2021 Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster Revealed Breaks Cover
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the first images and information of the all-new seventh-generation SL roadster, which will go on sale early next year in Europe. The new roadster retains the fabric roof and 2+2 seating arrangement of previous models, as well as four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering as standard equipment.
The AMG performance car division produced the R232-generation SL, which is expected to share drivetrains, chassis, electrical architecture, and other important components with the second-generation AMG GT, which will be released in 2023. The new SL, which arrives 67 years after the original SL debuted in Mercedes-lineup, Benz’s features a completely new design with more overt cab-backwards proportions than its predecessor.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster has expanded in size, measuring 4,705mm long, 1,915mm wide, and 1,359mm tall, an increase of 88mm, 38mm, and 44mm, respectively. The wheelbase, on the other hand, has expanded the most, increasing by 117mm to 2,700mm to accommodate the new back seats.
The overall silhouette is similar to that of the smaller GT Roadster. However, Mercedes-design Benz’s team has worked hard to give the new SL its own distinct look, including a heavily structured front bumper, AMG’s distinctive Panamericana grille with louvres that open and close depending on cooling needs, and angular styling. The grille is joined by adaptive LED headlights inspired by the CLS, which complete the muscular front end that is a far cry from the outgoing model.
The long, probing bonnet with two conspicuous power domes further back harkens back to prior SL models. In the event of a rollover, it stretches back to a heavily raked windscreen with a solid frame as protection, as well as two pyrotechnic-deployed structures shot from the rear bulkhead. The wheel arches protrude from the body and house alloys with diameters ranging from 19 to 21 inches.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster has a triple-layer fabric roof for the first time since the fourth-generation SL. It is controlled via a switch on the centre console or via the infotainment display, which also shows an animation of the drop operation. top’s It is claimed to weigh 21kg less than the previous generation’s metal roof.
Mercedes-AMG has confirmed two initial V8-powered SL models – the SL55 4Matic+ and SL63 4Matic+ – but our sister publication Autocar UK can confirm that others, including a petrol-electric hybrid-powered SL63e, are in the works and will be revealed within the next year.
The entry car is powered by AMG’s M176 engine, which is used by a number of Mercedes-Benz products and reintroduces the ’55’ designation to an AMG model for the first time since the G55 was discontinued production in 2012. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine produces 469hp and 700Nm, which is 2hp greater than the original SL500’s twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V8.
The less powerful version of the new SL’s V8 engines is claimed to catapult the SL55 to 100kph from standstill in 3.9sec with a top speed of around 295kph when combined with a standard nine-speed torque-converter AMG Speedshift MCT gearbox and a fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ four-wheel-drive system.
The SL63 gets AMG’s M177 engine, which is more intensively tuned. It produces 577hp and has the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 as the M176, but with internal differences such as a wider air manifold and higher boost pressure. The new headline SL variant has a stated 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of roughly 315kph, thanks to the same nine-speed gearbox (along with the same ratios and 4.8:1 final drive) and four-wheel-drive system.
Inside, the SL adopts a large 11.9-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, which can be changed to sit at angles between 12deg and 32deg, similar to Mercedes-recent Benz’s arrivals – the EQS, S-Class, and C-Class. It is equipped with Mercedes’ newest MBUX operating system and a variety of display options, including custom AMG and soft-top display modes.
Behind the AMG twin-spoke steering wheel, the touchscreen is teamed with a 12.3-inch LCD driver display and an optional heads-up display. While on the track, the optional AMG Track Pace programme acts as a “virtual racing engineer,” recording over 80 sets of data such as speed, acceleration, steering angle, and brake force up to 10 times per second.
AMG’s turbine-style air vents, an aviation-inspired instrument panel, electrically adjustable sports seats, and an Airscarf function that sends warm air towards the head and neck of front occupants to fight to the buffet when the roof is down are among the other features on the SL.
The SL has been a popular model in India for many years, with examples from practically every generation. Mercedes-Benz did not sell the previous-model SL in India, and there is no indication that this iteration would either.
