A NEW ERA OF SUPER LEICHT

One year shy of its 70^th birthday, and 18 months after Driven first reported on the latest Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, the seventh generation of Stuttgart’s famed ‘Sport Leicht’ grand tourer stormed onto the track at the Kyalami International Grand Prix circuit, marking its official arrival in South Africa.

The ‘Super Leicht’ – Mercedes-Benz’s first road-going sports car – originated as the 300 SL racing car built in 1952 without the intention of developing a street version. However, an American importer of Mercedes-Benz cars to the United States, Max Hoffman, suggested the company consider building a street version for wealthy performance car enthusiasts in that country, where the market for the personal luxury car was booming after the Second World War.

When Mercedes publicly introduced the road car in coupé form in 1952, the company didn’t define what the new sports car’s ‘SL’ designation meant, sparking confusion as to its origin. Some suggested the abbreviation was derived from the 1931 Mercedes-Benz SSKL (Super Sport Kurz Leicht). In 2012, the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport declared that Rudolf Uhlenhaut – a British engineer who is considered the father of the 300 SL, notarised that the abbreviation meant ‘Super Leicht’, contradicting other reports from Uhlenhaut’s co-workers, that ‘Sport Leicht’ was the intended meaning. Mercedes-Benz used ‘Sport Leicht’ and ‘Super Leicht’ interchangeably until 2017 when a chance discovery in its corporate archive clarified the abbreviation stood for “Super Leicht”.

Whether ‘Super Leicht’ or ‘Sport Leicht’, the SL’s Leicht meaning (as in weight and feeling) or easy (as in little effort) characterised its nimble nature from the very first model, a quality that remains evident in the new SL 43.

AMG ORIGINS

The first AMG-derived SL broke cover in 1991 with the introduction of the R129 with an optional six-litre V12, with more variants following in later years, including the SL 60 AMG (V8), SL 70 AMG (V12), SL 73 AMG (V12), and the SL 55 AMG (V8).

Six more AMG variants with either V8 or V12 powertrains appeared through two more generations (R230 and R231), with smaller capacity V6 engines reserved for non-AMG cars, until the new SL – designated R232 – upended AMG’s tradition with the introduction of the first AMG SL 43 with a two-litre, in-line four-cylinder powertrain.

Much has been written about Mercedes’ move away from six-cylinder power for its most popular roadster, but AMG’s prowess at building mighty four-cylinder engines bristling with F1-derived technology is undisputed.

The new entry point to the SL range marks a significant milestone in the ‘Super Leicht’ history. Combining typical SL proportions – a long, elegant bonnet flowing into the steeply raked windscreen, long wheelbase with short overhangs, and a passenger compartment set far back – the new SL is distinctly sporty and brings the SL in line with modern Mercedes-AMG models. Flared wheel arches and 19” light alloy wheels that sit flush with the body (20 and 21” options are available) add dynamism and power to the 2+2-seater SL’s exterior design.

F1 FOR THE ROAD

Directly sourced from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, the SL 43 features a world-first electric exhaust gas turbocharger in a production car. Operated via the SL 43’s 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system, this turbocharger also feeds the car’s belt-driven starter-generator (RSG) to provide, according to Mercedes-AMG, “particularly spontaneous throttle response across the entire rev range”. We tested this claim at the official launch at Kyalami, where the first AMG Performance Tour showcased, among others, the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 and A 45 S (see page 36 in this edition).

With its world-first turbocharge tech onboard, it is only fitting that our first introduction to the entry point in the new SL range would be at Kyalami, where the sweeping corners and raging straight of South Africa’s only near-F1-ready track proved the ideal testing ground for Mercedes’ claims.

With 280 kW and a maximum torque of 480 Nm, plus an additional short-term boost of 10 kW/150 Nm from the RSG, the SL 43 boasts 10 kW more power than the previous-generation SL 400 it replaces, while being more dynamic and efficient for having the electric exhaust gas turbocharger onboard. 

Sending its power to the rear wheels (as is Merc’s tradition for the entry-level SL), the longitudinally mounted four-cylinder in the SL 43 accelerates effortlessly yet purposefully through every one of its nine gears provided by the AMG SPEEDSHIFT 9G multi-clutch transmission with wet start-off clutch (that replaces the torque converter). This setup not only reduces weight, but, thanks to its lower inertia, also optimises response to accelerator pedal input.

