Mercedes-Benz presented the Pagoda at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. Also known as W 113, it was a roadster model, that is, a convertible sports model that fulfilled the dreams of every wealthy person.
The Mercedes Pagoda was a pioneering vehicle in its time, it was characterized by being comfortable, with very high safety, and as it could not be otherwise in Mercedes, it was a luxurious car. His intentions were clear, to make everyone fall in love with him.
Why was it nicknamed “Pagoda”?
Actually the Mercedes Pagoda was a Mercedes 230 SL but they quickly nicknamed it “Pagoda”.
If we look for “Pagoda” in the dictionary, it is described as: a building intended for the worship of an oriental religious community, especially Buddhist, which has the shape of a more or less pyramidal tower made up of floors or similar elements superimposed and separated by cornices or roofs on several slopes. .
The simile between a pagoda and the Mercedes 230 SL was due to the unmistakable hardtop of the convertible coupe.
In fact, if we compare the image of the temple with that of the Mercedes 230 SL, it is clearly observed that the vertices of the hard top made a relatively sharp angle upwards, reminiscent of the roofs of oriental temples.
Said hardtop was removable and only required opening two zippers on the front to remove it. In addition, it had the possibility of mounting a fabric hood that covered the interior of the vehicle in case of rain.
The Pagoda was differentiated from competitors due to its high level of safety.
It is nothing new that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are extremely safe.
In fact, did you know that the Mercedes-Benz CLA was the safest vehicle out of 59 cars tested by NCAP in 2019.
Stay tuned because we will talk about it shortly.
Already at that time, the Mercedes Pagoda implemented the best advances of the time in terms of passive safety. Its chassis had been designed in such a way that, in the event of a collision, the internal structure of the cabin remained non-deformable while deformable parts were enabled in the event of an impact, both in the front and rear areas.
We must not forget that the same rigid roof, made with resistant materials, in addition to offering comfort against possible aerodynamic noises, was a passive safety element that could protect in the event of the vehicle overturning and gave rigidity to the whole.
These features, together with the fact of being able to open or cover it depending on the user's mood, being able to mix a coupe vehicle with a roadster vehicle and its clear and distinctive design lines did not leave anyone indifferent and made all eyes focus on it. during the Geneva show.
Interior cared for down to the smallest detail
The interior of the Mercedes 230 SL was especially bright due to the large glass surfaces that let in outside light.
The cabin, for its part, was very spacious compared to other sports cars.
Taking into account that at that time a sports car had to offer the possibility of not having to give up space; It seemed that Mercedes-Benz with its 230 SL had hit the right button at the right time.
triumphant arrival
The Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, which quickly became known by the nickname Pagoda, came to replace two successful models, the legendary 300 SL nicknamed Gullwing and the more affordable 190 SL.
The Pagoda was marketed from 1963 to 1971 with different variants, the 250 SL and the 280 SL in which only its engine was changed since on an aesthetic level it remained almost unchanged.
During this eight-year period Mercedes-Benz manufactured a total of 48.912 units. Units that were mostly delivered to the US taking into account that 77% were ordered with an automatic gearbox instead of the 4-speed manual.
Also the power steering, ordered in many vehicles and not included as standard in the Mercedes, revealed that most of the public was from the US.
And motor
It was the same engine used by the 220 SE, whose displacement was increased to reach 150 HP, a more than reasonable figure for a vehicle that barely weighed 1.300kg.
The Mercedes 230 SL remained on the market until the end of 1966, when it gave way to the second version of the Mercedes Pagoda, the 250 SL, although its life was very short as it was on sale for only one year. This was because its engine had a failure and ended up consuming coolant water that eventually mixed with the engine oil, destroying it completely.
Even so, it is worth noting that this vehicle integrated a major change that was maintained in the latest version. Disc brakes were included as standard on the rear axle, which guaranteed better braking and vehicle stability.
Finally, the third version of the Pagoda was unveiled in 1968. The 280 SL finished the saga in style, offering an increase in engine power that now reached up to 170 HP.
This time without problems, the engine made the Pagoda more agile since the engine rotated at lower revolutions and it was not necessary to change gears so constantly.
It should be noted that the latest version of the Pagoda reinforced its passive safety. It had a retractable steering column, three-point seat belts, self-locking and even a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Pagoda today
The Mercedes Pagoda remains today one of the most beautiful, elegant and sought-after vehicles for Mercedes-Benz lovers.
Therefore, owning a unit in good condition is quite difficult and expensive. Additionally, you must keep in mind that fewer units were sold in Spain, so its price is much higher than in other countries such as the US.
