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W113 Models
W113 Models
First introduced in the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, the W113 230SL sparked alot of interest, due to it’s innovative design and fabrication under technical director Fritz Nallinger, and chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Featuring an inline six-cylinder engine with multi-port fuel injection, combined with outstanding suspension and superior handling for the time, due to radial tires and powerful brakes.
The W113 was initially brought to the market as a 230SL, which was soon after succeeded in 1966 by the 250SL for greater capacity, which was then further followed by the 280SL in 1968. When 230SL was first established, it was the first sports car to debut a ‘safety body’, including a rigid passenger cell and front and rear crumple zones. This is a result of Bela Barenyi’s extensive work on vehicle safety, who was renowned for his innovation, branding him as the “father of passive safety”.
The notorious curvature of the removable coupe roof was designed by Paul Bracq, and gave the car it’s knickname, the ‘Pagoda’. It alludes to the inward facing curved shape of roofs in Far Eastern temples, suggesting tropical journeys with the detachable roof down, during what was one of the coldest winters recorded in the West. With Friedrich Geiger leading the design team, the vehicle was considered very modern with it’s distincive clean lines, and it’s iconic roof shape. The upright Bosch ‘fishbowl’ headlights and simplistic chrome grille give the front of the car it‘s character, with the bonnet, boot lid and door skins constructred from aluminium to reduce weight.
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As for Passepartout, he thought Mr. Fogg’s manoeuvre simply glorious. The captain had said “between eleven and twelve knots,” and the Henrietta confirmed his prediction. How the adventure ended will be seen anon. Aouda was anxious, though she said nothing.
230SL
In June 1963, the 230SL was initially introduced to the market at the Geneva Motor Show. This was the first of the W113 models, with it’s innovative design sparking alot of interest.
250SL
In December 1966, 3 years after the 230SL was brought to the market, the 250SL was introduced, and then produced through until 1968. With this one-year production run, the 250SL is the rarest model of the Pagoda’s, with only 5,196 produced.
280SL
The production for the 280SL began in December 1967, and continued through to 23 February 1971, when the manufacturing of the W113 came to an end. The 280SL was the most produced of the three models, with 23,885 having sold.