"Automatic" trunk sign

[Kenneth Gear]

I'm curious about the badges on the rear decklids of some Mercedes cars.  

My car is an Automatic transmission but it does not have the "automatic" badge under the 280sl badge on the rear yet I have seen Pagodas with the word "Automatic" -- does anyone know under what circumstances that badge was added?

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[J. Huber]

I think I read that the Euro-models had the badge and that the U.S. specs didn't?

I know mine has one. What is interesting about mine is "230SL" is on one side and "Automatic" on the other (versus stacked). Mine was one of the earliest automatic transmissions (#45).

James
63 230SL

[knirk]

Ken,
found some information in the string below:

http://www.sl113.com/forums/index.php?topic=2275+badge

Per G. Birkeland
69 280 sl aut 834
Norway

[France]

I think the gist of the earlier thread was that Americans wanted people to think they were driving a sports car, so the automatic emblem was left off, whereas in Europe in the 60s, an automatic was a posh sign of economic success...you have to remember that Europe was still in a state of recovery...a very hard time.

Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder

[Cees Klumper]

I DO recall that, in Europe, having a car with automatic transmission in the sixties was nothing short of a luxury, a status symbol indeed. Whereas in the US an automatic was 'standard' and not considered special. So that would account for the badge difference. I've also seen stacked as well as left/right badge locations on Pagodas. Personally I prefer the left/right setup.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Kgear

I'm curious about the badges on the rear decklids of some Mercedes cars.  

My car is an Automatic transmission but it does not have the "automatic" badge under the 280sl badge on the rear yet I have seen Pagodas with the word "Automatic" -- does anyone know under what circumstances that badge was added?

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

I read somewhere--where escapes me--that for the U.S. Spec/Market cars, only the 250SL had the AUTOMATIC grill badge.  Europe is another story, and as many cars have been back and forth, and people add and delete things they like and don't like, today is anybody's guess.  I do know you see more cars with automatics then with manuals, particularly in the U.S. spec cars, and you don't often see that AUTOMATIC badge.  It certainly isn't rare, but it is far more likely to have an automatic without the badge then with.

Doug should be able to fill us in with a bit more historical accuracy then my mere observations.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[n/a]

Almost all Euro 280sl's and probably 250sl's that were automatic had the badge. Mine has one: a 1971 Euro 280sl, and it took some looking to get a new one from SLS in Germany.

[pagode.info]

Emblem "Automatic" on Pagoda trunk lid:

Additional Info:

Merc Part No: 1128170615
Merc Price: 21,42 Euro
Status: still available at any Merc dealer.

Tom :-)

www.pagode.info

[Tom Colitt]

I'm pretty sure I have a good used one available if you can't find one.

Regards, Tom


Tom Colitt