Patrick C. Paternie
02/02/2004
Until the 493-hp SL55 AMG roared onto the streets last year, you could understand any lingering impression that the SL in the noted Mercedes-Benz series stood for Super Luxurious. The new two-seater takes the name back to its roots, when the SL230 made its debut at the 1963 Geneva auto show under the name Sport and Light (or Leicht, to be Teutonically precise). Its purpose was unmistakable.
Over the next four decades, the SL series would evolve into a high-performance sports car/hyper-luxury car hybrid, with several notable (and collectible) variations produced along the way. Its gradual transition toward the luxury end of the spectrum was part of the evolution, and understandably overshadowed the "sport" moniker. Nicknamed for the distinctive downward bow toward the middle of its detachable hardtop, the Pagoda series of 230SL to 280SL models was manufactured from 1963 to 1971.The 230SL was the second generation of the series, conceived to fill the gap between the exotic and expensive 300SL Roadster and the cheaper, four-cylinder 190SL. With a 2.3-liter, six-cylinder engine, rated at 150 hp, the Pagoda outperformed the anemic 190SL and gave the 215-hp, six-cylinder 300SL a run for its money. At $7,500, it was priced almost midway between the two cars.
Although several performance enhancements made in the 1960s and 1970s put larger, more powerful engines in the Pagoda series, the cars also gradually got heavier—in some cases, by 800 pounds—thanks to steel body panels that replaced aluminum. The "light" moniker seemed less apt, and Mercedes-Benz decided to target the new cars toward the growing niche of luxury-oriented buyers who favored plush interiors over sporty handling.
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.
As a testament to the 230SL’s sportiness, one of the first production models was chosen by the factory’s ace rally driver, Eugen Bohringer, to compete in the 1963 Spa-Sofia-Liege endurance rally, a 4,000-mile race across Belgium, Italy and Yugoslavia. With few modifications other than rally-specific timing equipment and a beefed-up suspension and underbody to cope with the rough roads, the 230SL won handily over the powerful factory teams of Austin-Healey, Saab and Mini Cooper.
So the Pagoda is fun to drive, and a beauty to behold, but is it a good investment? SL analyst John Olson, author of The SL Experience, a comprehensive history of the series, says yes, as long as you remember to kick the tires. The key, as with all vintage collectibles, is to get one in good condition. Pagoda parts are available from
a number of sources, including the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, which supplies parts going back 20 years. In fact, last year, the Classic Center in Germany assembled a complete Pagoda from off-the-shelf parts. But parts can be expensive, especially chrome trim and the front grille, so Olson warns that it is ultimately much cheaper to pay top dollar for a well-maintained or restored car than to buy a fixer-upper. Rust and corrosion are the biggest strikes against value retention.
Proper mechanical and body inspections by qualified experts are well worth the cost. A Concours Trophy–winning 280SL currently sells for $55,000 to $60,000, and cars that are street driven command about $40,000, as long as they are still in excellent condition. Yet the values listed in most price guides for a 280SL average about $25,000.
"There are so many more bad ones out there selling for less, that they cancel out the good ones when you do an
average price analysis," Olson explains. The upside is that it is possible to buy a great car at a low price from a seller who relies on published average values. He also reports a far greater demand for the newer, more powerful 280SL models, making them "more liquid, easier to sell." He adds that the Pagoda is a rarity among classic sports cars because enough buyers want the automatic transmission that it is not a detriment to the car’s
value.
Ultimately, Olson believes the Pagoda models, especially the 280SL, may double in value in the next 10 years. That makes them a viable alternative to a new or used SLK that would cost about the same as a 280SL in excellent condition, but would depreciate during the same period.
"The Pagoda was the first of the so-called low-maintenance cars, with many sealed fittings, so it requires less servicing," says Olson. "It’s very civilized for an old car, with reclining seats, power steering, factory air conditioning and automatic transmission. You could jump in and easily drive one across country today."
When compared to the 300SL or a new SL55, the price of a Pagoda is a bargain for an SL that truly lives up to its name.
Additional Information
Pagodas by the Years and by the Numbers
Resources
The Mercedes-Benz Club of America
www.mbca.org
Mercedes-Benz Classic Center,
1.866.MBCLASSIC (866.622.5277)
www.mbusa.com/classic
The SL Market Letter
612.377.0155
www.slmarket.com