MotorWeek | Retro Review: 1997 Mercedes-Benz RENNtech SL500 6.0

This Benz screams Florida. Please subscribe using our link at the end to stay fresh on all our uploads. Our new segment Retro ReNew is coming soon.

[Kingsoupturbo]

Very cool!! I still have a set of those OZ Futura Wheels I got on my Celsior from Japan, classin it up in the 90's! 445hp is solid from a N/A motor like that!

[landyachtfan]

The Mercedes Mercedes SL has always been VERY high on my personal automotive bucket list!!!!

[geekatron]

Great retro review. I wish they had some exhaust clips, however. But, I guess that wasn't a thing back then.

[Wperformance]

Based on the engine shown at 1:45-2:10,  the car tested would be a 1993-1995 500SL/SL500 (R129.067 with M119.972 engine), with LH-SFI fuel injection and distributor ignition - not a 1997 USA model year SL500. 1996-1998 (USA model year) SL500 would have had the newer M119.982 engine with ME 1.0 fuel injection and coil-pack ignition.

[MrGoldenwaffler]

I'll take a 560 SL any day of the week over this thing.

[Fuckstupidlibtards]

Proper German muscle car. Comparatively simple compared to present day American, and especially German, offerings. Just as brutal as anything from the 70s.

[JohnAK]

Although it was introduced about 19 years ago, It still looks great and everything is just so! I wish I could go back to 90's.

[bobforpples]

1997...when $200k got you a 13.7 quarter mile. Those sure were the days!

[whoohaaXL]

I am going through Retro Review withdrawal! We need more! lol.

[ryanpatterson]

The R129 was a legend. Never to be replicated by Mercedes again.

[redriver]

i was gonna say, ive never seen a renntech SL500
then i saw the price and i was like, ahhh i

[klasseact]

Pay to play...especially when you start with something high end, it's always been like that. Sure today's cars crush that but it was so much more unique to have something special back then, how 400 hp is no big deal!

Comparing the cars perf to that of a Z/28 of the day, are you serious, LOL. Maybe the numbers are the same but the exclusivity and build quality of the engine means this car will go forever and ever (properly taken care of) The Benz owner was never looking at the Camaro but the Camaro owners seat cover was looking at the Benz though!

[texan]

This was a very powerful car at the time. In those days around 200-230 hp from a V8 was common. A 300 hp car was considered very powerful.

[AMGmeister]

I wonder if they ever reviewed the Renntech Sl 74 which had a 600hp v12

very faved by young caucasians in Russia now

[ToyotaLife]

That is badass. I wonder where this car is today... In someone's car collection I'm bet

[moejr]

For you people that can't hear. He said they were up in altitude. The car would be faster at sea level

[Porschedriver]

See a few older perfect Renntechs around socal but I forgot how $$ they were ha. Hartmut must have been a founding engineer on AMG: 1997 - 14 years = 1983!

[gedaman]

Now you can get a new stock Mercedes SL550 with 445 horsepower. How times have changed.

[larrysing]

Can't find any of these on sale on cars dot com or autotrader dot com today in 2016. Must have been SLIM sellers !!