Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC
The SLC, as the sports coupé is officially called, premiered at the Paris Motor Show in October 1971. Up to the windscreen, the exterior corresponds to that of the roadster. The flat roof extends over the five-seat passenger compartment and culminates in a strikingly large, strongly curved, and steeply sloping rear window. This, in turn, gives the rear a relatively long length. The trunk lid has a slightly convex contour. On the Roadster, however, the trunk lid has a concave shape that follows the pagoda-like hardtop from which the previous model, the W 113, derives its name. In side view, the length is documented by the larger wheelbase, 2820 compared to 2460 millimeters, and also by the line of the side windows, which, as is customary for a Mercedes-Benz coupé, are fully retractable, without a distracting B-pillar. With the SLC, however, there was a problem with this question: the short distance between the door and the rear wheel arch required a complex and therefore potentially failure-prone tilt-and-turn retraction mechanism to fully slide in the rear side windows.
The SLC, as the sports coupe is officially called, premiered at the Paris Motor Show in October 1971. Up to the windshield, the exterior matches that of the roadster. The flat roof extends over the five-seater passenger compartment and culminates in a strikingly large, strongly curved and very sloping rear window. This in turn gives the back a relatively long length. The trunk lid has a slightly convex contour. On the Roadster, however, the boot lid has a concave shape that follows the pagoda-like hardtop, from which the previous model, the W 113, owes its name. In side view, the length is documented by the increased wheelbase, 2820 compared to 2460 millimeters, and also by the line of the side windows, which, as usual on a Mercedes-Benz coupe, are fully retractable, without a disturbing B-pillar. With the SLC, however, there was a problem with this question: the short distance between the door and the rear wheel arch required a complicated and therefore potentially failure-prone tilt-and-turn retraction mechanism to fully retract the rear side windows. Karl Wilfert's way out of this dilemma was the later stylistically not uncontroversial, but very striking "screens" with double glazing and built-in slats that divide and reduce the size of the side window so that the movable front part can be completely recessed. The louvered side windows and grooved taillights were a Pininfarina idea and first seen on a 1967 study.
The SLC was offered from 1971 to 1981, first only as 350 SLC, then from 3/1973 as 450 SLC, from 1974 as 280 SLC, only the last year from 8/80-7/81 as 380 SLC, from 8/1977 as the 450 SLC 5.0 and also only last year as the 500 SLC, with the same engines and transmission equipment as the Roadster. There was no 420 SLC because at that time the parallel models of the W126 coupe series were already on the market. An exception was the 450 SLC 5.0 from 1978 to 1980, which initially saw the new five-litre alloy V8 launched. For the first time in the 107 series, this car also received a front spoiler and a rubber lip as a rear spoiler.
The drag coefficient of the SLC turned out to be significantly better than that of the SL, resulting in slightly better performance despite an additional weight of 45 to 50 kilograms. Over the course of its ten-year history, the SLC found a total of 62.888 buyers.
This car has only driven 119.000 km and still looks perfect. It was a Vorführ car from Daimler-Benz. The Mercedes has the light green metallic color and a green checked interior. A great car for the SLC enthusiast