Around the track As standard, the SL 43 is equipped with a newly developed AMG RIDE CONTROL steel suspension with particularly powerful aluminium shock absorbers and lightweight coil springs. The new SL is the first production vehicle ever from Mercedes-AMG to feature a multi-link front axle with five links arranged entirely within the rim. This significantly improves the kinematics. At the rear axle, a 5-link design likewise controls the wheels.

Take-off is nearly instantaneous if you use the Race Start function, with the short-shifting ‘box bringing the car to 100 km/h in a blistering 4.9 seconds, and ultimately to its 275 km/h top speed. Conversely, stopping distances and times have been improved thanks to AMG’s high-performance composite brake system.

In Sport or Sport+ modes, an intermediate throttle function delivers hugely appealing gearshift blips through either up- or downshifts, adding just the right amount of drama to the track experience. Naturally, running in Sport+, or even the less theatrical Sport mode, will be somewhat wasted on the open road, where the SL 43’s true grand tourer nature is also one of its best features.

Exceptional performance is, of course, not exclusively a function of power and speed. As a thoroughbred sports car, the SL 43 has several under-the-skin tricks to ensure handling stability at high speeds and ride quality for everyday comfort. To achieve the best of these worlds, the SL 43 is equipped with a newly developed AMG Ride Control steel suspension with aluminium shock absorbers and lightweight coil springs, becoming Mercedes-AMG’s first production vehicle with a multi-link front axle with five links arranged entirely within the rim. At the rear axle, wheel travel is managed by a five-link setup.

Mercedes has also improved the SL’s overall structural stiffness and added many aerodynamic trinkets to keep it planted at high speeds. First is an active air control system that uses horizontal louvres behind the grille, which open to allow air to pass through when components reach a certain heat marker. There is also an active rear spoiler and optional aerodynamic parts such as a larger rear diffuser and larger ‘flics’ on the front and rear bumpers than the outgoing SL.

CRUISING IN HIGH-TECH LUXURY

In a nod to the SL’s illustrious history, the SL 43 interior blends analogue geometry and the digital world in a ‘hyperanalogue’ mix exemplified by the fully digital instrument cluster now integrated into a three-dimensional visor. 

Designed to represent a powerful wing, the instrument panel is split into an upper and lower section, with four galvanised turbine nozzles that blend into the instrument panel, forming the centrepiece. The lower section evolves fluidly from the centre console, seamlessly connecting the two elements.

The cockpit design focuses firmly on the driver, with the high-resolution 12.3” LCD instrumentation screen integrated into a high-tech visor to prevent sun reflections from obscuring the driver’s view when the new fabric soft top is down. For the same reason, the 11.9” central infotainment touch screen can also be tilted from its standard 12-degree position to 32 degrees, a first in the sports car segment.

High-gloss black trim marks the SL 43’s standard specification, although aluminium, carbon fibre, or Manufaktur chrome black trim elements can be optioned to personalise the cockpit environment. The AMG Performance steering wheel with optional heating function is available in Nappa leather or a Nappa/Microcut microfibre combination.

The latest version of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience system (MBUX) is intuitive to operate and capable of learning, offering a host of functional content through the second-generation MBUX operating structure first seen in the new S-Class. 

In the SL, extensive AMG-specific content in five display styles is added. Exclusive menu items such as AMG Performance and AMG Track Pace also emphasise the car’s sporty character.

As tested, SL’s AMG sport seats are sublime, with just the right amount of support for spirited driving, and comfort for longer cruises. For personalisation purposes, a wide range of seats is available with manual or electric adjustment in standard Nappa or AMG Nappa leather. The optionally available upholstery in Manufaktur macchiato beige/titanium grey or Manufaktur truffle brown/black ensures an exclusive touch. 

Sculptural AMG Performance seats can also be optioned and are available in a combination of Nappa leather and Dinamica microfibre with yellow or red decorative topstitching.

LAST WORD

The Mercedes-AMG SL 43 marks a milestone in ‘Super Leicht’ history as it presents a purposeful shift in thinking for Mercedes. Simultaneously, it demands that buyers look at Stuttgart’s high-performance sports cars differently. While we can’t help but wonder how a six-cylinder engine might have shaped up in this car, it cannot be argued that the SL 43 is a beguiling starter to the range, which will, in later months, also include the V8-powered SL 63 S.