Hard and soft
MERCEDES SL NOW A PROPER
The super-glamorous Mercedes-benz SL has lost its way over the last two decades. Launched in 1954 as the 300SL “Gullwing” – those ones are now worth at least a couple of million – it was favoured by the chic and famous.
Cher owned a 1960s SL, known as the Pagoda for the shape of its removable hard-top roof. Bobby Ewing drove an SL in Dallas, the model known as the R107. Merc made a lot of R107s and many fell into the hands of the riff raff, including your correspondent.
In 1989 the R129 replaced the R107, with a soft-top that folded electrically in a motion rivalling a
Russian ballet. Two generations of SL then ditched the traditional soft top for a folding aluminium top. Clever and practical, but it wasn’t the same as a cloth top.
Now, with the introduction of this seventh-generation SL, the soft top is back and with it, the 2+2 seating that in the R129 would fit children or small adults as far as the nearest pub.
But the biggest change is that instead of Mercedes-benz developing it (this one is the R323, by the way), it gave the job to its AMG performance arm. That’s why the proper name of the car is the Mercedes-amg SL.
Mercedes aims to completely reposition the SL so it can take on rivals from Aston Martin, particularly from Porsche and even Ferrari. To do that the SL’S French Riviera cruiser image had to be swapped for something a bit more Nurburgring. Without alienating those who just want a powerful, comfortable GT car and not some road legal racer.
To enable the new SL’S +2 seating, the wheelbase is 117mm
longer, the car’s overall length has increased by 88mm and it’s wider and taller. Considering the rear seats are still fairly useless for human beings, and the fact most owners will have several other cars, I’m not sure it’s been worth all the effort.
Three models are available in the UK: the SL43 powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 369bhp; the SL55 with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 476bhp and the SL63 with the V8 engine but the wick turned up to 585bhp. Later there’ll be a plug-in hybrid version with even more poke.
We’re testing the SL55 in Premium Plus spec. On-the-road price is hefty and the SL43 comes in a bit cheaper but would you spend that on a four-cylinder engine? What would they say down at your yacht club?
The SL55, like its brothers, features a nine-speed automatic gearbox with a single wet clutch, four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering. Top speed is 183mph and it’ll do 0-62mph in
3.9 seconds. Weighing just under two tons the 55 doesn’t feel that quick but the torque of the V8 engine makes it more than brisk enough.
The real transformation is the way that it drives. The original Gullwing was a very tricky car to pilot and all SLS since have been a bit soft and wallowy compared to true sports cars and GTS. This new car, despite its size and weight, feels nimble. The steering is accurate with good feel and the clever rear-wheel steering gives it great stability and a sharp turn into corners. It deserves the AMG badge.
Looks are subjective but to me this latest SL lacks poise and glamour. Its styling is rather similar to the AMG GT and even a few other Merc models.
Mercedes waxes about the new SL’S interior and systems. Huge screens with zillions of functions. I miss the simplicity of earlier SLS. On that 1989 R129 there was a red switch in the shape of the roof you just pulled back on to lower the soft top. On this car you swipe a screen.
The Mercedes-amg SL55 is a spectacular piece of engineering and more exciting to drive than its predecessors. But I’d have liked more glamorous and distinctive styling.
The original Gullwing was very tricky to drive but this new car feels nimble