For 60 years, the Mercedes-Benz SL has been an icon of style and luxury. With Mercedes-Benz rapidly updating all the vehicles in its lineup with a new look prefaced by the CLA-Class and S-Class, attention has turned to the SL roadster, which gets freshened for the 2017 model year.
Along with the cosmetic updates to the flagship roadster are a new engine and a power bump for all four models.
Exterior
Outside, the new SL gets a front-end nose job in true Beverly Hills style. A new diamond-pattern grille, LED headlights and bumper are meant to bring the SL in line with the AMG GT coupe’s styling, while some tweaks to the taillights keep the rear end fresh as well. The overall look isn’t all that different from the outgoing SL, but it does bring some of the AMG GT’s athleticism to the luxury party.
Interior
The cabin gets a minor refresh for 2017, with a couple of new panels and an update to the multimedia system that now includes Apple CarPlay. Ambient lighting and Nappa leather are still optional, but a Harman Kardon surround-sound system is standard (you’ll pay handsomely for the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system on the AMG models).
The hardtop roof now can be operated at speeds up to 25 mph, and as before, the electronically darkening Magic Sky Control LCD glass roof panel is an option. In the cargo area, a new automatic trunk separator automatically moves when the top is lowered.
Under the Hood
There are four possible powertrains, depending on how fast you want to go and how much you want to spend. New for 2017 is the SL450, featuring a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 making 362 horsepower; Mercedes-Benz says it’s good for a zero-to-60-mph run of 4.9 seconds. Step up to the SL550 for a twin-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 that pumps out a healthy 449 hp and hits 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. If this isn’t fast or expensive enough, the AMG SL63 features a larger 5.5-liter V-8 and 577 hp, allowing you to get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. The top dog in the SL fleet is the AMG SL65, which sports a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12 engine that produces 621 hp and a mind-melting 738 pounds-feet of torque. It hits 60 mph in 4 seconds. The SL450 and SL550 both get a nine-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels, while the AMG models do with a beefier seven-speed multiclutch automatic.
The SL features all of the adjustable suspension bits one expects in high-end Benzes, with standard Dynamic Select allowing you to choose shock absorber behavior and transmission function that ranges from comfortable to serious sportiness. All manner of electronic control systems are available, but now you can specify Active Body Control with a curve-tilting feature that actively tilts the body up to almost 3 degrees to level the car in a turn.
Safety
With the Mercedes-Benz flagship roadster comes a high level of electronic safety systems, some standard, most optional. All SLs feature parking sensors and collision warning sensors, but you have to pony up for the Driver Assistance Package to get things like blind spot warning, lane keep assist and automatic cruise control with autonomous braking.
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