Official 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL Images Leak

If you're a car guy, chances are you're a fan of the Mercedes-Benz SL.  Benz's top of the line sports car has been with us since the 50's, providing top-down joy to well-endowed bankers, dentists, and stock brokers everywhere.  The formula has always remained basically the same:  big engine up front, two seats and a drop top in the middle, driven wheels at the back.  People continue to buy them, despite the fact that Mercedes replaces the SL about as frequently as the Vatican replaces the Pope.

Seriously!

• Generation 1 (W121 190SL/W198 300SL): 1954-1963 (9 years)
• Generation 2 (W113 SL): 1963-1971 (8 years)
• Generation 3 (R107 SL): 1972-1989 (17 years)
• Generation 4 (R129 SL): 1989-2002 (13 years)
• Generation 5 (R230 SL): 2003-2011 (8 years)

Now, almost without exception, all the SL's that Mercedes has cranked out have been great cars.  And the previous generation (R230) was no exception.  It was the first to offer a retractable metal hardtop instead of a soft top, it raised the dynamic game of big sports cars, and there were some absolutely monsterous versions.  The first official pictures of the 6th generation SL (R231) leaked online yesterday, and one thing's for sure:  the new SL better be good, because it's going to be here for a while.

We heard a while back about the big change for the new SL: the chassis (above) is now 89% aluminum, making it stiffer (yay!) and around 308lbs lighter (double yay!) than the outgoing model.  These are all good things for the SL driving experience.  Now we know what's going to be under the hood, as well.  The SL550 is now a liar, what with it having a 4.6L V8 under the hood instead of a 5.5L.  These are the kinds of little white lies I can deal with, though:  the new engine, already seen elsewhere in M-B's lineup, is direct-injected and twin turbocharged to good effect.  Output is 429bhp and a remarkable 516lb-ft of torque, gains of 48 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque.

The transmission is a 7-speed adaptive automatic with different driving modes, and Mercedes says the new SL is more efficient as well as faster than the old one.  While they don't say how much more efficient, they do have some performance numbers.  0-60 is claimed at 4.5 seconds, which is really quite fast for the "normal" SL, and 0.8 seconds faster than the old SL550.  There's a built in Start/Stop mode now too.

Mercedes has also paid attention to the suspension of the new SL, to make it more fun to drive in the corners.  The suspension components (steering knuckles, control arms, etc) are now almost entirely aluminum.  "Agility Control Suspension" is standard, and ABC (Active Body Control, meaning auto-adjusting swaybars) is an option.  Both setups have electric power-steering assist, with variable assist and rack ratios.  More details on the greasy bits are likely forthcoming at it's debut next month.

The folding metal roof remains, but now there is an optional MAGIC SKY CONTROL roof.  Funny name, but it's basically a glass roof that can go darker or lighter at the flip of a switch.  A normal glass roof is standard.  Further cleverness can be found in strange places: there's a three-mode windshield wiper system that adjusts depending on the weather and if the top is down, and the subwoofers in the stereo have been repositioned to provide cleaner bass with the roof down.

What of the styling, though?  Well, the new SL is much more angular than the outgoing model, although it's still clearly an SL-class.  The front headlights take styling cues from the SLK and SLS supercar, and there are strakes and vents everywhere - on the hood, on the front fenders, in the front bumper, and in the rear diffuser.  In addition to being lighter, to me it actually looks lighter - something to the "Sport Licht (light)" designation.  The previous SL was like that slightly heavy girl who you adored because of her curves.  The new one looks like the same girl hit the gym four hours a day for a year while she was studying abroad.  It's damn good-looking.

And not that the previous interior was lacking, but the new one looks amazing.  The round air vents are a particularly nice touch, as is the "Mercedes Benz" embossed in the steering wheel.  The black and red two-tone interior in the press photos is suitably flash, but there are some shots of a tan leather and wood setup that will likely be more frequently seen in SL's, and both look great.  The relative lack of complication in comparison to  higher-end BMW and Audi models will likely be a selling point.  It's also got a flat-bottom steering wheel, which is all the rage these days - because racecar?

The seven-inch TFT touch screen display that's standard in the SL has a lot of tricks, of course.  The car is internet-capable with a paid subscription to Benz's mbrace2 service, that includes Mercedes Apps - Yelp, Facebook, Google Local Search, etc.  You can also send routes from Google Maps on your phone to the car's navigation system with the Mercedes Mobile App, and the reverse camera with parking sensors is integrated into the screen.

The new SL is schedule to debut at the Detroit Auto Show early next year, and maybe we'll find out about some of the other powertrain offerings as well as pricing at that point.