Mercedes Benz, 1976, 450 SL

Mercedes Benz “450 SL”, 1976

The convertible from the Mercedes-Benz R107 series has a particular characteristic: it is, to date, the Mercedes that was produced for the longest time. The SL in the 107 series was, in fact, produced with a more or less unvaried aesthetic appearance from 1971 to 1989. Created to meet the increasingly more rigid American regulations in terms of “crash tests” and polluting emissions, it has particularly robust bodywork, which earned it the nickname of the “panzerwagen” (armoured car).

The 107, the first SL to adopt this technical solution, originally had an 8-cylinder engine, usually accompanied by an automatic gear change. Over the years, a large number of V8 engines were alternated under the bonnet - 350, 380, 420, 450, 500 (for Europe) and 560 (for America). A 6- cylinder version, 280 and then 300, was only available in Europe.

An extremely comfortable vehicle, it was perfect for long journeys in the open air. It has "taken part" in many films: the most memorable being the car driven by Richard Gere in American Gigolò.

2017, Protagonist in the Videoclip Always by Andrea Damante