before you buy
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
Other generations of the SL-Class
- Second generation · 1963-1971
- Third generation · 1971-1989
- Fourth generation · 1989-2001
- Fifth generation · 2001-2011
- Sixth generation · 2011-2020
- Seventh generation · 2022-present
More from Mercedes-Benz · all Mercedes-Benz models
- C-Class (Battery electric) · 2026-present
- GLB (Second generation) · 2026 - present
- CLA (Third generation) · 2025 - present
- G-Class (Mercedes-Benz G-Class (W465)) · 2024-present
- Mercedes-AMG GT (Second generation (C192)) · 2023-present
- GLC (Second generation) · 2022-present
Can I import a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (First generation) from Japan?
By production year alone, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (First generation) is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (First generation)?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: Petrol: 1.9 L I4; 3.0 L M198 I6.
How big is the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (First generation)?
4,520 mm long and 1,790 mm wide and 1,300 mm tall, on a 2,400 mm wheelbase. For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
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