Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Mercedes-Benz SL 350 (R231)
Overview
Manufacturer	Daimler-Benz (1954–1998) DaimlerChrysler (1998–2007) Daimler AG (2007–2020) Mercedes-Benz Group (2022–present)
Also called	Mercedes-AMG SL (2022–present)
Production	1954–2020 2022-present
Assembly	West Germany: Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, (Mercedes-Benz Werk Untertürkheim; 1954–1963); Stuttgart-Sindelfingen (Mercedes-Benz Plant Sindelfingen; 1963–1989) Germany: Bremen (Mercedes-Benz Werk; 1989–present) South Africa: East London (Mercedes-Benz Greenfields)
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car/Grand tourer (S)
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive (1954–2021, SL43; 2022–present) Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (4matic, 2022–present)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz SSK Mercedes-Benz 540K

The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (marketed as Mercedes-AMG SL since 2022) is a grand touring sports car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 1954. The designation "SL" derives from the German term "Sport-Leicht", which translates to "Sport Light" in English.

Initially, the first 300 SL was a racing sports car built in 1952 with no intention of developing a street version. In 1954, an American importer Max Hoffman suggested the street version of 300 SL for the wealthy performance car enthusiasts in the United States where the market for the personal luxury car was booming after the Second World War.