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!
true dat, in 1996 I had a ride in a Audi RS2 that had 315 hp! 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 sec! that was damn powerful! it was sucha thrill when the owner accelerated up to 106 mph (170 kmh) full throttle!
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!
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!
yes we can, BUT....they aren't naturally aspirated like this one was, thats why its so impressive, today, they are turbo'd....ie, much easier to make big power
@@jimmygrant3212 You have the same dream as me. Add a 2002 Mercedes SL 500 Silver Arrow to the garage as well as a 1999 Mercedes S 500 Grand Edition too ;).
I had a 90 500SL. Stock that car was 0-60- in less than 6 seconds, 5.9 official So this car, while gorgeous, is just not worth the ridiculous price. I got mine used for $30k, I did replace the stock wheels with OZ 18's. I DO love that blue color. Mine was a European gray market car that did not have the governor and yes that car did hit over 180 MPH (with the stock 5.0 liter V-8)
That one badass SL..... Although I have a German "sedan" from 1999 with only $2,500 worth of upgrades that will run 13's. A ko4 b5 Passat 1.8t manual. If you want to go fast in a 90s German car on a working man's budget that's the one. (Or a b5 a4,s4). Turbocharging is hard to beat. Which is proof by looking at all the modern high performance engines. Manufacturers are choosing turbocharging over displacement all around the board.
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.
It's more expensive than the most expensive Mercedes two seater is the AMG SL65 which is 222K and for that money you don't have to get out of your car to adjust the suspension like you would in early last century of cranking the ignition.
They're not that expensive. Go to an indie shop or learn to do it yourself. Yes, they're pricier than an Accord to service but $30k is ridiculous. Even if you pay a dealership to do a stupid job for yo u like replace the hydraulics you'd pay like $3k and that's the most expensive it gets (and you should just do it yourself)
It’s not the best car in the world but it’s close. I love how 18” wheels were considered huge back then, I’m so sick of heavy 20+” wheels on everything these days.
R129 owners would kill for access to that RennTech catalog today. There are basically zero performance parts still available for the R129, you have to get very lucky on Ebay and spend big $$$ when something comes up.
$191,000!! Holy moly... you can get you an m119 engine for less than $1,000 bore it out and drop new pistons for another $1k and boom for $8500 (including a r129) you have yourself a AMG 6.0 lol
True to the extent if it was your only vehicle. Can't speak for a merc from personal experience, but, I had great luck with a 97 Jaguar XKR that I picked up 10 years ago. You just have to stay on top of it. Doesn't hurt that it had only 20,000 original miles when I got it. Plus, I have an Explorer to split driving duties. I still have the car. Less than 100,000 miles. A friend of mine does have this merc though. He only drives it in the summer.
lol bro maybe u dont understand what im saying. Even if he got 100 hp from lower altitude to give it a total 545hp still not worth it in my opinion for 200k wen there are soooo many cars u could get for price wit better performance i mean u could even build a car to run 12's for a fraction of that, 1 for example is a 911 turbo porsche of the same year. on top of that tho the benz has a Full built motor which means its nearly maxed out...at 445hp annddd prolly cant even b turbo'd or supercharged cuz of that compression
too slow and too expensive even for '97. Probably pick one up for $20k today. A contemporary Lotus Esprit V8 with 350hp was a second quicker in both times and $100k cheaper.
An arrogant guy at the track had one on these, and he said he was untouchable and laughed at my Hyundai Genesis. He said a Hyundai v6 would never beat him lol. Me 13.2, him 13.9. To add insult to injury my wife raced him lol.
Proper German muscle car. Comparatively simple compared to present day American, and especially German, offerings. Just as brutal as anything from the 70s.
This car aged like a fine wine!
Lmao.. More like milk
+1
+jon doe It turned to cheese?
@@bestmillimeter1858 Very fine cheese.
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.
I wanna be in the 90s 😭
you and me both brother
It was a great time. Pre 9/11 days were very different than today
Man, you nailed it!
the best times cars music fashion
computer games
The R129 was a legend. Never to be replicated by Mercedes again.
1997...when $200k got you a 13.7 quarter mile. Those sure were the days!
That was above sea level
That’s prob a 12.7 or quicker also tires were terrible back then
I am going through Retro Review withdrawal! We need more! lol.
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!
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.
true dat, in 1996 I had a ride in a Audi RS2 that had 315 hp! 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 sec! that was damn powerful! it was sucha thrill when the owner accelerated up to 106 mph (170 kmh) full throttle!
The Mercedes SL........ANY Mercedes SL has always been VERY high on my personal automotive bucket list!!!!
That is badass. I wonder where this car is today... In someone's car collection I'm bet
not a renntech, it would still fetch big money even today
Just seen one in Michigan that’s how I came to this video
Sl500 of these models never get old. I want to buy one but I worry of maintenance lol
kano b I know right! I hate being sensible
I have a '91 30095k miles ....they are great on maintence. As long as they are maintained. My advise ...go for it !
kano b If you can turn a wrench on your own car there’s nothing to worry about. If you have to rely on a Benz dealer then yea I’d worry too.
