The world premiere of the new 129 series SL in March 1989 belonged to the main attractions of the Geneva Motor Show. The new types 300 SL, 300 SL-24 and 500 SL showed no common features with their preceding models except for their overall concept. Just like 18 years before, when the 350 SL demonstrated a great number of innovative construction details in automotive progress, the 129 series SL now also was a completely new car.
The new SL generation convinced by a harmonic and very successful stylistic shape. It expressed dynamics, sportiness, but also comfort and elegance. On the one hand, the design presented itself traditional, on the other hand, its new solutions of many details looked far into the future. Thus, for instance, the radiator grill, the legendary trade mark of the SL models, had been newly interpreted on the basis of remaining traditional shapes. In contrast to the preceding types, where the broad chrome frame and the star were dominant, the radiator cowling was now organically integrated into the engine bonnet. The star, now the only chrome decoration of the car, had been completed by horizontal lamellas of anodized aluminium.
Considerable improvements as to passive safety could be achieved in comparison to the preceding models. With high efforts in development the exemplary safety standard of the saloons and coupés could also be reached in the SL. Since there was no normal roof unit, a basically different body structure and therefore an intensive development work was demanded. The envisioned impact-resistant passenger compartment was achieved by combining several structural elements. Included were, first of all, a specially stiff body platform with high-strength metal sheets, large supporting elements as well as flexural resistant transitions from the A-pillars and the rear side parts to the frame side rails. The doors played a decisive role. By a well-devised bead of the door shell inner panel they functioned as a pressure resistant link between the front wall pillar and the centre pillar. Thus they contributed to preserving the survival space in case of a collision.
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