2004 - ACA Sbarro

SL roadster

T he polyester bodywork conceals a Mercedes SL, Mercedes' top-of-the-range convertible. Unrecognizable, the SL roadster is the typical example of the Sbarro-built cars that its detractors put forward.

It's hard to tell a Mercedes SL 600 from this polyester bodywork (photo by Sbarro)

Mercedes SL

It's hard to guess what the SL roadster is based on. But how hard can it be? Because, let's face it, the SL gains absolutely nothing from this transformation. So why did Franco Sbarro do it? Quite simply, at the request of a customer. It goes something like this: a wealthy customer asks for his car to be transformed, demanding this and that. And Franco Sbarro, who needs to keep his business going, carries out his customer's wishes. The result is this enlarged SL roadster, with its oversized hood and inelegant appendages. But to the taste of its sponsor.

The SL roadster had two lives: first in blue, presented at Geneva; then in pink, often photographed by spotters.

The first version of the SL roadster, in blue, photographed at Sbarro's premises in Switzerland (Sbarro photo).

Blue

The original model was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004. Blue in color, the SL roadster has a voluminous front hood reminiscent of some American cars, with two oval vents and twelve smaller ones. The front bumper forms an enormous grille with an imposing lower lip. The original headlamps are simply masked, completely changing their shape.
On the sides, two rocker panels with a chrome section. The fenders are wider, especially at the rear, where the door handles are recessed into an air intake whose usefulness remains to be seen, given that the engine is at the front.
At the rear, the lights remain original but, as at the front, they are concealed by a polyester cover that gives the impression of having eight small vertical lights. On the trunk is a curious spoiler with two metal edges to which a second spoiler can be attached using a special key. This second spoiler will not be shown in Geneva, as it is probably illegal in Switzerland, where the car was originally registered.

Le SL roadster dans sa deuxième version, en rose, avec le deuxième aileron (photographie SuperCarFrance)

Pink

The car was then reworked and given a surprising color: pink. I don't know if it was Sbarro who did this remodeling, knowing that I've read that pink cars weren't his taste. This same hue would later be found on the controversial GT8, which would belong to the same owner.
The car was photographed with Ukrainian plates. The front has been modified, with two slats under the license plate. At the rear, the famous second removable spoiler dominates the first. The rear-view mirrors. The pink SL roadster has clearly suffered: the hood is patched up and the front hood is damaged near the right headlight. When it was put up for sale on the Ricardo website in March 2023, it was stated that the soft top had been repaired and the car refurbished. At that time, the car had 142806 km. The vehicle registration document states that the base model is a 1992 SL 600 with a V12 engine.

In brief
1- Mercedes 600 SL base
2- First blue then pink
3- Tastes and colors...
  • Twelve-cylinder V engine (Mercedes SL 600)
  • Displacement: 5987 cm3
  • Longitudinal front position
  • 394 horsepower
  • Rear-wheel drive
  • 4-speed automatic transmission