Don't worry about the maintence of those older Mercedes-Benz cars, they are wonderfully reliable.
For you people that can't hear. He said they were up in altitude. The car would be faster at sea level
When cars were cars and men were men
now cars are crap and men are women
GT500 entered the chat 😂
What a perfect product of it's time. The engine brakes wheels paint, it's all perfect
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!
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!
i was gonna say, ive never seen a renntech SL500
then i saw the price and i was like, ahhh i see.......
The only time I’ve ever seen a RennTech Benz is in the pages of Car & Driver, ha.
@@gedaman I'm just finding out that it exist WOW I missed this one
Keith LaBarrie I remember reading about a RennTech tuned Mercedes E-Class around 1999. It was ridiculously customized with leather even in the trunk.
I wonder if they ever reviewed the Renntech Sl 74 which had a 600hp v12
The car for the 90s Drug Dealer haha
VHS we meet again
Thanh you guys. These are always great to watch.
Great retro review. I wish they had some exhaust clips, however. But, I guess that wasn't a thing back then.
Beautiful this Mercedes SL500 Renntech
Now you can get a new stock Mercedes SL550 with 445 horsepower. How times have changed.
And for cheaper too when adjusted for inflation. Also you can adjust the suspension by pushing the button on the console so you don't have to get out.
I'd rather have a black 1999 600SL though…
yes we can, BUT....they aren't naturally aspirated like this one was, thats why its so impressive, today, they are turbo'd....ie, much easier to make big power
they are also way heavier than they were back then!
@@jimmygrant3212 You have the same dream as me. Add a 2002 Mercedes SL 500 Silver Arrow to the garage as well as a 1999 Mercedes S 500 Grand Edition too ;).
great car,should b able to get at a bargain these days, love the music
I do believe the altitude AND the gearbox are holding this car back.
I had a 90 500SL. Stock that car was 0-60- in less than 6 seconds, 5.9 official So this car, while gorgeous, is just not worth the ridiculous price. I got mine used for $30k, I did replace the stock wheels with OZ 18's. I DO love that blue color. Mine was a European gray market car that did not have the governor and yes that car did hit over 180 MPH (with the stock 5.0 liter V-8)
My brother had one and it was always on the lift with coolant system issues. I think there was finally a recall.
Amazing car.
That one badass SL..... Although I have a German "sedan" from 1999 with only $2,500 worth of upgrades that will run 13's. A ko4 b5 Passat 1.8t manual. If you want to go fast in a 90s German car on a working man's budget that's the one. (Or a b5 a4,s4). Turbocharging is hard to beat. Which is proof by looking at all the modern high performance engines. Manufacturers are choosing turbocharging over displacement all around the board.
Interior nice. High quality..as mb designer use best materials
wow, what a car !
The poor video quality doesn't do it justice. That car's paint color is beautiful.
Gorgerous car indeed!
very faved by young caucasians in Russia now
Very respectable car for it's time it was a super car.
this engine produce more black smoke then a all factory 1997 SLs combined
Caraca que top seleção de carros importados 👏👏🇱🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷 são muito da hora
👏👏👏👏🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
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.
The stance on this car is ridiculous. My college sweetheart's brother owned a standard SL and that sat pretty as well.
Can't find any of these on sale on cars dot com or autotrader dot com today in 2016. Must have been SLIM sellers !!
Good gourd, that's $286K in today's money. $148K of which are used to slightly ruin a great GT car.
Strange huh? I've seen SL500s (not RENNtech obviously) sell for as low as $6000 locally.
Don't be tempted. Spend $6k to buy, but 5x the price in repairs alone.
It's more expensive than the most expensive Mercedes two seater is the AMG SL65 which is 222K and for that money you don't have to get out of your car to adjust the suspension like you would in early last century of cranking the ignition.
They're not that expensive. Go to an indie shop or learn to do it yourself. Yes, they're pricier than an Accord to service but $30k is ridiculous. Even if you pay a dealership to do a stupid job for yo u like replace the hydraulics you'd pay like $3k and that's the most expensive it gets (and you should just do it yourself)
amazing
Who remember Saturday mornings on spikeTV
Woow nice Benz
Crazy car💪🇩🇪
Esse carro é sensacional que bonito amigo 👍👏👏
Do the W124 ☺
beautiful car!
wow! that's a trouser crushing price tag! how much are these cars today used???
Does trousers crushing means-"stiffy crushing"?
It’s not the best car in the world but it’s close. I love how 18” wheels were considered huge back then, I’m so sick of heavy 20+” wheels on everything these days.
