
Mercedes
In march 1963 on the Geneva fair Mercedes Benz provoques sentation when unveiling his brand new roadster the SL 230. The Mercedes 230 SL Pagode immediately captures the eye because of the remarquable design by Paul Braque. The familiar ponton design has been eased out to obtain a more slender shape and also increase exterior visibility. The car soon becomes famous because of the concave roofline, “Pagoda“, an invention of Mercedes engineer Béla Bareyni. A real styistic audacity, this design not only improves interior visibility, because of thinner posts, also the glass surface is posivively enlarged. Less exclusive than the 300 SL, but much cheaper, better performer than the 190 SL it replaces, the 230 SL immediately sets its marks, well kept in place up till today. -