The Mercedes SL has a rich and varied history. The big touring roadster has been through six generations, going all the way back to the legendary 1954 300SL. But recently Mercedes finally ended testing on the car and revealed the new 2017 SL in all it’s glory.
Many fans of the original SL had been clamouring for a change in the appearance of the car since the previous incarnation launched in 2012. The problem allegedly was the boxy appearance of the front end. For many, the aesthetic was all wrong.
However, with this new version of the car, many have been treated to something that they finally find pleasing on the eye. For months, Mercedes had been secretly testing the new front end of the car using prototype parts. But now we finally have a full visualisation of what the new car will look like and, boy, does it look good!
Mercedes have been very clever in their approach to the look of the SL. They’ve essentially taken the front end of the wildly acclaimed GTS and plastered it onto the front of the 2012 body of the SL. The car, therefore, is not a complete redesign. Rather, it’s what Mercedes call a mid-cycle refresh.
But the decision to use a similar styling to the GTS is laudable. Firstly, almost everybody agrees that the GTS is a stunning car. But secondly, compared to the rest of Mercedes’ lineup, the SL was starting to look a little outdated and out of place. And that was a shame, because as far as Mercedes lineup goes, the SL has always been one of the more exciting models.
So what has changed on the car, besides the looks? Well, one important change is the fact that the differential on the car has regressed. Yes, rather than being an electronic differential, the new SL comes with a mechanical version. But rather than performance suffering, most reviewers report that the 2017 SL actually has far better handling.
Of course, the car is still a 4800 lb behemoth, so cornering was never going to be its strong point. But now you can actually corner hard in the car and feel relatively safe. The new differential is a testament to the engineering prowess of the German car-maker. They’ve been able to return car making to its pre-high-tech roots and still achieve better results.
They’ve also made changes to the body of the car. Now the body panels are constructed using aluminium. This has reduced the weight of the car by around 200lbs. Not a huge amount when you consider how much the car weighed originally. But some way to dealing with the car’s outta-control weight.
How does the SL stack up against other roadsters on the market right now? Well, that depends on who you ask. There are obviously far cheaper offering from both BMW and Audi, not to mention non-German manufacturers. But for many that’s beside the point. The SL brings a level of luxury and pedigree not found in any other roadster, and that’s why it costs what it does.
