Mercedes SL

We catch the facelifted SL

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Text: Automedia / Photos: Automedia

18th July 2007

Mercedes is preparing their SL sports-roadster for the last half decade before it’s going to be replaced by an all-new model in 2013. While it underwent a minor facelift last year, the modifications for this major overhaul seem to be quite radical and will include an all-new front with new bumper, air-intakes, grille and headlights.

Some speculate the car snapped here testing in Stuttgart would be a test mule for the entirely new successor of today’s SL – but that’s unlikely as mules do normally not have thinly disguised rear-ends as seen on this prototype. They’re usually either heavily disguised – or not at all. Instead, we reckon the taillights and the bumper of this facelifted model will be slightly redesigned as well – and that is actually the reason for the black tape on the SL’s rear end.

As Mercedes has always kept engines of the SL up to date, we do not expect to change much under the bonnet. Stuttgart will continue to offer the SL 350 (V6, 272 bhp), SL 500 (V8, 388 bhp) and SL 600 (V12, 517 bhp). The 500-bhp SL 55 AMG, however, will be replaced by the more powerful SL 63 AMG returning 525 bhp. The even hotter SL 65 AMG with no less than 612 bhp will remain on offer, too.