ChrisB

Mine is Smoke (similar to Desert) Silver.

I like it because it hides a good amount of dust and road grime.

I do not detail the car as often as I would have to if it were say Black.

I do admit. Black R129s do look very sexy. Grey is also a classic.

vraa

On behalf of my uncle: his is black and he loves it because it matches his W463.

I love it because it is the old school crusier. There is nothing classier then a R129. It states elegence and sportiness in a way that no other car can present at this day. Legacy, without a florid interference.

99SL

Triple silver here...and boy when it's washed and waxed--talk about a sharp looking car!

blueSL

Mine is Azurite (dark) blue and orion grey leather, similar to current ash, but not as light.

As my daily driver, I confess I do not keep it in the best order, only this week, me and a pheasant hit each other at 100 mph closing speed. 1 dead pheasant and a cracked door mirror...

jrgill

Triple BLACK! There's nothing more beautiful than a clean triple BLACK.

ChrisB

Dumb question:

What doe "Triple" black or "Triple" silver refer to?

Exterior, Interior and Soft Top?

SL320

Mine is silver with the Panorama roof. If you have the panorama roof I think the silver is more attractive because of the "two" colours it get´s on the body. Otherwise I like the black with java interior alot.....

bruce hat

Pearl black with lighter grey moulding, tan interior. Unique color and don't see many like it around. I understand that this color was only used on SL's for two years. It looks great with the lower moulding in light gray.

vraa

I've seen triple black used many different ways.

One way I refer to it is when mentioning my moms upcoming X5. Black exterior, black leather, black wood.

bphyman

and that is triple black...cause I own one and it is so beautiful.

bc2602

don't count out brilliant silver - a real looker and it's kind to dirt!

ChrisB

It was a nice warm & sunney day in Vancouver yesterday.

I saw two cars thata made my head turn.

First going relatively slow on the freeway (he must have been breaking it in) a brand new CLK hardtop with I'd guess 19" crome rims.

Second was a R230 SL500 top down, going the opposite direction on a city street.

Both were very clean, shining and both looked absolutly stunning in Brilliant (?) Silver.

Ken Silver

For years I've wanted black. It is the only color that gives an eyecatching shine and glistens day or night.

Silver is nice too if you want to accentuate the lines of a car.

Now my SL500 is triple black, and my wife's upcoming SLK is silver - best of both worlds!

Ken Silver (another good color)
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons: http://www.kensilver.com/SL
~1992 Miata MX5, sparkling BRG / tan leather, wife's (soon to be replaced with a silver SLK)

Ken Silver

So you were doing 10mph at the time?

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons: http://www.kensilver.com/SL
~1991 Daimler, shiny grey / grey leather, best in country!
~1992 Miata MX5, sparkling BRG / tan leather, wife's (soon to be replaced with a silver SLK)
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E (and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice)

ChrisB

Interesting facts from "The SL Experience" book.

The top selling colors for the 1998 SL were:
1) Firemist (red) ... 25%
2) Black ... 19%
3) Brilliant Silver ... 16%
4) Smoke Silver ... 9%
5) Glacier White ... 8%
6) Magma Red ... 8%
7) Dark Turquoise ... 3%
8) Mineral Green ... 2%
9) Obsidian Black ... 1%
10) Black Opal ... 1%
Balance % more or less split between Azure Blue, Bahama Blue, Sunburst Yellow, Aspen Green, Bordeaux and Others.

The other years printed, no % figures, ranked by popularity that year:

In 1994 the top ten in order of most, to less popular were: 1) Black, 2) Imperial Red, 3) Arctic White, 4) Brilliant Emerald, 5) Smoke Silver, 6) Black Pearl, 7) Brilliant Silver, 8) Spruce Green, 9) Midnight Blue, 10) Teal Blue.

In 1993 the top ten in order of most, to less popular were: 1) Black, 2) Signal Red, 3) Arctic White, 4) Black Pearl, 5) Smoke Silver, 6) Brilliant Silver, 7) Spruce Green, 8) Midnight Blue, 9) Teal Blue, 10) Canyon Brown.

ChrisB

Ken when you drive the black car once a week. I presume you would only go out only in fair weather then. So you probably do not have to wash and wax the black car too often?

2mbusa

My '99 SL500 is BLACK with ash gray and black soft top; and normally she does not go out when it is raining!!!

hotel_calif

Hi ChrisB:

I finally got a copy of The SL Experience" and really like it. Many interesting stories and facts. A little pricey, but I guess everything about the SL is a little pricey.

As you know, my SL500 is brilliant silver with ash interior.

Will

ChrisB

I just noticed given the statistics published for the top selling colors for the 1998 SL ... Red was the most common color at a combined 33% share. Higher than combined Blacks 21% or Silvers 25%:

1) Firemist (red) ... 25%
2) Black ... 19%
3) Brilliant Silver ... 16%
4) Smoke Silver ... 9%
5) Glacier White ... 8%
6) Magma Red ... 8%
7) Dark Turquoise ... 3%
8) Mineral Green ... 2%
9) Obsidian Black ... 1%
10) Black Opal ... 1%

blueSL

There's been a big swing away from red; in 2003, 50% of SLs were silver and 20% black. Same over at Porsche. Guards Red used to be the most popular colour, on a visit to the factory in March, I saw only a small handful of cars which were NOT black or silver. And time was that if you went to a Ferrari meet, you saw a sea of red. Now, there's still alot of red cars but black and silver are making big in-roads.

Me? I'm sick of silver cars and I'd never have a black one because of the cleaning/swirl problems. Blue is my current preferred choice...

JAM

Interesting that red is so popular--that's always been my least favorite SL color, although it still looks nice.

My R129 SL600 is White with a Brown Soft-top and SL55 (MY2003/R230) AMG Wheels. Looks awesome. Will have to post a picture for you all to see.

Always loved white on the SL.

Bigdot

my Sl is red,

i like it because it looks so damn sexy when it is clean, also because around here the only 129s are black and silver, there are currnetly 5 red ones in Newport and about 20 black and 26 silver.

that is why i like the red so much

agentMurdoc

there you go Mine is black and I love it. It looks nice, not too flashy and not too sporty.

kerrypacker

Charcoal and Grey Exterior, Black Interior. Black Soft Top, Parading around on 17" 2000 wheels. Currently residing in Toronto, Ontario.

MeJay

My '95 is two tone - White/Marble and black top.