The RENNtech SL500 6.0 Was Well Ahead of Its Time

By Tony Markovich - June 28, 2016

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Hartmut Feyhl, the president and creator of RENNtech, spent 14 years with German performance specialists AMG, so he knows a thing or two about Mercedes-Benzes. That’s how he and his team have been turning stock models into animalistic performance creatures for more than a quarter century. The 1997 SL500 6.0 was a perfect example, and this Motorweek retro review shows why.

The original 5.0-liter Mercedes V8 wasn’t good enough, so it was kicked up to 6.0 liters by replacing “everything from crank to piston.” That was good for 445 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. By shaving 350 pounds from the stock SL, it zoomed from 0-60 in 5.3 seconds and could run the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds at 105 mph. But it wasn’t just made for a straight line. Fully adjustable and progressive springs helped make sure that “lateral grip was awesome, body roll surprisingly minimal,” and giant Alcon disc brakes with four-piston calipers kept the car in check.

The exterior had custom paint, a carbon fiber body kit, and a wing to go with the 18-inch wheels. Inside, there’s more carbon fiber, new RENNtech gauges, and Recaro seats.

Back then, the base SL500 was $90,000, and the RENNtech package was an additional $100,000. Yep, the upgrades cost more than the car itself. And that was 10 years ago. By comparison, today’s top-of-the-line 621-horsepower Mercedes-AMG SL65 starts at $220,000 (the 577-horsepower SL63 costs $150,000).