Final impressions,

A stunner, simply marvelous with the AMG kit. The car without the sport package looks cheap and doesn't have the presence the SL is known for.

 

SL63 AMG leaked as well,

 

SL63 AMG leaked as well

I loved the looks of the previous SL and the facelift looks amazing as well, but what's up with that hideous AMG diffusor and spoiler? Those completely ruin the car's elegant flow for me. At least they spared it the cleft in the front lip that uglifies the SLK's "facesag".

 

thanks, I like it especially the one with the AMG kit, it's something different, it was due for a change.

 

Guys the SL has airscarf now, pretty cool feature a first on a GT.

 

The wheels on that SL63 look like the porsche "turbo" wheels.

I really like the rear diffusor on it! Very cool. I also really like the new 'gills', more like the SLR. I LOVE the new "power domes" on the hood, but the new front grille is horrendous....way too tall. Is it to meet the new EU regulations?

 

Cyber yes the changes are done to meet the new European union regulations, Interior pictures just leaked as well.

 

Now does any one think the steering wheel looks out of shape and pretty cheap in comparison to a wider Steering wheel that is available on the SL and CLK's.

I also find the new airscarf headrests to look like Helmets, honestly they do look like pillows and are bulky looking.

 

Although I agree with others in that I like the AMG package.....Is it just me or does the front end remind you of a cross between the Saturn SKY and the Old Chrysler Crossfire... and whats with those fans in the back of the "huge" headrest? not too subtle..

 

I agree that the implementation of the airscarf is not elegant looking. Almost like they would give you one of those straw hats with a fan in it. I suppose it would work, but I think the SLK type is much better.

And I looked at that picture of the front for a while trying to figure out what I really don't like about it and think it is the large "hole" of the grille. I will have to look at the current SL and compare them again, but my impression is, I don't like the new as much as the old.

Steering wheel does look okay to me though.

Oh! And I just noticed the white dials. I had white dials in the SLK 320 and that was just about the only thing that I REALLY didn't like. Because the white dials were backlit, there were times where the lighted numbers disappeared into the white background. I really disliked that. In fact, just this morning as I was driving to work I was thinking "I really like these SLK 350 dials!"

 

I agree the grill does look too plastiky looking or the three pointed star is huge as well.

 

To me the front bumper, hood and maybe front fenders are more aggressive than the rest of the car. Almost like they don't match. I do like the front end a lot but to me the last picture in the post of the black one without the sport kit seems to blend with the rest of the car better.

 

I think i am blind as i cant spot the differences between a sport kit and a non sport kit.

 

Count the wheel spokes and look at the angle of the holes below the grill in the front spoiler, for 2

 

raihax the changes are pretty obvious and the non sport package looks bland.

 

Thanks for the pic's now my opinion ---- single bar grill and the star as well as the hood bumps are retro to the 300SL -- it looked great then but I like the 3 bar look of mine not to busy but not a gaping hole ---- the AMG trim is fine as is the car without it --- matter of personal taste ---- the side vents are different ---- looks good ----- I like the old headlamp treatment new ones look like everybody else's but they don't ruin the car as to the "air scarf's" looks ugly and with the ventilated and heated sport seat you don't need it. We have had ours in temps below 50 F with the top down seat heaters on with the seat vent fans running and you get a nice warm flow of air over the entire seat ---- the interior air flow in the SL is different than the SLK where as it was a great improvement to the SLK it is not needed in the SL ---- to me this is just a gimmick --- and if the AMG trim was a pick and choose type I would add the the side treatment but not the grill and rear end as this trim is purely for looks its a matter of personal choice and the aerodynamics is not going to make that much difference.
All in all the new one is ok and I'm sure it will grow on me --- after all it is a Mercedes

 

The most interesting news associated with the SL facelift I found in this Car and Driver article:

But the big news on the AMG is the seven-speed multiclutch system called MCT. Details are thin, but this is a further development of Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic that will no doubt shift more quickly and, in this case, operates without a torque converter.

Finally!

 

Cleveland Auto Show presentation by MBUSA

I attended an MBUSA presentation last evening at the Cleveland Auto Show. According to the MBUSA rep the new transmission will have a race car start feature. From a standing start, you hold the brake with your left foot, press the accelerator to the floor, the car remains in idle until you release the brake. Then it takes off.

Also he said that the only trim available would be the sport package. But the photos above seem to contradict this information.

