Last month we brought you news on the forthcoming Mercedes SL Roadster. Now it seems the Stuttgart firm has unveiled its new car.
We told you that the new car would be more than 140kg lighter than its predecessor thanks to aluminium construction and that it would feature a new windscreen-washer system which allows the driver to wash the windscreen without compromising visibility.
Mercedes has now released information on the new SL's oily bits. It seems that the SL 63 is dead and has been replaced by a new SL 500 which will take over as the flagship of the range. With a 5.5-litre turbocharged V8 producing 435bhp and 516lb-ft of torque, the new SL 500 will rocket from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds and deliver better fuel economy than its predecessor. The new SL 350 retains the same 3.5-litre V6 as its daddy but now produces 306bhp, and will hit 62mph in 5.9 seconds - a tenth faster than the car it replaces.
New features on the SL include a FrontBass stereo system which Mercedes claims "turns the luxury sports car into a concert hall regardless of whether the top is open or closed." On the subject of the roof, the SL retains its impressive metal folding roof but also gains what Mercedes calls 'Magic Sky Control'. Basically, this is a glass roof that can be made semi-opaque at the touch of a button, preventing the interior from heating up too much on hot days.
Mercedes still haven't given us any word on pricing but have confirmed that the SL will go on sale here next June.
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