The SLC coupe, the long-wheelbase sibling of the R107 roadster, had a surprising second career as a factory rally car. Between 1978 and 1980, Mercedes-Benz entered big V8 SLCs in long-distance rallies and won some of the toughest events of the period.
Rally history
Mercedes-Benz chose to rally production-based luxury cars rather than build a dedicated rally machine. The SLC’s strength, durability and V8 power suited long-distance events on rough roads in Africa and South America, where reliability mattered more than agility.
Key events
- 1978 Vuelta a la América del Sud: a marathon South American rally. Andrew Cowan with Colin Malkin and Sobiesław Zasada with Andrzej Zembrzuski took a 1-2 finish in 450SLC rally cars, with further Mercedes cars behind them.
- 1979 Safari Rally (Kenya): Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz finished second in a 450SLC 5.0.
- 1979 Rallye Bandama Côte d’Ivoire: the high point. Mercedes-Benz took the top four places with 450SLC 5.0 cars: Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz won, ahead of Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius, Andrew Cowan and Klaus Kaiser, and Vic Preston Jr. and Mike Doughty.
- 1980 Rallye Bandama Côte d’Ivoire: Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius won in a 500SLC, with Jorge Recalde and Nestor Straimel second, also in a 500SLC. The 1980 winning car is displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
At the end of 1980, Daimler-Benz withdrew from world championship rallying.
Why the SLC?
The SLC’s longer wheelbase made it more stable than the short roadster, and its fixed roof added strength. The 450SLC 5.0 was also a homologation-friendly road car: it had an aluminum 5.0-liter V8 and lightweight parts. Mercedes kept the rally cars close to production specification, with optimizations for endurance rallying. According to Mercedes-Benz, the 1979 rally engine’s power rose from about 240 hp to about 290 hp, and displacement was reduced slightly from 5,025 to 4,973 cc to fit the 5-liter class limit.
Road-car link
The rally cars were based on the 450SLC 5.0 and 500SLC road cars. The 5.0-liter M117 engine from these cars later went into the 500SL roadster. Many of the durability qualities that helped the rally cars, such as the strong body and the robust V8, are the same ones R107 owners value today. See M116 vs M117 and C107 vs R107 for more on the SLC.
Sources
Results are taken from Mercedes-Benz Classic material and published rally results databases. If you are researching a specific car, check its documented history with Mercedes-Benz Classic.
Quick answers
- Did the SL roadster rally? The factory effort used the SLC coupe.
- Which SLC won Bandama 1979? A 450SLC 5.0 driven by Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz.
- Is a 450SLC 5.0 rare? Yes, it was built in much smaller numbers than the regular 450SLC.
- Where can I see a rally SLC? The 1980 winner is in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.
