“60 years ago – on 12 March 1952 – the first SL was unveiled to the press on a section of what is now the A 81 motorway near Stuttgart, marking the birth of the SL legend – a legend that is showcased impressively at Retro Classics in Stuttgart by the forefather model from 1952 and the latest SL model,” says Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic.
Retro Classics is the biggest show of its kind for classic cars and motor-vehicle culture in southern Germany, and is being staged in Stuttgart for the twelfth time. Around 1300 exhibitors are displaying more than 3000 vehicles here between 23 and 25 March 2012 (preview day on 22 March). The Mercedes-Benz Classic stand is at the heart of the event. In an area covering some 540 square metres in Hall 1, the collection vehicles and the range of vehicles and spare parts from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center complement each other perfectly.
Alongside the two exhibited vehicles, the assembled display of spare parts from numerous SL model series – W 198, W 113, R 107, R 129 and R 230 – provides a striking insight into the SL’s thrilling model history and, at the same time, shifts the focus onto the topic of originality, since almost all spare parts are still available for classic Mercedes‑Benz cars – ensuring that the vehicles remain in tip-top and original condition.
The Mercedes-Benz Classic offering at the show is rounded off in Hall 7, where numerous brand clubs are exhibiting in an area of around 1740 square metres. Visitors to this part of the show can witness the fans’ affinity to the long line of products that have made automotive history ever since Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz came up with their groundbreaking inventions in 1886.
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