Mercedes-Benz W113

Mercedes-Benz W113 230 SL, 250 SL, 280 SL
Overview
Manufacturer	Daimler-Benz
Production	1963–1971 48,912 built[1]
Assembly	West Germany: Stuttgart Sindelfingen
Designer	Friedrich Geiger Béla Barényi Paul Bracq
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car / Grand tourer
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Longitudinal FR layout
Platform	Mercedes-Benz W111
Related	Mercedes-Benz W108 Mercedes-Benz W109 Mercedes-Benz W112
Powertrain
Engine	2.3 L (2,308 cc) M127.II I6 2.5 L (2,496 cc) M129.II I6 2.8 L (2,778 cc) M130 I6
Transmission	4-speed automatic 4-speed manual 5-speed ZF S5-20 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length	4,335 mm (170.7 in)
Width	1,760 mm (69.3 in)
Height	1,305 mm (51.4 in)
Curb weight	1,300 kg (2,866 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz W198 Mercedes-Benz W121 BII
Successor	Mercedes-Benz R107

See Mercedes-Benz SL-Class for a complete overview of all SL-Class models.

The Mercedes-Benz W 113 is a two-seat roadster/coupé, introduced at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show and produced from 1963 through 1971. It replaced both the 300 SL (W 198) and the 190 SL (W 121 BII). Of the 48,912 W 113 SLs produced, 19,440 were sold in the US.

The W 113 SL was developed under the auspices of Mercedes-Benz Technical Director Fritz Nallinger, Chief Engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and Head of Styling Friedrich Geiger, who had previously designed the iconic 500K/540K and 300 SL. The lead designers were Paul Bracq and Béla Barényi, who created its patented,^[2] slightly concave hardtop, which inspired the "Pagoda" nickname.

All models were equipped with an inline-six engine with multi-port fuel injection. The bonnet, boot lid, door skins and tonneau cover were made of aluminium to reduce weight. The comparatively short and wide chassis, combined with an excellent suspension, powerful brakes and radial tires gave the W 113 superb handling for its time.^{[citation needed]} The styling of the front, with its characteristic upright Bosch "fishbowl" headlights and simple chrome grille, dominated by the large three-pointed star in the nose panel, paid homage to the 300 SL roadster.

W 113 SLs were typically configured as a "Coupé/Roadster" with a soft-top and an optional removable hardtop. A 2+2 was introduced with the 250 SL "California Coupé," which had a fold-down rear bench seat instead of the soft-top.