Classic Car, Classic Review: MotorWeek Drives the 1983 Mercedes 380SL

According to MotorWeek, the mid-life R107 was solid, dignified, and, above all else, “smooth.”

When Mercedes-Benz finally retired its venerable R107 platform in 1989, they’d sold variants of the luxury convertible for almost two decades. Back in the day, MotorWeek got their hands on one, a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL in the middle of the production run. And they thoroughly enjoyed being seen in a pinnacle luxury convertible.

As tested, the 380SL came in with a $42,000 price tag. That represents six figures in today’s money, which meant that this was the territory of high-roller executive types. Host John Davis nails it when he says the 380 SL was “fit for the more flamboyant part of the upper crust.” Yes, this was the car for the no-time-for-small-talk executive in the world of the ‘80s yuppie.

Mercedes introduced the R107 in 1971 and kept the look similar, if not the same, until its discontinuation. By 1983, the company had downsized from its iron-block 4.5-liter V8 to an alloy 3.8-liter V8. Mercedes mated that 155-horsepower engine to a four-speed automatic transmission. That power figure sounds a bit low, but one has to remember that horsepower was tough to come by in the early 1980s. Once you wrap your head around the low horsepower number, the 18.5-second quarter-mile time and the 20 miles per gallon sound about right.

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However, nobody bought a Mercedes-Benz roadster like this for the horsepower. The engine was designed to be competent and, given the performance climate in 1983, it exuded competence. Everything else is the point of a Mercedes like this. Distinctive and distinguished, but sturdy. You’ll also hear John Davis toss out the word “smooth” often. That best describes this car. Every bit of it comes across as smooth.

We wonder how many finely manicured 380SLs are left today. With annual sales below 10,000, but with owners who had enough money to care for them, we expect you might have little trouble finding a good used 380SL these days.