The latest version of the Mercedes-Benz SL luxury convertible got its debut at this year’s Detroit Motor Show.
The new Mercedes-Benz SL, which is due to go on sale in the UK this summer, was unveiled for the first time at the Detroit Motor Show. The latest version of the SL is going back to its roots; like the original SL Coupe from way back in 1954 the new SL is built primarily from aluminium. This time around, however, it features a welded monocoque body rather than the tubular under-structure used for the original SL. The new SL is wider and longer than the outgoing model, making it more spacious on the inside.
The aluminium construction of the sixth-generation SL means that it is as much as 240kg lighter than the previous model despite being larger. According to Mercedes this lightweight construction improves both the efficiency and the agility of the new car. The V6 SL350 and the larger V8 SL500 have a fuel consumption which has been reduced by 30%, and CEO of Mercedes Dr Dieter Zetsche says that the new V8 SL500 can outperform the old V12 SL, even though its fuel consumption is lower than the old V6.
The latest model will be the third SL to feature a retractable hard top. It also now comes with the seat-mounted Airscarf neck-warming sytem from the SLK, and Magic Sky Control system for precisely adjusting the amount of light and heat coming into the cabin while driving with the roof closed on sunny days.
New gadgetry for the new car includes a Magic Vision Control system, which uses nozzles in the wiper arms to spray water precisely where it is needed, meaning less water is used and there is no risk of accidentally spraying the car's occupants when the roof is down. Also the bass speakers for the audio system are placed inside the front footwells, creating resonance chambers for the sound, and reducing noise pollution outside the vehicle when driving with the roof down and music playing.
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