After a long history that began back in 1954 and that has already left six different generations, the Mercedes SL, one of the brand’s quintessential sports cars, has been somewhat covered in recent years by proposals such as the Mercedes-AMG GT or its brother lower the Mercedes SLC. However, for some time thanks to different appearances and the official confirmation of Mercedes itself we know that a new generation Mercedes SL.
A sports car that our spies hunted some time ago with a curious test mule and that shortly after its final bodywork arrived to be shown in nature, although conveniently camouflaged. Now, in the middle of 2021, the year that could be set for its official debut, we have hunted it again for something more uncovered and revealing one of its great keys for this new model: the return of a lighter, old-fashioned soft top.
Mercedes SL 2021 Exterior
It all started with the particular test mule to which we refer, which observed from afar could pass through an E-Class that has gone out for a ride to test an update, but nothing is further from the truth. The bodywork had undergone important modifications, being a much shorter model with shrunken rear doors and that had deflectors in the front and widened wheel arches that suggested a greater sportiness than that of any E-Class.
The next generation of the SL is expected to be lighter, sportier, and in a 2 + 2 configuration.
Now we know what was hidden under that kind of sedan so strange because Mercedes itself was responsible for publishing the first images of the new generation of its iconic roadster, taking advantage of the fact that it has just started its development tests on the road.
A model that our spies have hunted again, confirming that this new generation will indeed return to its original essence, lighter and sportier, with the return of a soft top and a 2 + 2-seater format, thus distancing itself from the AMG GT and approaching to the convertible variants of the current Porsche 911 and BMW 8 Series. All this apparently with a design that would remind us of the classic and mythical Mercedes 300 SL, however, its camouflage still hides too much to give us an idea, although its forms do make us intuit that it will have a close relationship with the current Mercedes-AMG GT.
Start of dynamic tests on public roads
Mercedes has already started a series of dynamic long-distance driving tests in different centers of the brand as well as on public roads and of course the famous Green Hell on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The signature of the star has not given many more details about the case, except that we are facing a reinterpretation of the legendary German convertible from 1954.
At this point, we have to collect all the information that our spies have left us so far about the German model and it is that everything indicates that the next generation of the Mercedes SL will share many mechanical elements, including a new platform, with the replacement of the AMG Current GT. Both models are expected to be produced at the same AMG headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany.
WITH AMG VERSIONS
If we talk about the mechanical part, we have to highlight one of the aspects that has attracted the most attention to our photographers and that is the presence of an AMG engine with its characteristic roar. According to what our spies tell us, its range will start from an SL 43 version with rear-wheel drive and will go up to an SL 73e 4Matic, which makes it clear that here Mercedes will also bet on electricity. This latest model will have a hybrid system made up of a 4.0-liter Biturbo V8 and an electric motor, to offer a total of 800 HP of power.
In the rest of the gasoline versions, we can anticipate at least the presence of the EQ Boost technology of the brand, with an electrified network at 48 volts, in addition to future fully electric variants that would arrive much later.
It is expected that we will see this new Mercedes SL debuting already fully discovered at the end of 2021, to start its commercialization already in 2022.
