The Mercedes-Benz 500SL was a variant of the R107 SL-Class that was introduced for the 1980 model year. The 500 SL featured a powerful 5.0L V8 engine that generated 237hp. This drive was sent to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission. The 500 SL was not offered for the North American market due to emissions regulations, instead, Mercedes offered the 560 SL which although featuring a larger engine, did not have as much performance as the 500SL. Production of the Mercedes-Benz 500SL lasted until 1989, although the model series continued life in the next generation SL-Class as the R129 500 SL.