560SL is actually a w107 (some call it r107). It is also no small car. Curb wieght is 3780lbs. This is only 70lbs less than the 420SEL and 250lbs less than the 560SEL. Overall lenght is 15.025 feet. You are right about it being a big engine and the car is a rocket. Horsepower is 227 at 4750rpm and torque is 279 at 3250rpm. Drag coefficient is 0.41 and the weight is distributed 53% on the front wheels and 47% at the rear. All of these figures are straight from the dealer brochure for the 1986 model year, the first year for the 560SL (560SL ran from 1986-1989). The 5.6 was the biggest engine in the w107 series than ran from June 1971 to 1989. It was available with 7 (maybe 8) different engines (only 4 made their way to North America) the first SL in North America was the 450SL which did 0-60 in 11.7 seconds. Then came the 380SL and 500SL (a european version 380 would so 0-60 in 7.5 seconds) and then the 560SL. European versions were also offered at different times with as a 280, 300 and 420. I don't know the acceleration figures for the 560SL, but I think the 500E would be faster just because it was made to blow the doors off the competition. It made over 325hp and had the advantage of several years of technological advancement in Mercedes engines (4 valves per cylinder for example).

Great cars, all of them!

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired