Mercedes-Benz R 107 (450 Sl and 380 Sl) Advertising

How true about the size of the door! I have a 1982 380 Sl and thus have a personal interest in looking at these advertisements. After 1973 the car was crippled with adrenal bumper regulations, but its overall design somehow overcame a deficit that would have ruined the look of most cars of that day. The color is stunning on this car. The horse obviously is a natural beauty, as is the woman owner of the car. It is a woman’s car, but not any woman!

Yes, it is engineered like no other car in he world. Ad while it is a sporty car, it is not a high strung sports car.  Note the ad emphasis on the seats. Few cars are so over-engineered on seats alone! Take one apart and you will see what I mean. For its day, the car did handle well. And it was incredibly safe for that day also. Its flexibility is remarkable -- soft top, hard top, no top. and its lean lines -- like the owners featured in the ads. No fatty owners!

This ad here starts out with a lie. For the original 380 Sl in 1981 had only a single row timing chain. that was scandalous, and was later remedied, although there are still cars with that single row chain. Buyer beware. The company did agree to a two chain modification, but not everyone did that, and I doubt they would agree to continue to honor the original repair. It was a weak link in what was an underpowered car with an 85 mph speedometer. The car still had a top speed of 128 mph. But it was a car from the Malaise Era. Even Mercedes-Benz could not escape that millieu.

Without doubt, the R 107 was one of the most beautiful and safe cars of its day. You can thank Bela Barenyi!

Well, it certainly wan’t a sports car -- but a sporty personal car. Perfect for a status-conscious woman with impeccable tase or an old man on the road to the heavenly realms.

Yep, there are many obvious technological carryovers from one decade to another in M-B cars. This was a company that was very conservative when it came to its engineering and design. You can see vestiges of a 300 Sl, 230/250/280 sl in a 450 sl and 380 sl. Change comes quite deliberately in these cars.

RR might havesoemthing to say about the claim in this advertisement!

What do you think of Phil Hill’s comment?

 What is more desirable -- the car of the woman driver?