Mercedes-Benz 190 SL · 190 SL (W121 BII)
W121
The Ponton-based roadster that brought 300 SL glamour within reach.
- Production
- 1955–1963
- Built
- 25,881
- Body
- Roadster & coupé
- Engine
- 1.9-liter four
Built on the four-cylinder Ponton platform, the 190 SL brought 300 SL styling within reach of a much wider clientele — a genuine sports car wearing the family’s most glamorous face.
Introduced alongside the 300 SL at the 1954 New York Auto Show and launched into production the following year, the 190 SL shared its distinctive nose, headlamp treatment and general profile with the fabled Gullwing, but rode on a shortened Ponton sedan floorpan with a simpler four-cylinder engine underneath.
Offered as roadster or removable-hardtop coupé, and refined continuously through two engine revisions and dozens of detail changes, the 190 SL stayed in production for eight years and 25,881 examples before giving way to the W113 ‘Pagoda’ in 1963.
Every model.
4 distinct series across 1955–1963 — roadster and removable-hardtop coupé body styles, each identified by its chassis and engine numbers.
| Modell | Modelljahre | Baumuster | Motor | Getriebe | Gesamt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 190 SL Coupé | 1955–1961 | 121.040 | 121.921 | oben enthalten | |
| 190 SL Roadster | 1955–1961 | 121.042 | 121.921 | 25,881 | |
| 190 SL Roadster | 1961–1963 | 121.042 | 121.928 | oben enthalten | |
| 190 SL Coupé | 1961–1963 | 121.040 | 121.928 | oben enthalten |
* Die veröffentlichte Produktionszahl umfasst alle Serien dieses Modells; die Quelle schlüsselt sie nicht weiter auf.
Year by year.
Eight years of continuous refinement, from cabin details to chrome trim. These are the changes that matter when dating a 190 SL.
- 1955
- Dashboard modified to improve accessibility of switches under the steering wheel; from engine number 11, cylinder head gasket changed from 1.5 mm to 1.7 mm; backrest locking lever modified; rear axle ratio changed to 3.89:1.
- Cigarette lighter fitted with a shrouded element, diameter increased from 21 mm to 22 mm; window and instrument panel moldings changed from clamp to screw fastening; clutch operating lever modified.
- Glovebox lid now formed by pressing tool.
- Fuel filler pipe at tank inlet cut off straight.
- For coupe, rear wheel arch eyebrows fitted with decorative moldings, optional on roadster; soft top rivets replaced by fasteners; interior door panels fastened with clips instead of screws.
- 1956
- Rubber cover fitted to accelerator pedal, replacing bare steel; new ashtray with rotating base.
- Modified jacking points; coupe roof material changed from aluminum to pressed steel.
- Narrow upper door trim molding on coupe replaced by a wider chrome rail, also fitted to roadster; glovebox lid with lock now standard; coupe and roadster interior door panels standardized; new ignition switch 545 1413.
- Renk radiator cap with 1 bar opening pressure; headlight flasher function standard; fresh air blower on driver’s side, second Bosch horn, and ATE T50 brake servo standard.
- Larger rear lights from the 220a and 220S saloon fitted, except on chassis 2680, 2683 and 2701.
- 1957
- Convex taillight lenses fitted.
- Modified interior door handles.
- Number plate lights fitted in bumper overriders.
- Red, rather than amber, indicator lenses for the U.S. market.
- 1958
- For U.S. cars, dividing strip between stop and tail lights removed.
- New indicator and parking lights for U.S. versions.
- 1959
- Lockable fuel tank cap now shares a key with the door locks.
- Coupe and roadster hardtops fitted with a larger rear window.
- 1960
- Paint number plate moved from the engine compartment and combined with the body number plate on the left front door pillar; body number continues to be stamped into the engine firewall.
- 1961
- Seat belt anchorage points fitted.
- 1962
- Bosch horns limited to 100 decibels.
- Mounting holes for seat belts on the transmission tunnel closed with sealing plugs.
- Front wheel arches sprayed with PVC for protection against corrosion.
- Fog lamps fitted with a yellow reflector instead of yellow glass.
