Sportline 500
107 500 SL | 0-60 in 5.9 Sec | 255 BHP
Nautic Blue 929 / Cream Leather 275.
Long before our 300SL SportLine reached the pages of glossy magazines, when it was an unpainted shell and boxes of unfulfilled potential, we knew that a V8 SportLine had to be next – what we didn’t have at the time was the right customer.
John Smith lives in a country with blue skies, open roads and very little traffic, and already has an enviable collection of classic cars including more than one SL. When
John heard about the SportLine project, he knew that a SportLine 500SL V8 would be perfectly suited to his lifestyle. After discussing the options with Bruce, the specification was chosen and the car you see here is the end result.
The beauty of a SportLine project is that it combines our expertise with the personal taste of the customer. Our original 300SL SportLine featured a raft of cosmetic enhancements, but for this build the customer wanted the outside of the car to retain all the details of a perfect SL.
From a distance, the finished car looks like a factory standard 500SL, but the manual gear knob gives the game away… this is no ordinary 500SL.
Car Specs
Performance
- Lightened and balanced flywheel and crank
- Revised injection system (featuring larger Mercedes-Benz injectors)
- Distribution Pack replacd with modern ignition coil pack for a more precise spark and better throttle response
- Mapped ignition via Omex ECU
- Free-flow performance air filter
- Re-engineered throttle linkage for better pedal response
- Performance camshaft with revised cam profile, tuned for torque
- Ported and polished head for better breathing
- Bespoke stainless steel exhaust system
- Mercedes-Benz 5 speed manual gearbox
The Handling
- Adjustable progressive springs and bespoke dampers, tuned to the weight and feel of the car
- Bespoke anti-roll bar
- Aluminium rear trailing arms with anti-squat links
- Stronger, uprated suspension bushes
- Performance discs, vented and grooved for effective cooling
- Performance brake pads
- Limited-slip differential for improved traction and acceleration
- Full professional geometry set-up
The Interior
- Reprofiled sports steering wheel for greater control and better feel
- Hand stitched dashboard, steering wheel, gear knob and gear lever gaiter
- Interior SportLine badging
- Dash mounted fuel/air mix gauge
- High gloss dark pepper wood finish
- Seat Heating
- Period style Nappa leather with Alcantara centres, pleated and double stitched
- Upgraded Becker Hi-Fi audio system with Bluetooth technology
Sportline 500 Gallery
Own SportLine ZERO
What began as our dream can now be your reality – the order books are open. Even before the ink dried on our electric car brochure we began seeing enquiries from around the world, interested parties who had caught wind of the SportLine Zero project and wanted to be involved.
Electric Vehicles have now moved out of the shadows and firmly into the limelight, and as daily drivers, they are certainly here to stay. Many capital cities around the world are now increasing the restrictions on emissions, so why let that impact your classic car enjoyment?
At the time of writing there are 21 towns with low emissions zones, including London and Edinburgh. Worldwide the trend is increasing, with European cities embracing clean air zones and pushing petrol heads out of key cities. We don’t believe this should be the end of classic car enjoyment in these places, we believe it presents an opportunity to make the ultimate statement of style, sophistication and forward thinking.
As with our SportLine collaborations, a SportLine Zero project is a joint undertaking between SLSHOP and yourself. This is not an off the shelf product, this is a custom build, finished to your specification. Everything can be set to your exact requirements, from the finish of the cabin, to the paint and chrome, down to the way the car handles and accelerates. Choose from a range of standard SL or SportLine touches, the finest materials and set your own palette when it comes to colour.
It doesn’t just have to be an R107, either.
Picture the delicate lines of Paul Bracq’s Pagoda drifting silently along the lawn at your local Rotary Club show, electric motor humming along giving an air of dignity while packing more acceleration than even the 280SL ever managed.
Or the sweeping, curvaceous lines of that 1950s fashion icon, the 190SL. A timeless shape that’s stylistically future proof, freed from the shackles of its ancient four-cylinder engine and instead using electric power to bring beauty to the world?
We have the expertise and the know how to build your dream classic electric Mercedes-Benz, whether that’s an R107, a W113 Pagoda, a W121 190SL or something else. We have donor cars ready and waiting, the only limit is your imagination…
Should it be Nautic Blue, Classic White, Impala Brown or Icon Gold? Will you follow our lead on the subdued acceleration or would you like to be a bearer of traffic light surprises?
Whatever path you choose for your electric SL, we are excited to start working on your very own SportLine Zero.
Sportline Driven
It all started with a question: can the iconic R107 Mercedes-Benz SL meet the expectations of modern performance car drivers? After restoring, repairing and maintaining many R107s, we found customers asking the same sort of questions. Can we firm up the ride a little? Can we improve the pedal response? Can we get more power without losing the character of the car? And so, with the keen driver in mind, the SportLine project was launched.
Sportline Parts
It doesn’t have to stop there, our extensive range of upgrade parts will give you a taste of SportLine at home. From Engine and gearbox upgrades to sports suspension and even cosmetic touches, you don’t have to undergo the full SLSHOP conversion in order to make improvements to the look and feel of your Mercedes SL where you want to most.
We’ve picked out some of our favourites, however; you can view our full range of SportLine performance parts in the catalogue below.
Performance anti-roll bars
Reduce pitching and body roll with our up-rated sway bars, offering better stability without compromising comfort through a combination of superior materials, a thicker diameter and polyurethane bushes.
Adjustable tow and camber kits
One of the biggest benefits to a cars handling is having it set-up and balanced properly. Our adjustable trail arm bushes allow Tow and Camber to be altered, where the factory set-up lacks this adjustment.
Adjustable coil springs
These stiffer coils with their adjustable spring cups offer a more modern feel to the drive of your SL, with the added stability of lowering the ride height by 70mm, or more if you like.
Drilled & Vented brake discs
Whether your preference is the city or a mountain road, you want the assurance that your Mercedes SL stops as well as it goes. With these heavy duty brake rotors and the option for performance pads, we’ve got it covered!
7×15” Bundt Alloys
Our dished 15” ‘Mexican Hat’ wheels fill the arch nicely whilst retaining the classic look. Also unlocking a plethora of compatible tyres when there is a very limited market for the now dated 205/14 size
Stainless Steel performance exhausts
Nothing but the best; our stainless steel exhaust systems have been hand crafted in the UK since the days when these cars were new. With the option to turn up the volume if you wish!
Limited Slip Differential
With the Sportline delivering an increase in BHP of more than 35% and improvements in throttle response, that extra Oomph needs somewhere to go. An LSD upgrade is a must have, one of our most popular Sportline upgrades.
Re-profiled steering wheel
Take control our your Mercedes SL with the SportLine steering wheel. A thicker profile, thumb pads and hand stitching give this old helm a new lease of life. Leather, of course!
You May Also Like
Sportline R
The paint had barely dried on our road going SportLine 300SL prototype before SportLine Racer plans were being hatched.
Sportline Rally Car
Wet, dirty roads, mud, dust and snow… Not exactly the natural habitat of a well preened R107 SL, but for international endurance racing, an SL makes the perfect contender.
Sportline 300
Although the R107 SL was superbly engineered, we always knew the platform was capable of more. Customers were looking to make the car drive, respond and brake in line with modern performance standards. With this in mind, we started the SportLine project.
Experience Sportline
Why not get behind the wheel of our
Sportline race car see see how it feels.
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