Mercedes-Benz SL-Class R230

The R230 is the generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class introduced at the 2001 Frankfurt and Bologna motor shows, replacing the R129. It was revised in 2006 and 2008 and superseded by the R231 in 2011, so it began under DaimlerChrysler. Design began in 1996, with ten designers in Germany, California and Japan submitting drafts and the board approving the final design on 16 June 1997. A computer-aided virtual environment called the CAVE, also used for the W203, let designers inspect full-size images. The line included a V12 SL 600, AMG models and a 500-unit celebration edition for the 50th anniversary of the SL roadster in 2004.