I was lucky enough to win an SLR collectors book as a door prize. It includes a section for the original SLR with an aluminum cover, and a section for the new SLR with a carbon fiber cover.

The most interesting news associated with the SL facelift I found in this Car and Driver article:



Finally!

 

what is that a c class front end?

 

OK....it's a little bit of a stretch but....seriously, am I the only one who see's this?....

 

Cross Fire?

 

Well it was designed on the 170 chassis and carried the Crossfire name but their SRT6 was really AMG so maybe it looks like a Mercedes instead of the other way around.

 

nevets, i see what you are talking about with the crossfire. its as if they designed the crossfire to look like a benz, then designed the benz to look like the crossfire.

and not to sound harsh here, but does anyone here think that the headrests look like E.T.'s head? :biglaugh:

 

Dead on......hysterical!!!:biglaugh: Ouuuuuccccch!

 

Lenny the guys at the other forum, 6 speed online also said that the headrests looked like E.T's head lol what a coincidence

 

HAHA! That means i am not the only one...

I wonder if anyone will come into a dealership asking:

"How much is the ET headrests option?"

Then again, when i first saw my R171 headrests pulled all the way up. i also thought the rubber gooseneck kind of made it look like ET's head going up and down... but at least they did not assume the actual shape of one... :biglaugh:

 

I love the Seats on the SLK, they remind me of how future recaro's would look like.

 

I am absolutely blown from the surprise I got when the SL63 AMG pictures were finally posted online, the car looks very stunning and extremely ***y if you ask me it doesn't even show a hint of evidence that the main structure and concept is from the basis of since 2002.

That very sporty new look commands respect, a very similar sleek sort of Aston martin-esque styling that is visual car pornography on its own. here is the narrative on the SL, new SL 63 AMG to its own heights. AMG has not been too shy to exploit the potential of the 6.2-litre V8, going as much as 450kW/ 603 bhp in some models (limited only by the inability of engineers to cool down the unit effectively). But we know there’s more potential here. For now though the SL 63 is the new one to watch.

Several changes have been made to differentiate the car from its predecessor, something crucial in dealing with “facelifts” as it were. A new AMG spoiler lip has been inserted, giving the car an edgy feel to it. Darkened bi-xenon headlights exude style and power, while the radiator grille is painted gloss black. We don’t have the entire catalogue of pictures yet, but in white it should contrast brilliantly with this grille.

The SL 63 AMG unit wears 19-inch alloy wheels, which, with all due respect, are more common to VW GTI types nowadays. A larger wheel may have been called for at this level of car. At the rear tail lights are darker too, with AMG-encrypted, chromed twin-oval pipes displaying what the car is capable of, in a straight line at least. Most of us will be used to this end of it anyway. Oh, the bonnet/ hood is new too; sharp, kinky, very C-Class like.

Inside the AMG sports seats are standard in nappa leather upholstery. Things like AMG sports steering, AMG instrument cluster and carbon-fiber trim complete the interior picture.

Now that I’ve bored you to drooling stage, can we talk about the real reason you are reading this? Yes, there is a 6.2-litre V8 underneath there. It is not accompanied by force-feeding, but does produce a healthy dose of some 386kW/ 525 bhp. And guess what? The ESP can be switched off in three stages. Time to hold on tight then! The new MCT 7-speed sports transmission is in effect, and should change much quicker than the standard 7-speed G-Tronic. Yet another double-clutch system? Sure looks it. High-performance brakes and a new AMG sports suspension come with the package, as well as a speed-sensitive steering wheel system.

Link: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080204.003/mercedes-sl-63-amg---first-detail-and-images

 

What is with the friggin enormous headrest with fans from my old computer????
It looks like mercedes has taken the head of E.T and put it on the seat.
LOL !!!! like to se one of those just to get a good laugh.

 

I'll tell you this, you are not the first to say the E.T comment as many other people have said this over here, benzworld and other forums I've posted the 2009 SL in.

:biglaugh:, seems that there is a popular comment rather than a culture! I agree the headrests do look like the Old Apple Macintosh computers you know the coloured ones that were offered back in 98 with just a screen rather than the computer "box".

 

Daimler announced the SL500 550 update today.

http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-...1/en/Newsroom (Home)/.Newsroom (Home)/#XCID=614228 | XPID=0 | XCTY=3897 | XAID=

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