Great looking car, but imo it should have the stock power seats. Buckets with 4 point harnesses seem ridiculous and antithetical to a big comfy Benz.
It's so tres faux I love it!
Color appears similar to Porsche's Viola Metallic.
R129 owners would kill for access to that RennTech catalog today. There are basically zero performance parts still available for the R129, you have to get very lucky on Ebay and spend big $$$ when something comes up.
Rather have a 2012 sho
15000 gets it done.
This gives me the fizzies!
3:06 !! Wow
I'm trying to buy one and its 2019. I heard turboBandits can do a lot to these engines.
Looks like a Mercedes mustang
Literally mirrored my exact thoughts. Fox body Merstang
um no it doesnt
I love this colour!!! Does anyone know its name???
Pocono is approx 1000 ft above sea level, thats considered high altitude when performance engines are concerned?
high roller - Miami Style!
$191,000!! Holy moly... you can get you an m119 engine for less than $1,000 bore it out and drop new pistons for another $1k and boom for $8500 (including a r129) you have yourself a AMG 6.0 lol
Never seen this EVER in real life
Classic mb bad azz when new b ok black hawk..
that's not a 97 model,engine with old LH management and old 4 speed gearbox
i noticed that too,and the cluster suggests 93 or earlier
In the video he clearly states, the interior is redone. Doors panels, dash, center console and gauges are custom Renntech design..
@@bogfinken it is still not a 97
Should have used the sl600 v12
Anybody thinking of buying a miata or convertible mustang can save some money buying finding one of these beauties in great shape.
R J Only to empty their pockets in *maintenance costs*
True to the extent if it was your only vehicle. Can't speak for a merc from personal experience, but, I had great luck with a 97 Jaguar XKR that I picked up 10 years ago. You just have to stay on top of it. Doesn't hurt that it had only 20,000 original miles when I got it. Plus, I have an Explorer to split driving duties. I still have the car. Less than 100,000 miles. A friend of mine does have this merc though. He only drives it in the summer.
verrry nice car and video, but 90k in upgrades on a 90k car to run high 13's (-_-)
You must weren't listening they were at high altitudes! Take them down to sea level and it'll prolli hit a full second quicker
lol bro maybe u dont understand what im saying. Even if he got 100 hp from lower altitude to give it a total 545hp still not worth it in my opinion for 200k wen there are soooo many cars u could get for price wit better performance i mean u could even build a car to run 12's for a fraction of that, 1 for example is a 911 turbo porsche of the same year. on top of that tho the benz has a Full built motor which means its nearly maxed out...at 445hp annddd prolly cant even b turbo'd or supercharged cuz of that compression
+pat patterson better yet a 97 ss camaro would have beat this and the camaro was only about 30k
Hairy chest comes as one of options for a reasonable price of 2.995 dollars.
if only it had a 6sp manual!
I know i will not get an answer, but i really like the song/tune that was playing in the background. Anyone know what it was?
I'll take a 560 SL any day of the week over this thing.
High price for 1997 must b 300g today or more...
Imagine getting in an accident in this little car.
This isn't a 97.... It's a 95 Max. It may have taken 2 years for RENNtech to butcher it.
Car looks like great ,,white" shark
1997!
What music is that?
And thaaaaan.......mercedes made sl600 with v12 engine 😉
SL 73 AMG
A supra is still faster in 0-60 ?
shame its not a SL600
I was thinking "so tacky", then he said "Miami styling" ...
No need to say more.
At the end of the day it's still a Mercedes! Just a European car with an overpriced window sticker!
You sound dumb
Too bad you had to enmity smith or deion Sanders to own one
Pleated pants
too slow and too expensive even for '97. Probably pick one up for $20k today. A contemporary Lotus Esprit V8 with 350hp was a second quicker in both times and $100k cheaper.
This car was faster at sea level.
An arrogant guy at the track had one on these, and he said he was untouchable and laughed at my Hyundai Genesis. He said a Hyundai v6 would never beat him lol. Me 13.2, him 13.9. To add insult to injury my wife raced him lol.
So much hp, but kinda shitty 0-60 and 1/4 time.. Damn
jon doe its a heavy car
Renntech trying to seduce Brabus' chick
a car that can't be used on streets is just stupid
Insanity.
Absolutely ridiculous price and no faster than a Camaro Z28 SS back then...
lfsracer79
For the price of this one car. You could have bought a Corvette C5. A Camaro SS, and a trans am Ws6. All three are just as fast.
r u kidding me, my 97 geo does 60 in about 12 sec, how about that, and the maintenance cost, a lot cheaper than this car
Have you seen the video?
horrible butchered sl
Ugly mods.
What a complete waste of money! Lol
How's here from Regular Car Reviews ✋
Proper German muscle car. Comparatively simple compared to present day American, and especially German, offerings. Just as brutal as anything from the 70s.
great car,should b able to get at a bargain these days, love the music
what song was that?