Mercedes-Benz SL Exhaust Manifold Replacement Parts

The Mercedes SL (R107 1971–1989, R129 1989–2001, R230 2001–2012, R231 2012–2020) spans several distinct generations, each with different engine families, so manifolds are not interchangeable across those boundaries. Within a generation, fitment is driven by engine code — for example, the M113 V8 and M112 V6 used in the R230 each have their own manifold design. Always quote your engine code and registration to the breaker so they can match the correct unit. Never assume a visually similar manifold from a different generation will fit.

No — the R231 (2012–2020) moved to a biturbo engine range (such as the M276 V6 biturbo and M157 V8 biturbo) which have quite different manifold and turbocharger plumbing compared to the naturally aspirated or earlier supercharged units in the R230 (2001–2012). The R230-to-R231 boundary is a hard engineering break for exhaust components, so a manifold from the older car will not transfer across. Confirm the exact engine code with your breaker against your registration plate to get the right part.

All Mercedes SL variants have some form of exhaust manifold — on naturally aspirated engines (common throughout the R107, R129, and early R230 era) it is a conventional cast manifold routing exhaust gases to the downpipe. Later R230 and all R231 SL models use turbocharged engines, and on those the manifold is integrated with or directly feeds the turbocharger, so it is sometimes called a turbo manifold or exhaust manifold/turbo housing assembly. When searching for a used part, tell the breaker whether your engine is turbocharged and supply your engine code, as the parts look quite different and are not interchangeable between turbo and non-turbo applications.

Trim or badge name alone does not determine manifold fitment — what matters is the engine code fitted to your specific car. An SL 350 and an SL 500 both badged as R231, for instance, carry different engines (M276 and M157 respectively) and therefore different manifolds, but two SL 350s with the same engine code should share the same manifold regardless of any other options. Give the breaker your engine code rather than just the badge, and they can confirm the correct part.

Both a 2009 and a 2012 SL fall within the R230 generation (2001–2012), so there is a reasonable chance of compatibility if the engine codes match, but 2012 was the final year of the R230 and production overlapped with the launch of the R231, so late R230 cars may carry revised components. Confirm the engine code on both donor and recipient cars with the breaker before purchasing, as even within a generation Mercedes did revise engine internals and exhaust routing. Do not rely on year alone as a guarantee of fitment.

The R230 received a facelift in 2008 which brought updated engine management and some revised engine specifications, meaning manifold compatibility across the facelift year is not guaranteed even if the engine family looks the same on paper. The safest approach is to match engine codes exactly — supply both your registration and the donor car's engine code to the breaker so they can check against their stock. Assuming a pre-2008 and post-2008 manifold are identical is risky and could result in a poor fit or leaks.