Mercedes' technological showcase, the elegant SL coupe was a car of rare sophistication. If the older generation had disappointed fans with its heavy styling, the C215's design was elegant and refined. Moreover, the car gained 340 kg thanks to the use of light materials. Under the hood there were V8 or V12 engines, as on the 600. There were also the AMG55 sports versions with 365 then 493 horsepower V8 engine and the very rare AMG65, with 612 horsepower twin-turbo V12 engine. The C215 series was produced from 1999 to 2006.