RE: Mercedes SL400: Review

RE: Mercedes SL400: Review

Tuesday 16th September 2014

Mercedes SL400: Review

Can a Mercedes SL with a new and downsized engine still live up to its traditional strengths?



Sports Leicht - that's what SL stands for. But it hasn't really been either of these things since the debut of the original Gullwing 60 years ago. But that's OK. If you want a proper sporty roadster you can have a Jaguar F-Type Convertible. Heck, even the 911 soft-top looks half acceptable these days and if that doesn't float your boat you can go half rice, half chips with the rather smart looking new Targa.

SL400 has twin-turbo 3.0-litre. Obviously
SL400 has twin-turbo 3.0-litre. Obviously
For those who want to enjoy roof down driving en route to the golf club car park without ruffling their toupe too much the SL remains the boss though. This latest R231 is very much in keeping with the two-seat, open top S-Class vibe first really tapped into in the 'Dallas' R107 version that ran throughout the 70s and 80s.

This latest SL appeared two years ago and although it actually looks like a further bastardisation of the heavy-handed 2008 facelift applied to the once slinky R230 of 2001 it's in fact an all-new car. And a technically fascinating one. In an attempt to at least live up to the 'leicht' bit it's Mercedes first all-aluminium passenger car, the base SL350 140kg lighter than its predecessor. Open the boot lid and the unmistakable weave of carbon fibre is visible. It may be a bit pink chinos in reputation but it's bang up to date in its engineering.

The car you see here is the V6 SL400, announced earlier this year as a replacement to the entry level SL350. Twin turbo'd and downsized to three litres you wonder why they didn't take the opportunity to revive the '300' badge, given its historical resonance. Regardless, with 333hp and 354lb ft the new engine is 27hp and 81lb ft up on the normally aspirated 3.5 and considerably more potent than the 5.0-litre SL500 that launched the R230 range back in 2001. Most significantly to the way it drives that extra torque is available from 1,600rpm to 4,000rpm too, the old 350 not giving its meagre 273lb ft until 3,500rpm.

Opulent as standard, even more so with options
Opulent as standard, even more so with options
In menacing black and loaded up to a faintly astonishing £90K from its £72,500 base price, this press car makes the best of the new SL's rather fussy and heavy handed looks. Indeed, in this paint scheme there's a whiff of traditional 30s Benzes like the imperious 540K. And there's nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

Inside it's a lot more stylish and properly luxurious, the chunky aluminium vents, thick leather and endless gadgets and gizmos - many prefixed 'Magic' - decisively stamping out any hint of sportiness. But that's OK - if you have a Mercedes habit, a desire for something more focused and a similar amount of money to burn you'll shortly be able to spend it on the AMG GT and go chasing F-Types and 911s. Leaving the SL to do its wafty thing in isolation.

If you can get over the lack of cylinders under that long bonnet the SL400 is a really rather nice thing too. The new twin-turbo V6 is deliciously smooth and revvy and much more enthusiastic than the functional old 3.5. It pulls with as much vigour as you'd ever want out of an SL too, the extra torque and its early arrival to the party really turning the waft up to quite invigorating levels.

There's a bit more 'leicht' in sport leicht now
There's a bit more 'leicht' in sport leicht now
You can't help but feel a V8 would be more appropriate though. And you can still have one, also twin turbocharged and with 435hp. But it'll cost you another £10K. And the 400 really is a rapid enough, the variable ratio steering very light and pointy, roll-cancelling (optional) Active Body Control suspension increasing this surprising sense of agility. There is a Sport mode for the dampers but, really, it's not something you'd often be going for.

This is very much Mercedes preaching to the converted then and if, like a surprising number of us, you have a bit of a guilty pleasure for the SL it's nice to see it playing to its traditional strengths. If not at £90K. SL400, we'll look forward to revisiting you as a Spotted a few years down the line...


MERCEDES-BENZ SL400 SPORT
Engine:
2,996cc V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 7-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 333@5,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 354@1,600-4,000rpm
0-62mph: 5.2 sec
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,730kg
MPG: 36.7mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 178g/km
Price: £72,500 (£89,125 as tested, including 75-litre fuel tank £105, Active Body Control £3,080, Reversing Camera £265, Multi-Contour Seat Package £1,725, Airscarf £575, Ambient Lighting £260, door closing aid £315, Comfort Ventilated Seats £745, cup holders £75, wind deflector £525, Keyless-Go £1,605, Panoramic Roof with Magic Sky Control £1,875, Driving Assistance Package £2,350, Harmon Kardon sound system £1,150, telephone pre-wiring £410, Black Ash wood trim £345, Porcelain Nappa leather £710 and 19-inch AMG wheels £510)







 

Author
Discussion

Dr Interceptor

Original Poster:

7,743 posts

195 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Small engines in the big SL is hardly a new notion...

