The super-light little roadster has a half-century-plus history—here’s how it shakes out
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has served as the German brand’s flagship roadster for almost 70 years. From its first incarnation as the street-legal version of its famous “gullwing” race car; to its later evolution into a super-powerful AMG-tuned road-rocket, the SL-Class has played a key role in the company’s history, both at home and overseas.
Which versions of this popular convertible are our favourites? We dusted off the wayback machine and dove deep into the past to bring you our ranking of the best, and worst, generations of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL W198 is one of the few automotive icons that needs no introduction. This gullwing-doored coupe arrived in 1954 and immediately made waves around the world as one of the sleekest and most modern designs every to have been committed to sheet metal.
Based on the W194 race car (pictured below) the 300 SL featured a tube space frame (thus necessitating the unique door openings) as well as between 220 and 240 horsepower from its fuel-injected 3.0-litre inline-six-cylinder engine. The car was electrifying to drive, and significantly more advanced than almost anything from Detroit during the same period.
Two years later the W198 would get the roadster twin pictured in blue above; it offered the most powerful iteration of the SL’s engine to deal with the extra weight it brought to the table, and would last all the way to 1963. Three short model years were all the gullwing SL-Class coupe got on the market, but it was enough to send ripple effects through time that are still being felt in the Silver Star’s designs to this day.
It took Mercedes-Benz nearly 30 years to make a similarly striking second visual statement with its SL-Class. The R129 wasn’t as exotic-looking as its ancestor, but it broke with a long string of boring roadsters that had retreated into a comfortably anonymous sliver of the Mercedes-Benz portfolio. It also brought the convertible into the modern era in terms of handling thanks to a multi-link rear suspension and available adaptive shocks.
The R129, like its predecessors, was available with both a removable hardtop and a soft top, and its clean profile and smoothed-out looks were a distinct departure from the ’80s styling cues that had dominated the brand’s designs (and gave a clear preview of what the ’90s would hold).
It also featured (briefly) the last manual transmission the SL-Class would ever receive in North America (for the six-cylinder 300SL) as well as introduced a near-400-horsepower V12 (in the 600SL) and the completely bonkers 7.3-litre SL 73 AMG (which shared its 12-cylinder engine with the Pagani Zonda). Most versions of the standard R129, however, were motivated a 5.0-litre V8 good for just over 300 horses, with the 349 horsepower SL 55 being the most common AMG model
The W113 merged together Mercedes-Benz’s two-seat coupe and convertible offerings onto a single platform. Dubbed the ‘Pagoda’ due to the shape of its roof and greenhouse, this generation SL-Class continues to enjoy strong support from collectors enamoured of its elegant design.
Mercedes-Benz didn’t turn to its racing program to develop the W113, but instead combined the body and platform details of several different sedans in order to create a car that was fun to drive, but not intended for hardcore performance. A six-cylinder engine was retained, and both the 230 SL and 250 SL that followed produced 150 horsepower, matched with the choice of manual or automatic transmissions. The 280 SL that arrived in 1967 to close out the series added a small power bump, although EPA-mandated emissions controls choked out any real gains.
The Pagoda was a boon to Mercedes-Benz in terms of making in-roads in the American market. A favourite of the moneyed class, a third of worldwide production was sent state-side, helping the company grow in a market that hadn’t yet accepted European brands as part of the luxury mainstream.
Although it was produced at roughly the same time as the 300SL, the 190 SL W121 differed from the gullwing in a number of key ways. Its unibody design was borrowed from the W121 sedan, it was smaller than the gullwing, and it featured none of the icon’s race-oriented chassis details. It also offered a four-cylinder engine that was good for 120 horsepower, keeping it well back from the 300SL’s six-cylinder.
That being said, in terms of styling it was a clear lift from its showroom-mate, albeit spread across more modest proportions. Despite its classy comportment, the W121 paled in comparison to the W198, and it didn’t help that it was overshadowed by the 300SL when launched at the same auto show in New York City in 1954. Missing the performance pedigree of its contemporary, the W121 is an overlooked member of the SL-Class family.
The replacement for the R129 went in a much more overstated direction in terms of both design and performance. At this point Mercedes-Benz was gung-ho for AMG models, which meant that for the first time since the original race car the SL-Class played a major role in the brand’s performance plans.
Front and center was the 12-cylinder 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged SL 65 AMG, which developed an obscene 604 horsepower and 728 lb-ft of torque. This was the pinnacle of SL-Class grunt, rising above the (up to) 510-horsepower SL55 AMG and the (also-)510-horsepower twin-turbo 5.5-litre V12 SL 600. V6 and ‘base’ V8 models were included in the mix, too. Eventually, a refresh of the SL-Class added a third AMG option, the SL 63 AMG’s naturally-aspirated, 518 horsepower V8.
Not only was the R230 over-muscled, it also came with the roadster’s very first retractable hardtop, giving Mercedes-Benz further ammunition in convincing the coupe crowd to try out its convertible. Unfortunately, reliability and build quality from this particular era of the automaker’s production is slipshod, which explains the 2001-2011 model’s low spot in our rankings.
The R107 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class takes the second-to-last position among its siblings thanks largely to the ultra-low effort that was put into keeping the car relevant in a changing market. The platform was sold for nearly 20 years as the SL-Class (with the SLC-Class fixed-roof coupe, or C107 body style, lasting until 1981) because Mercedes-Benz seemingly couldn’t make enough of them. Americans gobbled up nearly 70 per cent of production as the brand soared in status and became a must-have for young urban professionals and old money alike.
The R107 isn’t a bad-looking car, but it barely changed with the times, and after the first 10 years on the market it had begun to get a little stale. With no other similarly-sized European luxury competitor, however, Mercedes-Benz was content to simply replace the vehicle’s engine options every few years, moving from a 4.5-litre V8; to a 5.0-litre model (the 500 SL and 560 SL), with the other side of the Atlantic benefiting from a series of six-cylinder choices as well.
Is there anything wrong with the current-generation SL-Class? Not at all. In a world where personal luxury coupes, roadsters, and retractable hardtops have become relatively commonplace, does the R231 really separate itself out from the rest of the pack? Sadly, the answer is also ‘no.’
Quick, comfortable, and inoffensively styled, the R231 took the AMG onslaught begun by the R230 and cranked it up to 11, and although it lost the non-AMG V12 on the order sheet it’s hard to argue that this car is anything other than lightning-quick in almost every configuration. And yet, its evolutionary design and increasingly insulated driving feel don’t do much to recommend it over any of its Porsche, BMW, or Jaguar rivals. Competent, certainly, but increasingly hard to differentiate from the sea of similarly-gifted six-figure luxury two-doors.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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