Back to basics for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz SL

Produced continuously since 1954, the Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster This will be her seventh generation with the introduction of the 2022 model. Over the years, this athlete at heart has become a bit gentrified. Mercedes-Benz will correct the situation by reducing its size and giving it more dynamism.

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Until recently, the future of SL was not guaranteed. Its sales have continued to decline, like mechanical offers elsewhere. Much bigger and more bourgeois than its ancestors, the SL has lost its sportiness and, above all, its lightness, one of its original characteristics.

For 2022, we discover the strategy of Mercedes-Benz. With the discontinuation of the SLC last year, Mercedes-Benz is freeing up space to downsize the SL. It will therefore be more compact than the last generation model. To ensure greater sportiness, this is the way to go, especially since there is also the AMG GT Cabriolet in the ranks.

Although it is still a long way from the official presentation of its SL, Mercedes-Benz reveals some test images of the car’s prototypes. At Mercedes-Benz, we are aiming for a return to the roots, to the very origin of the SL: its very first racing debut in 1952. The company’s communication leaves no room for other interpretations: “The next generation of the legendary SL returns to its roots in 1952 motor racing. ”It has been known for some time that much of the development would come from the workshops in Affalterbach, AMG’s parent company. The SL and the next generation AMG GT will share the same platform and many technical components. In this way, we ensure beyond any doubt that the sportiness will be there. To review the handling of its roadster, Mercedes-Benz abandons laboratories and computers for the road, where the car is really revealed. Prototype testing is currently underway in the German countryside, but without a shadow of a doubt, this is just the beginning.

In terms of configuration, the SL will finally abandon the heavy hardware of its retractable hardtop in favor of a soft top. As long as we make historical reminders, the SL will have two additional seats as was the case with the R107 generation.

In terms of technique, the SL will adopt the MSA platform dedicated to rear-wheel drive sports. According to Mercedes-Benz, this platform strikes a balance between comfort and performance. In terms of mechanics, there will be no big surprises. Forget electrification! Basically, we will see the new generation of heat engines invite themselves under the long hood. The manufacturer recovers the turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 which develops a power of 429 horsepower. Subsequently, the V8 returns with its 4.0 liters which will push 515 horsepower. Obviously, AMG will get involved with the SL 63 and an expected power of 604 horsepower. Finally, it will take a step into modernity with a rechargeable hybridization: the SL 73 which will produce around 800 horsepower. We will see this engine for the first time in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.