So it's been a while and I thought I'd start a new thread so the data doesn't get lost in the old one. Since I last posted, with lots of help from Vlad, I've managed to catalog 3047 or the supposed 3055 R230 SL65s ever produced. Pretty sure the missing 8 are early mules and test cars buried back in the early VINs so most likley all MY05s but here is the MY breakout of the 3047 cars:

Pre 09 facelift:
MY 05 1107 worldwide 659 to US / 448 to ROW
MY 06 611 worldwide 485 to US / 126 to ROW
MY 07 348 worldwide 157 to US / 191 to ROW
MY 08 164 worldwide 119 to US / 45 to ROW

Post 09 facelift:
MY 09 344 worldwide 128 to US / 216 to ROW (convertibles)
MY 09 392 worldwide 175 to US / 217 to ROW (Black Series, yes, 392, NOT 350)
MY 10 54 worldwide 16 to US / 38 to ROW
MY 11 27 worldwide 5 to US / 22 to ROW

I can't wait to see a breakdown of options, colors, etc. I hope you will be so kind as to assemble it all in to one definitive PDF. I tip my hat for all your work cataloging these.

W140 (bat)

Thanks for all your work on this Zachmac

Great work. With so few cars there must be quite a few 1 of 1 cars out there. Like I was thinking maybe mine. 07 Designo Graphite, pano roof, distronic, parktronic, Designo Cortecchia leather

@NHSI550 well not quite 1 of 1:

Total Designo Graphite paint = 66
With Designo Cortecchia interior = 19
With all three major option = 12 all in US
9 of which were MY07 and 3 of which were MY09

So only made in that total combo for US market in 7 copies for pre-facelift SL65s and just in MY07. 1 OF 7 IS STILL RARE! THAT'S 2 10THS OF 1 PERCENT OF TOTAL PRODUCTION OF SL65S!

Most the 1 of 1 cars were paint to order.

Wow, you must have one extensive data base there.

Zachmac, what can you tell me about this one?
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...z-sl65-amg-52/

@Billro go to "lastvin.com" type WDB2304791F105099 into the VIN window, tell it you aren't a robot and hit enter and it will give you the data sheet. That's all the info I have on it. BTW, 744U, Brilliant Silver was the single most common color in MY05, 366 of 1107 the units built that year, fully 1/3r rd of the production was Brilliant Silver. 040U . Black was second at 285 units for 25.7 %.

A user on another blog pointed me to the Copart website. I spotted a flood-damaged SL65 (https://www.copart.com/lot/48555002/...fl-tampa-south) which probably has a ton of usable parts for anyone interested, including what looks like a good set of original SL65 wheels for anyone that might be interested...

Wish i was closer, I would look into it. does one need to be a dealer to bid there? Wonder how much water it took on. says it still runs.

Look through the website- it doesn't appear to be limited to dealers. Try signing up and see if there is anything that stops you from bidding.

You need to buy a membership to bid. I'm 1800 miles away. No good for me

As a new owner of an SL65 I am trying to learn about the R230 so I purchased the books by Berndt Koehling and Brian Long. They agree with Zachmac that the total number produced was 3055 but their quantities per each year differ from Zacmac’s numbers. Correct me if I am wrong, but they seem to be working with a calendar year’s production numbers while Zachmac includes all cars that were produced for the model year (VIN digit 10) ie for 2005 including cars produced in the previous year (2005 model year cars were made in 2004 and during part of 2005 etc.)

@Billro you are correct. The book is stating calendar year production numbers. I am using VINs to state MY numbers as of course Mercedes normally swaps model year during the calendar year.

Zachmac I contacted you on BAT regarding SN:WDBSK79F75F092231. I have the data card on it, but I'm wondering the number of cars built with Brilliant Silver/Red/Panos/Parktronic.

Thanks

Thanks for the great info number of SL65's. We've had ours for 9 yrs and continue to enjoy it.
Curious if there is the same type of information available on the R230, SL600. I don't seem to see many of those around either.

Quick update, the convertibles just got 8 cars rarer! In reviewing data with the help of VRV000 we identified 8 more Black Series cars (Option code P99) which brings the total BS to a nice round 400! That means if the 3055 total of all R230 SL65s is correct there were only 2655 convertibles built worldwide over the 05 to 11 model year run. My database now has a total of 3049 R230 SL65s so still looking for 6 more but I suspect those were all early MY05 mules and test cars.

@waymilky: Interesting results in that the combination of Brilliant Silver with Berry Red interior was only offered in MY 2005 as it turns out! There are 40 cars with the 744U / 587A combo of exterior code and interior code but there are also three more with the combo of 744U / 287A which is also Brilliant Silver with Berry Red. MB apparently used the 287 code in a few markets. So, 43 cars in that color combo worldwide. 23 are US cars, and the other 20 are ROW cars.

Now with regard to your specific question, how many Brilliant Silver with Berry Red, Pano and Partronic but no Distronic, the answer is 21, 11 in the US and 10 in ROW, again every one a MY 2005 car.

The rarest combo of Brilliant Silver and Berry Red it turns out is a Canadian car, serial # 093504 that has none of the major option, no partronic, pano, or distronic and it is 1 of 1 such car..

Thanks for your help Zachmac. I do find that interesting as MB has used silver exterior/red interiors in so many of their show cars I assumed it would be more popular. I was working in my yard one day and an R107 silver/red drove by and I just loved it. I decided if I could find a newer generation with that combination that would be the car for me.

Waymilky, just a thought from a SoCal SL65 owner/driver. When I was looking for my SL65 I wanted either a Designo Classic Red or a Designo Platinum White interior. I was undecided pending seeing them in person. I found one of each in stock at a local dealer. I decided on the Platinum White interior after seeing them. The exterior was Polar White but I did not care because I could have it wrapped in any color I wanted for $2,500. My plan was to wrap it in Ferrari Yellow but after driving it for a few weeks I grew to like the Polar white exterior.
My point is for an SL65 it is easier to focus on the interior and options, then have it wrapped in whatever color you want. At least here in SoCal wrap shops are everywhere and for an SL it is not expensive. My neighbor across the street had his E350 wrapped in a color changing Purple/Orange. Please do not do that, it hurts my eyes every time I see it out in the sun.

@Waymilky keep in ind the production numbers I told you are for SL65s only. There could be hundreds of SL500s, 550s, some SL55s, and SL600s in the same combo.