This 333hp SL400 will punch some way above the old 193hp SL280

Ed Straker

221 posts

142 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
With 12% +£5k discount being offered for the V8, it's hard to see why you would....

365daytonafan

283 posts

184 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
No mention of the 6 series convertible in this article, which is surely the SL's closest rival in the golf club car park now?

I would be curious to know the sales of each over the last few years as I seem to see a lot more 6's than SL's on the road.

greygoose

8,224 posts

194 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
I can't see any similarity to the 1930s car beyond they both have wheels.

Prawnboy

1,326 posts

146 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
No excuse for the ugliness of that front end. The first ever unattractive SL, good going whomever designed that. Although the interior is lovely, and no silly stuck on afterthought of an i-pad style screen.
I shall look forward to seeing a facelift in a couple of years, till then it has to be an f-type s and a ton of change.

daytona365

1,773 posts

163 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
If you're going so far, why not go the whole hog and get a super reliable V8 rather than troublesome, complicated twin turbo's ?

sideways man

1,306 posts

136 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Quite like it.

Am I getting old?

gregf40

1,114 posts

115 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
daytona365 said:
If you're going so far, why not go the whole hog and get a super reliable V8 rather than troublesome, complicated twin turbo's ?
Emissions.

Neil G60

692 posts

223 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
I just looks so heavy-handed and fussy.

DoctorX

7,240 posts

166 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Nice car, ugly headlights. Applies to all current Mercs. Also, the offset sat nav/vents in relation to the centre console would irritate me everytime I got in it.

Alfa159Ti

827 posts

156 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Overpriced, underpowered and still clinging to a design that grew tired (to my eyes at least) years ago.

Alfa159Ti

827 posts

156 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Also the interior looks little different to the C Class courtesy car I am in at the moment.

moffat

1,020 posts

224 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
I am more surprised that Mercedes have regurgitated those damn awful alloys from the outgoing W204 C Class AMG Sport Plus model and stuck them on one of their most expensive cars.

In the flesh those alloys are terrible.

Shaoxter

4,048 posts

123 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Looks far too similar to the current SLK, doesn't look like a £90k car at all.

alfabadass

1,852 posts

198 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
I disagree.

The current SL is the best looking merc in a long time. Awesome stance and presence.

Those alloys are wk though!

It looks like my Crossfire without the uggers.

E65Ross

34,941 posts

211 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
365daytonafan said:
No mention of the 6 series convertible in this article, which is surely the SL's closest rival in the golf club car park now?

I would be curious to know the sales of each over the last few years as I seem to see a lot more 6's than SL's on the road.
IMO the 6 series is a class down... It's a fair chunk cheaper and also it's offered with a diesel engine which I'm glad the SL is not. But yes, the 6 series is probably it's closest rival, of which there are more..... Because they offer it with an economical diesel with cheaper monthly payments I'm sure.

E65Ross

34,941 posts

211 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Alfa159Ti said:
Overpriced, underpowered and still clinging to a design that grew tired (to my eyes at least) years ago.
Overpriced compared to what?

Underpowered? Seriously? It's got well over 300bhp ffs.

MyCC

337 posts

156 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
This review seemed like the car hadn't even be driven, just simply a regurgitation of the facts. Not enough information about how it drove to be useful IMO.

Regards,

MyCC.

Dr Interceptor

Original Poster:

7,743 posts

195 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
MyCC said:
This review seemed like the car hadn't even be driven, just simply a regurgitation of the facts. Not enough information about how it drove to be useful IMO.

Regards,

MyCC.
The review on autocar actually has some details about what it's like as a car to drive...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mercedes-benz/...

mikebradford

2,483 posts

144 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Have seen a few of these, and accept in person they look much better than the pictures.
They ooze quality, and the interiors are definatley better quality than any C Class ive ever sat in!.

But for me, the SL of recent generations have lost their way from the proportions touched upon in the article.
This for me is the defining SL type of recent generations.
If they could have improved the drive train and engines as they have. But somehow retained the delicacy of below.
I imagine they would be selling a lot more than they currently are.