Mercedes-AMG has revealed the new SL, the seventh generation of the convertible range-topper. It's significant that the SL is now being built and badged as an AMG model - that moves it from being a relaxed 'boulevardier' back to its 300 SL Gullwing roots. That 1954 original was a thinly disguised racing car, after all...
Softer, rounder design
The design of the new 'R232' SL eschews the square edges of the outgoing model, in favour of a softer, more rounded look that has distinct overtones of the AMG GT two-seat sports car. This SL is a four-seater though - a relative rarity in SL history - with small, but luxurious, 2+2 seating in the cabin. Mercedes claims that those rear seats offer genuine practicality and space for people of up to 1.5 metres tall.
It's also, for the first time since the R129 SL left production in 2001, not a folding-hardtop. Instead, under that humped, speedster-like back end, there's a folding fabric roof, which helps to save 20kg compared to the old SL according to Mercedes. It only takes 15 seconds to open or close, and you can use it at speeds of up to 60km/h.
Also harking back to the original 300 SL Gullwing is the new car's spaceframe construction, which uses a composite aluminium structure to ensure that the 'Sport-Licht' derivation of the name is followed as strictly as possible. Mercedes claims that the body is some 18 per cent stiffer than that of the outgoing SL, which was a two-seat car.
Up front, there's a clever two-piece 'Air Panel' active air intake shutter system that helps to improve overall aerodynamic performance, giving the SL an impressive (for an open sports model) 0.31 coefficient of drag. To further help with aero performance, there's a five-position retracting rear spoiler that's hidden in the lip of the boot.
Cockpit inspired by the S-Class
Inside, much of the cockpit - including the all-digital instrument panel and the huge, reclined central touchscreen - is drawn from the S-Class saloon. However, it's all set into a shape that's much lower and sportier, and which features distinctive 'bulls-eye' round air vents in place of the dourer square vents of the S-Class. The driver's instrument screen, instead of being free-standing, is encased in a distinctive 'visor' for a sportier look.
At launch, the SL will come with two versions of the 4.0-litre AMG twin-turbo V8 petrol engine. The top-spec SL 63 4Matic+ will get 585hp, 800Nm of torque and standard four-wheel drive - again a major departure from SL tradition. That model is claimed to be able to hit 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds, and has a top speed of 315km/h. Or, if that's all a bit much, you could have the SL 55 4Matic+ instead, which keeps the four-wheel drive but has 476hp, 700Nm, a 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 295km/h. To keep all that power in check, there are new composite brake discs.
An electric SL? Such a car is doubtless in the works, but Mercedes is keeping schtum on any details for now. There will be a hybrid-engined version of the SL, more details on which will be available shortly.
Active ride control
The SL doesn't get Mercedes's Airmatic air suspension, but instead gets steel springs and dampers with the option of AMG Active Ride Control. When driving in a straight line, the system decouples, allowing for a more comfortable ride quality.
The driver will be able to select from the usual array of AMG driving modes from Slippery, to Comfort, to Sport, to Sport +, to Individual, and finally to Race. To help keep you, and others, safe - always an SL strong point - there are upgraded active safety systems including radar-guided cruise control, automatic speed limiter, active steering and a new Tesla-style display on the instrument panel that shows you in real-time what the various sensors and systems can see and are doing.