560SL with manual shift?

The only 'normal' manual shift Mercs I've ever driven have been awful, with slow, notchy gearboxes. Best to avoid the Manuals if possible and stick with the excellent autos especially on something like the SL.

-- JB

E500

Huh. The manual gearboxes sure are wooden, but neither notchy nor slow IMHO. It's no BMW-style rifle-bolt action, sure, but it is no worse than any front-wheel drive car. You get clutch feeling, though, which is far more important. Automatic transmission sucks.

I don't think a manual gearbox 560SL was ever offered _anywhere_, though. (Somebody will doubtlessly correct me if I'm wrong.) I suspect that the car must be either built to special order by DB or modified by a previous owner.

As Roy correctly pointed out, the 560 SL was not sold with a manual transmission anywhere. The 560 SL was made only as a U.S., Canadian, Japanese, and Australian model. There was never a Euro model. The only transmission it came with was a 4-speed auto. Have you actually seen the car with a manual transmission? If so, ask which transmission it has (MB or other, 4-speed or

Best regards,

Danny

Front-wheel drive?

DAS

--

Yes, a configuration used on inferior cars.

Did you perhaps read an "other" into it?

Maybe I misread your post, but I thought you were suggesting front-wheel drive on a Merc...

DAS

--

In 1985, while working in a shop, I saw a gray market 560 sl with a 5 speed manual mb transmission arrive in the shop for service. I did not work on it, and ever since I have wondered if that car was a special order, or if it was available somewhere in the world.

Interesting My neighbor has a 1987 560Sl with a 5 Speed... He bought in Germany and shipped it home after putting 7000mi. on it vacationing in Europe in 1987 - Went through Dot Etc.. drives it 2 times a month... factory installed he bought new ? Ill need to reach out for some more info... I'm Porsche guy, and not a Benz guy ... Cheers -