tan man's points on the economics of gray-market importation are certainly well taken, but remember also that the only officially imported SL at that time was the 380, which has its virtues but is a bit wimpy compared to either the 500 or 560. Somebody with the bucks to buy a new 380 might easily prefer a gray 500, and in fact it was the most heavily gray-marketed model MB ever made as far as US importation goes.
The auto AC was apparently an option, as I see it on maybe half of the 500SLs I browse online with interior photos posted. I heartily agree that the dual-manual setup is much to be preferred to the quixotic auto system on my car.
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Craig Bethune
'97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition
'04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's)
'06 Lexus ES330
'89 560SL (sold)
SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes.
(Kudos to whoever said it first)
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