Robert Mowbray: It is fun to drive my four-speed SL but once and in forth gear and gaining rpm I want very much to put it in 5th but there is none. It really would have been best as a 5-speed. I checked the specs and found out the the US 450SL has about a 306:1 rear, whereas my 1980 350SL has a 330:1 (I may be slightly off on the numbers 'cause I don't have my book with me, but you get the idea). My car is so low geared that I can amble along in 4th gear at 15 to 20 mph without any bucking, etc. Of course there is lots of get-up off the line (though I drive very conservatably...a problem of being 64 instead of 46).

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Jim Sehl
'80 350SL
'80 300TD
'84 190D
'86 300E
'92 600SEL
'94 S420