The new SL is out, and with it the new and exciting changes Mercedes have brought to their two door convertible. While the design has suffered some major adjustment, the SL550’s engine remains untouched: a 5.5L V8 delivering 382 horsepower at 6000rpm, which enables the car to reach 60 in 5.3 seconds. The fuel economy has also improved to 14 mpg in the city, and 22 on the highway. All of these were possible thanks to the new seven-speed automatic transmission.
As we stated before, the design has suffered some changes, which have mostly happened on the front of the car. The 2012 SL’s headlights are now CLS-style, and the bumper and grille are also different. New LED’s have been added to the taillights, and their shape was also modified.
The car’s steering system has also been improved to feature a variable rack ratio, which allows the driver to not have to move the steering wheel as much as in case of a system with a constant ratio.
A new, intelligent lighting technology is now available on the SL. The bi-xenon headlights adjust automatically when the car enters motorway mode (when the speed exceeds 56mph) to give the driver a better view. They also rotate when the car enters a bend for a better range of vision.
The interior has been improved with better leather seats, a COMAND infotainment system (for access to information, entertainment and communication), a Bluetooth receiver, a larger 6.5-inch color display, iPod compatibility and the possibility to add a Harman Kardon “Logic7” sound system with an output of 510W.
