About 20 years ago one of the U.S. car magazines compared the 560SL to the earlier SLs which inlcuded a 280SL, a 190SL, and a first-generation 300SL. If I remember correctly, they liked driving the 300SL best.

I've never driven that 300SL or a 190SL, but I have driven the others as well as the R230 and the R129 (of course). I like the current SL best.