Appendix VI
Chassis numbers & production figures
Chassis numbers
The body codes and chassis start numbers for each model type:
Type: SL280
Model Year: 1994-1998
Body Code: R129.E28
Chassis No.: WDB129058**
Type: SL280
Model Year: 1999-2001
Body Code: R129.E28
Chassis No.: WDB129059**
Type: 300SL
Model Year: 1990-1993
Body Code: R129.E30
Chassis No.: WDB129060**
Type: 300SL-24
Model Year: 1990-1993
Body Code: R129.E30
Chassis No.: WDB129061**
Type: SL320
Model Year: 1994-1998
Body Code: R129.E32
Chassis No.: WDB129063**
Type: SL320
Model Year: 1999-2001
Body Code: R129.E32
Chassis No.: WDB129064**
Type: 500SL
Model Year: 1990-1992
Body Code: R129.E50
Chassis No.: WDB129066**
Type: 500SL/SL500
Model Year: 1993-1998
Body Code: R129.E50
Chassis No.: WDB129067**
Type: SL500
Model Year: 1999-2001
Body Code: R129.E50
Chassis No.: WDB129068**
Type: 600SL/SL600
Model Year: 1993-2001
Body Code: R129.E60
Chassis No.: WDB129076**
Note: The first asterisk in the above chassis numbers is to be replaced by a ‘1’ for left-hand drive, or a ‘2’ for right-hand drive. The second asterisk is to be replaced by a letter (‘F’ through ‘H’) to show the car was built in the Bremen plant, followed by a sequential six-digit production serial number, starting on 000001.
For America and certain other countries, the 17-digit VIN starts ‘WDB’ to identify Daimler-Benz. The next four digits describe the model (with ‘F’ for 129 series, followed by ‘A’ for petrol engine, then a model key, such as ‘63’ which is a shortened version of 129.063). The eighth digit shows restraint systems, and the ninth is simply a check digit, which is a number (‘0’ to ‘9’) or an ‘X’ in place of the number ten. The tenth gives the year of manufacture, which is defined by letters (K = 1989, L = 1990, M = 1991, N = 1992, P = 1993, R = 1994, S = 1995, T = 1996, V = 1997, W = 1998, X = 1999, Y = 2000, and 1 = 2001). Next is a letter for the Bremen plant (‘F’ through ‘H’), followed by a six-digit sequential serial number.
Build numbers
Production quantities for each model type, arranged by engine size and basic type:
Type: SL280
Model Year: 1994-1998
Number Built: 10,319
Type: SL280
Model Year: 1999-2001
Number Built: 1704
Type: 300SL
Model Year: 1990-1993
Number Built: 12,020
Type: 300SL-24
Model Year: 1990-1993
Number Built: 26,984
Type: SL320
Model Year: 1994-1998
Number Built: 32,223
Type: SL320
Model Year: 1999-2001
Number Built: 7070
Type: 500SL/SL500
Model Year: 1990-1998
Number Built: 79,830
Type: SL500
Model Year: 1999-2001
Number Built: 23,704
Type: 600SL/SL600
Model Year: 1993-2001
Number Built: 11,086
Note: AMG models are included in these figures, as the factory did not allocate a separate chassis designation – that of the base vehicle was carried over. Around 1000 AMG R129 SLs were built, the vast majority being based on the 500SL/SL500 line.
A different breakdown of the build numbers, this time showing how many of each model type was produced within a given calendar year (CY), including prototypes:
Year: 1988 CY
300SL (12v): 27
300SL (24v): 28
500SL/SL500: 31
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: -
Year: 1989 CY
300SL (12v): 407
300SL (24v): 1507
500SL/SL500: 3413
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: -
Year: 1990 CY
300SL (12v): 2236
300SL (24v): 7902
500SL/SL500: 10,649
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: -
Year: 1991 CY
300SL (12v): 3115
300SL (24v): 7833
500SL/SL500: 15,056
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: -
Year: 1992 CY
300SL (12v): 4543
300SL (24v): 7417
500SL/SL500: 12,165
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: 2107
Year: 1993 CY
300SL (12v): 1692
300SL (24v): 2297
500SL/SL500: 6090
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: 2066
Year: 1994 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: 6172
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: 1526
Year: 1995 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: 7538
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: 1112
Year: 1996 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: 6097
SL500 (24v): -
600SL/SL600: 1249
Year: 1997 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: 8117
SL500 (24v): 3
600SL/SL600: 1164
Year: 1998 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: 4502
SL500 (24v): 5618
600SL/SL600: 821
Year: 1999 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: -
SL500 (24v): 8864
600SL/SL600: 557
Year: 2000 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: -
SL500 (24v): 5755
600SL/SL600: 286
Year: 2001 CY
300SL (12v): -
300SL (24v): -
500SL/SL500: -
SL500 (24v): 3464
600SL/SL600: 198
Year: 1992 CY
SL280 (I6): 1992 CY
SL280 (V6): 3
SL320 (I6): -
SL320 (V6): 3
Year: 1993 CY
SL280 (I6): 1993 CY
SL280 (V6): 1927
SL320 (I6): -
SL320 (V6): 4688
Year: 1994 CY
SL280 (I6): 1994 CY
SL280 (V6): 2961
SL320 (I6): -
SL320 (V6): 6795
Year: 1995 CY
SL280 (I6): 1995 CY
SL280 (V6): 2178
SL320 (I6): -
SL320 (V6): 7497
Year: 1996 CY
SL280 (I6): 1996 CY
SL280 (V6): 1556
SL320 (I6): -
SL320 (V6): 6872
Year: 1997 CY
SL280 (I6): 1997 CY
SL280 (V6): 1316
SL320 (I6): 3
SL320 (V6): 4832
Year: 1998 CY
SL280 (I6): 1998 CY
SL280 (V6): 378
SL320 (I6): 594
SL320 (V6): 1536
Year: 1999 CY
SL280 (I6): 1999 CY
SL280 (V6): -
SL320 (I6): 647
SL320 (V6): -
Year: 2000 CY
SL280 (I6): 2000 CY
SL280 (V6): -
SL320 (I6): 302
SL320 (V6): -
Year: 2001 CY
SL280 (I6): 2001 CY
SL280 (V6): -
SL320 (I6): 158
SL320 (V6): -
Overall production figures
A table showing a summary of the annual production (by CY) for all R129 SL models combined (including prototypes), followed by a cumulative figure, valid at the end of each calendar year:
Year: 1988 CY
Number Built: 86
Cumulative Production: 86
Year: 1989 CY
Number Built: 5327
Cumulative Production: 5413
Year: 1990 CY
Number Built: 20,787
Cumulative Production: 26,200
Year: 1991 CY
Number Built: 26,004
Cumulative Production: 52,204
Year: 1992 CY
Number Built: 26,238
Cumulative Production: 78,442
Year: 1993 CY
Number Built: 18,760
Cumulative Production: 97,202
Year: 1994 CY
Number Built: 17,454
Cumulative Production: 114,656
Year: 1995 CY
Number Built: 18,325
Cumulative Production: 132,981
Year: 1996 CY
Number Built: 15,774
Cumulative Production: 148,755
Year: 1997 CY
Number Built: 15,438
Cumulative Production: 164,193
Year: 1998 CY
Number Built: 15,766
Cumulative Production: 179,959
Year: 1999 CY
Number Built: 12,365
Cumulative Production: 192,324
Year: 2000 CY
Number Built: 8000
Cumulative Production: 200,324
Year: 2001 CY
Number Built: 4616
Cumulative Production: 204,940
Total R129 series models built: 204,940
