2008 Geneva Auto Show: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL

The SL roadster is the Silver Arrow’s flagship sports car – tracing its lineage back to the 300SL “Gullwing” – and Mercedes-Benz is showing the facelifted versions in Switzerland. New features accompany the new look, including Airscarf, which is designed to keep occupants warm when driving top-down on a chilly day. The lineup for 2009 includes the SL550 and 600 and the AMG SL65 and the newly introduced AMG SL63. The two-seat, retractable hardtops arrive in U.S. dealers this spring. Pricing is yet to be announced.

As they’ve done in the past, M-B offers buyers a quartet of luxury sports cars in roadster form. Most important this go-around is the new SL63, which is powered by a 6.3-liter V-8 engine entirely designed by AMG. Mercedes looks to set the SL cars apart from other high-end, open-top cars, with features such as a new, seven-speed automatic transmission, Airscarf and an updated audio and navigation system.

The 6.3-liter, V-8 engine the new SL63 is an-all AMG engine, sharing no parts with any other Mercedes V-8. AMG incorporated several racing technologies in the new engine, which produces 518 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. The SL63’s engine is mated to a multiple-clutch, seven-speed transmission. The SL65 retains the bi-turbo, 6.0-liter, V-12 and its 604 horsepower and 738 lb.-ft. of torque. The SL550 once again uses the 5.5-liter, V-8 engine, now mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Power output last year from the 550 was 382 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque. The bi-turbo 5.5-liter, V-12 powers the SL600; output in the 2008 was 510 horsepower and 612 lb.-ft. of torque.

Mercedes’ new design moves way from softer lines to one that’s more aggressive looking. The headlights are shaped into the fenders and the grill now has one horizontal bar and a very large three-pointed star logo. The ends of the hood creases form the top corners of the grill opening, while two power domes round out the obvious changes. The restyling in back includes an air diffuser – a device used on race cars to increase stability – and trapezoid-shaped exhaust tips. The whole idea is to emphasize the width of the car.

M-B updates its COMMAND system and GPS navigation with a four-gigabyte hard drive and a Music Register capable of handling about 1,000 MP3 tracks. Connectivity is available for iPod, USB stick, memory card and other devices. The system includes support for Bluetooth-enabled cell phones. There is an automatic roll-over protection system, which raises a protective structure in a fraction of a second. The retractable hardtop takes a bit longer to raise and lower, although 16 seconds is quicker than some other cars with that feature.

The Earth’s gone round about 19,000 times since the first 300SLs amazed the world with its technological advancements. Today’s SL carries the tech torch forward, although the world seems less amazed by such things today. Nonetheless, a car with a system to keep your neck warm so you can drive top-down in cooler weather has a little of the gee-whiz factor that separate heater controls for driver and passenger did in the mid-1950s. All the driving and safety systems are as advanced as they can be, which is now expected of Mercedes-Benz. Proof of whether the two-seat tourer meets all expectations will be in the driving.

By Bob Beamesderfer MyRide Road Test Editor Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz and Staff