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Developing a Yen for the Pagoda
Patrick C. Paternie
02/02/2004
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The Pagoda range is now acclaimed as the bridge series between the sport-tourer image of the original SL and the luxury boulevardier that emerged with the third generation of SLs in the 1970s. This luxury-oriented repositioning has not only helped sell new cars, it has gone a long way toward enhancing the appeal of the SL, previously coveted by collectors more for its athletic prowess than for its comfort factor. The Pagoda can hold its own against the performance of Porsches, while providing more comfort.
It can also stand up to early Jaguars and Austin-Healeys, with the added bonus of affording the Pagoda driver more time on the road, as opposed to the side of the road. (The mechanical and electrical eccentricities of the Pagoda’s British counterparts are well-documented.)
Unlike many other classic cars, Pagodas are engineered to protect their occupants. Mercedes engineering maven Bela Barenyi, a pioneer in automotive safety, made the SL series
the first production automobile to feature front and rear crumple zones to absorb some of the impact of a collision before it reaches the passenger compartment.
Barenyi is also credited with designing the distinctive roof. The outward edges taper upward to allow for larger side windows and therefore greater visibility, an important safety factor. The adjustment meant sacrificing some of the car’s aerodynamic performance, but the raised soft top still fares better—by about 2 mph at top speed—than the hard top. Soft top, incidentally, doesn’t mean without backbone. The roof can withstand a load of more than a ton (2,205 pounds) before it is crushed, providing protection in rollovers.
Another safety attribute of the 230SL was originally added as a performance feature. Rudi Uhlenhaut, head of
Mercedes-Benz engineering and the mastermind behind many of the firm’s racing successes, determined that radial tires would give the 230SL world-class sports car handling. He added other advanced features, such as the standard fuel injection system, optional power steering and four-speed automatic transmission. The latter two were unique offerings for sports cars at that time.
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