The next-generation Mercedes-Benz SL will be a
radical departure from the current model and is set to receive a significant
amount of input from the performance specialists at AMG. It’s no secret that sales of the
current SL have been steadily declining. Rather than killing off its luxury
roadster, the automaker plans to reinvent it and position it as a more
driver-focused model and one more similar to the AMG GT than the current
iteration, according to Autocar Autocar.
Underpinning the new SL, which is set to arrive in
2020, will be the marque’s Modular Sports Architecture (MSA), also set to be
utilized by the next AMG GT. This common platform will also see the new SL
shares its suspension, axles, and steering system with the GT. Additionally,
the duo will utilize a 48-volt electric architecture and a range of hybrid
powertrains.
The entry-level version is expected to be dubbed the
SL450 EQ Boost and will allegedly use the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six
already powering other Mercedes models supplemented by a small electric motor
with 22 hp. Total grunt will sit at roughly 387 hp.
Joining the SL450 EQ Boost with be the AMG-branded
SL53. This model will feature largely the same powertrain, but deliver closer
to 450 hp. Other models in the works will be an SL500 EQ Boost combining a
turbo’d 4.0-liter V8 with an electric motor, a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8-powered
SL 63 and, maybe, a more powerful SL 63 S variant. It’s unclear if the
V12-powered SL 63 will solider on.
Due to the vehicle’s all-new underpinnings, its
design will be a little different than the current SL. It will reportedly
feature a rearward-positioned cabin and the existing folding hard-top will be
replaced by a compact fabric roof. This change alone will allow Mercedes
designers to make the car much sleeker and lower its center of gravity.
