History of Mercedes-Benz 380 SL & SLC
In 1980, Mercedes-Benz updated its SL sports luxury convertible line with the new 380SL. This car was a further development of the R107 line. Like its predecessors, the 380SL was a mixture of power V-8, exquisite luxury and sporty style. Auto was a very popular model in the United States.
The 380SL, named because of its 3.8-liter V-8 engine that was designed with emissions control in mind. Its was 155HP.
In addition to the engine, the 380SL also received a new four-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the suspension remained the same as in earlier cars, while brakes on four wheels remained standard.
380SL finished production in 1985 - it was replaced by the 560SL. Today, the cost of the car usually lags behind the earlier 450SL and later 560SL, mainly because the 3.8-liter engine is slightly less powerful and had some early cam issues. However, in reality most models have cam chain issues and the difference between the 450SL and 380SL is not as great as the price variance. Thus, the Mercedes-Benz 380SL is a great choice as a vintage convertible from the 1980s.
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Characteristics of Classic Cars Mercedes-Benz 380 SL
| Produced: | MY 1980–1985 (SL) MY 1980–1981 (SLC) |
| Engine: | 90° 8-cylinder-V engine (four-stroke), front-mounted |
| Bore x Stroke: | 92 mm x 71.8 mm |
| Displacement: | 3818 cc |
| Max. Power @ rpm: | 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) @ 5500 |
| Max. Torque @ rpm: | 299 N⋅m (221 lb⋅ft) @ 4000 |
| Compression Ratio: | 9.0: 1 |
| Fuel feed: | Fuel injection, Bosch D-Jetronic (-1976), K-Jetronic (-1980), K-Jetronic with Lambda (-1985) and from 1985 KE-Jetronic |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 90 L (23.8 US gal; 19.8 imp gal), from 1985: 85 L (22.5 US gal; 18.7 imp gal) |
| Valvetrain: | SOHC, duplex chain |
| Cooling: | Water |
| Gearbox: | 4- or 5-speed manual standard on 380/420/450/500: 3-speed automatic, from 1980: 4-speed automatic rear wheel drive |
| Electrical system: | 12 volt |
| Front suspension: | Double wishbones, coil springs, additional rubber springs, stabilising bar |
| Rear suspension: | Diagonal swing axle, coil springs, stabilising bar |
| Brakes: | Disc brakes (Ø 278 mm front, 279 mm rear; from 1985: 284/279 mm), power assisted ABS from 1980 on request or standard |
| Steering: | Recirculating ball steering |
| Body structure: | Sheet steel, unibody construction |
| Dry weight: | SL: 1,640 kg (3,620 lb) SLC: 1,690 kg (3,730 lb) |
| Loaded weight: | SL: 1,960 kg (4,320 lb) SLC: 2,050 kg (4,520 lb) |
| Track front/rear: | 1,452 mm (57.2 in) 1,440 mm (57 in) from 1985: 1,461 mm (57.5 in) 1,465 mm (57.7 in) |
| Wheelbase: | SL:2,460 mm (97 in); SLC: 2,820 mm (111 in) |
| Length: | SL: 4,390 mm (173 in); SLC: 4,750 mm (187 in) |
| Width: | 1,790 mm (70 in) |
| Height: | SL: 1,300 mm (51 in); SLC: 1,330 mm (52 in) |
| Tire sizes: | 205/70VR14 |
| Top speed: | 215 km/h (134 mph) |
| Fuel Consumption (estimates): | 18.5 litres per 100 kilometres (15.3 mpg‑imp; 12.7 mpg‑US) |
Gallery Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Classic Cars
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