AUTOMOTIVE
THE NEW EDITION OF AN ICON
Affalterbach . The new Mercedes-AMG SL , the new edition of an icon , returns to its roots with a classic soft top and sporty character . At the same time , the luxurious roadster as a 2 + 2 seater is particularly suitable for everyday use and puts its power down on the road with all-wheel drive for the first time . High-tech components such as the AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension with active anti-roll stabilisation , rear-axle steering , the optionally available AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system and the standard-fit DIGITAL LIGHT with projection function sharpen the sporty profile . In combination with the AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine , this results in a driving experience of the highest order . As a consistent Performance Luxury model , Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach has developed the SL completely independently . Two models with AMG V8 engines will kick off the market launch .
Almost 70 years ago , a sports car launched in Stuttgart immediately became a legend . The vision of expanding the potential of the Mercedes-Benz brand through motor racing successes produced the first SL as a result - a road-going racing sports car . Shortly after its début in 1952 , the 300 SL ( internal designation W 194 ) reaped success after success on the race tracks of the world . In its first year , it achieved , among other things , a spectacular one-two victory in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans and even took the first four places in the Nürburgring Grand Jubilee Prize for sports cars . Its successes quickly make the SL a legend .
The successful racing car was followed in 1954 by the 300 SL production sports car ( W 198 ), which is called the “ Gullwing ” because of its unusual doors . In 1999 , a jury of motoring journalists voted it the “ Sports Car of the Century ”. Other highlights of the model history include the “ Pagoda ” ( W 113 , 1963-1971 ), the evergreen R 107 ( 1971-1989 ), which was built for 18 years , and its successor , the R 129 , which is considered an automotive sculpture because of its striking wedge shape . The abbreviation “ SL ” to this day thus stands for one of the few genuine automotive icons in the world .
In the decades-long development history from full-blooded racing car to open-top luxury sports car , the new Mercedes-AMG SL now sets another milestone . It combines the sportiness of the original SL with the unique luxury and technological excellence that characterise modern Mercedes models .
46 The Art of Luxury Issue 50 2022