Hands up all those who knew that SL stood for sport and light.
When the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SL (the cool one with the gullwing doors) was unveiled to impressed oohs and aahs back in the 1950s, those were the two guiding principles of the car.
Although the SL always stayed sporty through subsequent generations, it got progressively larger and safer and subsequently packed on the kilos. The new generation SL launched in South Africa this week has now taken a step back to its roots with a new aluminium body that sheds up to 140kg, depending on model, over its steel-bodied predecessor, despite growing in size.
Click here for more pictures of the new SL
Whether it’s as easy on the eye as it is on the scale is up to the individual beholder, but Merc’s designers have gone quite radical in the restyling of their luxury two-seat roadster/coupé. The new SL follows the styling path forged by its SLS and SLK cousins (and the original 300 SL) with its blunter new nose. If not necessarily as sleek and pretty as the last SL, it is certainly more masculine.
The folding hardtop takes 19 seconds to fold up or down, and cold-weather driving is made possible by heated seats and an air scarf that blows hot air onto your neck and shoulders.
MAGIC ROOF
The sixth-generation SL offers three versions of the folding roof: painted, with a glass roof or with the unique panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control – a transparent roof that switches to light or dark at the push of a button. Other new features include a unique Frontbass system which turns the car into a concert hall whether the top is open or closed, and a Magic Vision Control windscreen wipe/wash system with the spray nozzles built directly into the wiper blades.
THREE TO CHOOSE FROM
Three derivatives of the new Mercedes SL are available, all wielding twin-turbocharged petrol engines that offer more power than the previous SL range, with seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmissions. Fuel consumption is reduced thanks to the lighter body and a stop-start function in all derivatives.
The baseline, if one can call it that, is the SL500 with a 4.6-litre V8 wielding outputs of 320kW and 700Nm.
With a quoted 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.6 seconds, a governed 250km/h top speed and utterly effortless cruising, the SL500 has more power than any normal person would ever need. However, people holding a money’s-no-object and mine’s-bigger-than-yours point of view have two AMG versions to choose from which have sports suspensions and extra power.
The SL63 AMG is moved along by the familiar 5.5 biturbo V8 that serves duty in many an AMG model, in this application producing outputs of 395kW and 800Nm which is good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.3 secs and a governed 250km/h top speed – or 415kW/900Nm with the optional R100 000 performance package which slices a tenth of a second off the 0-100 time and liberates a 300km/h top speed. It weighs 1 895kg.
SL65 - THE SLEDGEHAMMER
The SL65 AMG is a real sledgehammer with its biturbo 6-litre V12 which sends a monstrous 463kW and 1 000Nm to the rear wheels – and bear in mind that the torque figure could be higher but is governed to spare the transmission, and because you don’t really need more torque unless you plan to tow the QE2.
It will reach 100 in four seconds flat and peak at 300km/h, according to factory figures, which isn’t bad for a vehicle weighing 1 950kg.
On the media launch in Cape Town earlier this week we diced the three SL versions against each other in a drag race on a 1.2km air strip, and it was the 1 785kg SL500 that delivered the biggest surprise.
Being over 100kg lighter than its more powerful stablemates it had the drop on them in initial acceleration, and it took a couple of hundred metres for the superior musclepower of the AMG versions to get them past.
Keeping these SLs glued to the road is a raft of dynamic safety features including stability control and active suspension. The SL500 features semi-active adjustable damping as standard and a fully active suspension system ABC (Active Body Control) optionally available (standard in the AMGs).
IMPRESSIVE AGILITY
Apart from being lighter the new SL is also more rigid, and unless you’re on a really bad road there’s no body judder to betray the absence of a permanent hard roof.
I drove the flagship SL65 through Franschoek Pass, a famous driver’s road with more twists and turns than an epileptic snake. The car has epic power and no shortage of mass, but the big grand tourer tangoed through those turns with impressive agility.
All versions of the SL have a vast array of safety gizmos including ones that keep you awake, in your lane, and at a safe following distance. A new feature to be introduced in the SL later this year is AMG Performance Media, a telemetry system that logs things like your g-forces and laptimes.
At launch Mercedes-Benz SA is offering a limited-edition SL500 model, the “Edition 1”, at a cost of an extra R135 000. It comes standard with a panoramic vario-roof, AMG bodystyling, sports suspension, AMG 19-inch light-alloy wheels, larger brakes, designer nappa leather in classic red with contrasting topstitching, and exclusive designer crystal silver magno special paintwork. -Star Motoring
PRICES
SL 500 - R1 635 000
SL 63 AMG - R2 120 000
SL 65 AMG - R2 621 000
A six-year/120 000 km MobiloDrive Maintenance package is standard.