Monday 21st November 2011

Next generation Merc SL sneak preview

SL once stood for 'sports light' and for the next-generation car Mercedes is promising both

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The covers come off the new SL, well some of it

Since Mercedes allowed us an entire afternoon's worth of Laguna Seca in a C63 AMG Black Series we weren't about to complain when it wanted to us to take a sneak peak at the next generation SL in return. Even if it meant handing in the camera beforehand.

So, no, beyond this disguised test hack, covered in something akin to supplementary tank armour, we can't show you what the new SL looks like. Which is a shame, because it's not the 'nose off an SLS' rehash you might be forgiven for expecting. Yes SLK, looking at you.

To help your imagination along visually we'd describe the next-generation SL as very much a predator. The surface treatment is organic, joined-up lines stretched taut in places - most notably the bonnet - in a manner that gives the distinct impression of muscular and skeletal architecture. This animalistic appearance is set off by a very complex front light array and the semi-matt dark grey of the production prototype.

SL test mule offers clues to the overall shape

All very fancy. It's around 60mm longer and 57mm wider too, flattening the proportions and hiding the raised-rump look typical of folding hardtop convertibles. But the really significant thing about this new model - and it is properly, no messing, all-new - is that it will be Mercedes' first chiefly aluminium car. This is the first SL since the 300SL Gullwing to take the concept of Sports Leicht truly seriously.

89 per cent of the body-in-white is aluminium and some of the remaining 11 per cent is magnesium, though Mercedes has stuck to high-strength steel for the windscreen surround in the name of rollover protection. This makes it 110kg lighter than an equivalent all-steel structure with all the modern safety structures and will see Mercedes present a finished product at the Detroit Auto Show in January that is as much as 140kg lighter than its predecessor.

Longer, wider, sleeker new SL is also lighter

Despite this the car is also 20 per cent stiffer. The complexity of the engineering is just staggering, since in addition to stamped and extruded aluminium forms Mercedes is also using a high-tech 'hollow chill' casting process. This is so trick the casts are actually capable of flexing slightly under impact, rather than simply cracking. And the three-layer sandwich floor sections are joined together using a process called friction stir welding. This uses friction created by a spinning disc to 'plasticise' the aluminium, avoiding the need for additional material and creating warp-free joins.

The extruded aluminium sills, meanwhile, have no fewer than seven chambers for maximum rigidity. The sheet metal parts used elsewhere are produced from tailored blanks, where the aluminium varies in thickness depending on where additional strength is needed. Other components are 'optimised bionically', using forms from nature to reduce weight yet improve strength. The attention to detail is just outstanding. It's also something that only a manufacturer on the scale of Mercedes is really capable of, which makes you start to wonder how smaller volume sports car makers - the Aston Martins, the Lotuses, even Ferrari - are going to be able to compete in the future.

Windscreen surround one of few structural steel bits

All of this stuff ought to make for a sharper, more rewarding drive, especially when it comes to the inevitable AMG models. These will take the weight-saving further with extensive use of carbon fibre, structurally and for panels like the bootlid. But the SL is also intended to service those more interested in comfort and luxury, leading to the use of spray-on sound insulation. The interior meanwhile impresses with its quality, relative simplicity and beauty.

The SL's chief technical innovations are very much geared to quality of life stuff. Magic Vision Control joins the Magic Sky Control roof and Airscarf tech from the SLK and, while it sounds exciting, is actually a system for deploying water through holes in the wiper blades. FrontBass, meanwhile, mounts subwoofers in the front footwells to maximise audio performance without rattling the rear view mirror.

This was a brief acquaintance with the new SL, but an instructive one. Look out for the first pictures come December. Not least if you happen to work for the opposition.

[myhandle]

This is probably going to be a very good car.

[Gizmo!]

This may be pedantry or asking for information...

"Sports Light"?

I was under the distinct impression that S-Class stood for Sonderklasse (Special class), and the SL was therefore Sonderklasse Leicht?

[johnpeat]

Let's be honest here - "Light" is not going to mean what most people THINK it means here...

It might be "Light" as in "that elephant is lighter than the other elephants" at best!?

[365daytonafan]

Gizmo! said:

This may be pedantry or asking for information...

"Sports Light"?

I was under the distinct impression that S-Class stood for Sonderklasse (Special class), and the SL was therefore Sonderklasse Leicht?

It is Sports light, the SL badge pre-dates the S class.

[troyrevill]

Don't think its going to be an extremly pretty car though!

[pagani1]

The fat rear looks like a saloon. Another focus group brick from Mercedes Benz.
Why can't the rears look as good as the fronts from MBenz-they haven't since the 70's

[r129sl]

Pistonheads said:

To help your imagination along visually we'd describe the next-generation SL as very much a predator. The surface treatment is organic, joined-up lines stretched taut in places - most notably the bonnet - in a manner that gives the distinct impression of muscular and skeletal architecture. This animalistic appearance is set off by a very complex front light array and the semi-matt dark grey of the production prototype.

