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By
EWAN KENNEDY in Detroit
16 January 2012
When Mercedes-Benz launched the legendary car that has become
known as the first gullwing at the New York Motor Show in 1954 a
new era began for the German marque. So it made sense to use the
biggest motor show in the USA, that in Detroit, as the showplace
to unveil the latest Mercedes-Benz sports model – the 2012
Mercedes SL.
We were present in Detroit, together with a couple of thousand
other car journalists, eagerly waiting the unveiling of the new
car. It was worth the wait with positive remarks coming from all
directions and in an abundance of languages.
Though it’s a direct descendent of the 1954 SL, the new model
doesn’t take the gullwing route – that honour goes to the
Mercedes AMG SLS – it carries plenty of styling cues to the
legendary 1954 model. Note in particular the bold vertical side
strakes and the way the air-exits they denote carry almost all the
way to the rear of the car.
The
grille is large and expansive, with a single bar leading out from
a large three-pointed star. There are further air intakes near the
rear edge of the bonnet to give the new SL the look of a downsized
SLS, but when you view the two models side by side the SLS has a
much longer bonnet and an even more aggressive stance.
Incidentally, the AMG SLS is about to be launched in Australia in
roadster open-top format and we have been invited to attend the
local launch in a couple of weeks’ time. Full details after we
drive it.
Biggest new of all in the new Mercedes-Benz SL is the use of a
body that’s almost all aluminium in the interests of saving
weight. The roof is made from magnesium, which is even lighter
than aluminium, and the only steel component of any significant is
the windscreen surround which is of high-strength steel.
Some
140 kilograms has been taken out of the car compared with the
about to be superseded model, which will give it more nimble
handling as well as contributing to a significant reduction in
fuel consumption.
The engines are the main reason for a reduction in fuel
consumption. A V6 3.5-litre powerplant producing 225 kW of power
has a fuel rating that’s almost 30 per cent lower than in the
current model. The 4.7-litre V8 has up to 320 kW and has its
consumption cut by about 22 per cent.
Both engines drive the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic
transmission with semi-manual overrides.
In-cabin, the new SL is very traditional in its sporting
simplicity. The instruments comprise large circular dials of the
speedo and tacho. A pair of circular air vents flank the central
screen and a further two vents sit to the outside of the dash
area.
Something you can’t see – but will certainly feel and hear –
in the interior are the bass speakers in the stereo system. Some
genius in the Mercedes-Benz audio department came up with the idea
of using the space within the front crash boxes of the car as the
speaker enclosures. This means the bass outlet outlets will be
directly at the feet of the drive and the passenger. Much better
than having the bass coming from somewhere up the back, and a
system that we anticipate will be copied by lots of other car
makers.
At this stage no one outside the German company has had a test
drive of the new Mercedes SL, but we are on the waiting list and
eagerly await its Australian launch in June. Though prices and
exact specifications are yet to be announced, Mercedes-Benz
Australia spokesman David McCarthy says, “there will be little
or no price change in Australia.” That’s impressive because
the aluminium construction must be expensive. It seems the
importance of the Australian market together with the high value
of the Australian dollar are standing us in good stead.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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