An all-electric 1960s Mercedes-Benz SL, perfect for swift, silent classic cruising
Electrification specialist Everatti unveils its sympathetic upgrade to a 1960s icon, the elegant Mercedes-Benz SL W113
Everatti was one of the first companies to capitalise on the market for electrified classic cars. From a selection of Porsches to Land Rovers and Range Rovers, the UK-based outfit builds its EVs with care and attention, lavishly upgrading and restoring interiors and mechanical components.
Everatti’s electric Mercedes-Benz SL
This is Everatti’s newest project, a conversion of the timelessly elegant W113 Series Mercedes SL from the 1960s. Dubbed the ‘Pagoda’ model because of the concave curve of the hardtop roof, the appellation has stuck for all models of this series.
Everatti will take your donor car and transform it with the installation of its proprietary electric powertrain. This consists of a 54kWh battery and e-motor providing the equivalent of 300 bhp (the original made about 150 bhp the old-fashioned petrol-powered way).
The standard battery will take the SL about 160 miles, although a larger Touring battery (68kWh) ups this to a respectable 200 miles, plus a sub-7.0 second sprint to 60 mph (the 1960s original got there in a leisurely 10.5 seconds). So far, so good in terms of overall improvements, but Everatti goes much further.
Each build is essentially a ground-up restoration, with freshly upholstered Bridge of Weir leather seats, subtly uprated dials that show important range info using the original aesthetic, and extras like Bluetooth audio and heated seats.
Transforming classics in this way is still relatively contentious and some firms will ensure the works are reversible should some future collector desire the original spec. Naturally, some cars should remain sacrosanct, such as the one-offs with a value equivalent to great to works of art. On the other hand, Mercedes built nearly 50,000 W113 SLs between 1963 and 1971, so there are still plenty of sound original cars to go around.
If you want classic style with the quiet convenience of a fast-charging EV, with compact, eternally graceful lines, then Everatti’s Mercedes-Benz SL is without equal, at a price.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Mercedes-Benz SL by Everatti, from £330k, plus tax and donor car, Everatti.com, @EverattiCars
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
First look: Vyrao’s latest neuroscientific fragrance bottles the grounding effect of a digital detox
Vyrao’s earthy new fragrance ‘Mamajuju’ provides sensory respite from screen time. Lara Johnson-Wheeler speaks with brand founder Yasmin Sewell for a Wallpaper* preview
By Lara Johnson-Wheeler Published
-
Kengo Kuma’s new Kyoto hotel is ‘a sanctuary of ethereal beauty’
A former ryokan inn, Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto offers onsen rooms equipped with natural hot spring water, and a contemporary take on a Noh theatre
By Danielle Demetriou Published
-
Frieze London 2024: everything to see and do
As London gears up for Frieze Week (7-13 October 2024), here are the must-sees inside and outside the fair
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
In celebration of Bruno Sacco, the man who brought order and elegance to Mercedes design
The car designer Bruno Sacco has died. Sacco shaped Mercedes-Benz design for nearly a quarter of a century. We look back on his impressive legacy
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ora-ïto transforms the Renault 17 into a futuristic yet retro-tinged vision
The R17 electric restomod x Ora-ïto is the fourth in Renault's series of designer-led reimaginings of iconic models from its past. We think it's the best of the lot
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Specialist car-maker Ariel explorers the power of electrification with the E-Nomad concept
The Ariel E-Nomad is an all-electric, go-anywhere sports car concept for the dedicated enthusiast. Could it be the shape of sporting EVs to come?
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A new exhibition at Los Angeles’ Petersen Auto Museum charts the rocky road to electric cars
‘Alternating Currents: The Fall and Rise of Electric Vehicles’ brings together EVs old and new, from forgotten prototypes to legendary innovations. We take a tour
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Four tiny electric motors offer a space-saving take on modern urban transport
This quartet of ultra-compact city cars prove that big is definitely not better when it comes to last mile, last minute short haul travel in a built up area
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Does the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series epitomise Pebble Beach culture?
Mercedes-Maybach launched its new SL 680 Monogram Series at Monterey Car Week 2024. How does Maybach's 21st-century take on upper-class motoring square with America's most upscale auto show?
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
We take Audi’s new Q6 e-tron quattro around and across the fjords of Norway
The new Audi Q6 e-tron quattro is a pure EV that marks a new design direction for the German brand, setting new tech standards along the way. Transportation Editor, Jonathan Bell, takes it for a drive
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
We sample the latest sports car from bespoke British manufacturer Theon Design
With the GBR002, Theon Design have transformed a classic Porsche into a low-key bespoke supercar, uprating and enhancing the iconic 964 model to exacting customer specifications
By Jonathan Bell Published