All very fancy. It's around 60mm longer and 57mm wider too...

The SL's chief technical innovations are very much geared to quality of life stuff...

Is it just me or is the world going mad? How about making it look like a well-designed car? (I mean, really, a "predator", for fk's sake who on earth wishes to drive a predator?) How about making it a little smaller, especially narrower, than the last? How about instead of filling it with useless st that will stop working in three years' time, just making it very simple, very safe and very well built?

[myhandle]

pagani1 said:

The fat rear looks like a saloon. Another focus group brick from Mercedes Benz.
Why can't the rears look as good as the fronts from MBenz-they haven't since the 70's

It looks like it will be better looking than the new Crossfire SLK, at least.

[timewatch]

Oh dear!

But it will end up being good regardless.

TW>>>

[mrclav]

r129sl said:

Is it just me or is the world going mad? How about making it look like a well-designed car? (I mean, really, a "predator", for fk's sake who on earth wishes to drive a predator?) How about making it a little smaller, especially narrower, than the last? How about instead of filling it with useless st that will stop working in three years' time, just making it very simple, very safe and very well built?

Not to be awkward or anything but do you really think this car will look like it's been badly designed? Has not occurred to you that maybe because people themselves are getting bigger (particularly fatter) that quite possibly the cars are somewhat a reflection of this? And do you honestly believe that given the ever stricter regulations regarding car safety with all the pedestrian impact protection rules etc that Mercedes would wantonly make an unsafe car?

Having spoken to many employees of the company over the years I think Mercedes sees itself primarily as an "engineering" company first (as opposed to just a "car" company) and regardless of the supposed build quality issues, which are in no way limited to just Mercedes themselves, the last time I checked they still lead the way for innovation in mass car production. Many things they introduced first have now become adopted by virtually all manufacturers. So following your train of thought, stuff you call "useless st", which would have to include things like ABS, traction control, airbags, seat-belt pre-tensioners, ESP for example, would result in more people being injured and/or dead on the road if their cars were kept "very simple". Fact is, nothing ever is perfect when it's first developed but I think Mercedes deserve credit for at least trying to give users of their cars as pleasant driving experience as possible and the best chance of surviving should the worst happen.

As for the looks of the thing, well, that's entirely subjective! Let's wait and see shall we?

Edited by mrclav on Monday 21st November 14:26

[fwaggie]

Hard to see the details of the final shape with "extra fat bits" glued on everywhere, but it looks like it's going to be a nice update to the current and previous SL.

Very good to see Merc taking advanced body construction techniques to production cars - more selective strength where it's needed, reduced weight, Merc investment in this will pay dividends to all car manufacturers in 10~20 years time when the technology is made cheap enough for mainstream cars to use.

I'll have one in 7 or 8 years when they come down to my price range

[ZesPak]

Yes please, with an AMG V12 or V8.

It looks properly armored

[Tuvra]

ZesPak said:

Yes please, with an AMG V12 or V8.

It looks properly armored

Not fussed on the bonnet though

[ZesPak]

Tuvra said:

Not fussed on the bonnet though

Are you kidding, that's the best part . That's a big 12 on the 1 to 10 rating for "get the fk out of my way"-factor.

[mc_blue]

The proportions are off on this car, I'm not convinced it is going to be a great looker. There are quite considerable overhangs on here.

[mugwump00]

r129sl said:

Is it just me or is the world going mad? How about making it look like a well-designed car? (I mean, really, a "predator", for fk's sake who on earth wishes to drive a predator?) How about making it a little smaller, especially narrower, than the last? How about instead of filling it with useless st that will stop working in three years' time, just making it very simple, very safe and very well built?

This would easier to pass-over if not for your alias! Was the R129 smaller and narrower than it's predecessor? Was it not filled with much, much more tech than the R107? The R129 was superbly built car, by all accounts, and all pretty reliable, on a par with the older model if not better - no? If anything, the design was a little too "engineering solidity" over style compared with its forbears (IMO!), but I guess not, if they found 1/2 million fans over 13 years, including you?

I do agree (I think) that MB style was best when it was most understated (W124/R129 etc.) but I expect this will be another classic, like all SLs have been.

[PHOENIXUK]

Shame they have not decided to offer the rear seating option again...

[Madmatt74]

Looks like something out of Deathrace 2000.

I'll take a matt black one as it is with armour plating on the back, guns on the front and Natalie Martinez in the passenger seat!

[Oelholm]

I really like how most new cars these days are lighter than their predecessors! Now we only need to make the Americans lose some weight, so they can be lighter AND smaller

[3doorPete]

Pedestrian safety rules have a lot to answer for - another even higher haunched slap sided car who's entire lines have been dictated by the raised bonnet height.

Well done on making it lighter though.