Mercedes-AMG SL 43 is elegant, fast
As spring approaches, Mercedes has a treat for those who dream of idyllic drives in convertibles.
Introduced last fall, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL 43 roadster is about to come into its prime.
New looks, decades of heritage
Elegant, fast and packed with features, the new SL 43 is the least expensive model in Mercedes’ famous SL line. The first SL, or “sport light,” was a race car introduced in 1952. American demand for a small, sporty luxury car led to the street-legal, gull-winged coupe in 1954 and a convertible in 1957.
Mercedes has hit the SL’s reset several times over the decades. The SL 2023 I drove in late fall offers high performance at an affordable price – at least by standards of Mercedes and its AMG performance brand.
The new SL generation uses an architecture that debuted in 2022. It’s 2.9 inches longer than the previous model, on a wheelbase that grew 4.5 inches. The body has short overhangs, a long hood and swept-back headlights. A power soft top is standard.
In addition to the new exterior styling, the most obvious change is 2+2 seating, a small rear seat that’s likely to see occasional use for passengers and regular stowage of shopping bags.
There are no major changes from the 2023 model I drove to the 2024 model year SLs arriving at dealerships now.
A powerful little engine
Power comes from a 2.0L four-cylinder engine. The turbo has a small electric motor for quick response at low engine speeds. Mercedes attributes the electric turbo to work developing engines for its Formula 1 team.
Badges on the front fenders identify the SL 43 as turbocharged and electrified.
The SL has a 48-volt electrical system to power the turbo’s little motor, which measures just 1.6 inches across and sits on the turbo shaft between the exhaust side and its compressor wheel. It spins the compressor wheel to provide boost at low speeds, when the engine isn’t producing enough exhaust to power the turbo.
The 48-volt system also works as a mild hybrid for quick, seamless shutdown and restart to save fuel.
The engine produces 375 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. A ninespeed automatic transmission is standard.
The SL 43 is the base model, despite its AMG badging and a $109,900 starting price. All SLs are now badged as Mercedes-AMG rather than MercedesBenz. The SL 43’s power and acceleration figures are modest by AMG’s previous standards, but the car’s handling and looks offset that.
Driving impressions
Despite having grown in size – it’s 2.9 inches longer than a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – the SL 43 drives like a tidy little sports car. The steering is fast and direct. The five-link front and rear suspensions are designed to maximize road contact in high-speed curves. It absorbs bumps smoothly and holds the roadster level and stable in quick maneuvers. Composite steel and aluminum brakes reduce weight and improve cooling.
Available options for the suspension include adaptive damping, sport shocks and springs.
The leather-wrapped interior is comfortable up front.
Two barely serviceable rear seats provide the stylish convertible with a fig leaf of practicality.
The standard insulated power soft top protects occupants from wind noise and cold temperatures.
A dial on the steering wheel allows the driver to select from five driving modes, one of them customizable.
Other controls are: exhaust note, spoiler deployment, adaptive cruise control, phone, audio and displays in the 12.3-inch high-def instrument cluster.
An 11.9-inch touch screen in the center stack controls other features and displays navigation, audio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and more.
The controls rely largely on capacitive touch points. That’s less than ideal, but Mercedes’ digital assistant responds to spoken commands reasonably well, despite an unfortunate tendency to chirp up with suggestions when you weren’t talking to it.
Safety and driver assist features
Attention assist
Blind spot alert and assist Parking alert
Adaptive headlights
Adaptive braking
Emergency stop assist
Evasive steering assist
Active distance assist
Speed limit assist
Route-based speed adaptation Active steering assist
Lane change alert and assist
Why get a Mercedes-AMG SL 43?
A good convertible is a mood-altering substance. With the top down, everything looks better from behind the wheel.
Only a handful of luxury brands offer small, sporty convertibles today.
Only the Chevrolet Corvette matches the SL’s near 70 years of uninterrupted production, and for all the Vette’s brilliance, Chevrolet isn’t a luxury brand.
The SL is sui generis, with the AMG SL 43 delivering a fresh combination of heritage, style, performance and pure convertible pleasure.