All-New Lightweight Bodyshell Revealed for Mercedes-AMG SL
Tipping the scales at less than 600 pounds the new Mercedes-AMG SL bodyshell ensures the new car earns the leicht in SL.
Nearly seventy years ago the first Mercedes SL made its debut. It was designed with lightweight and sportiness in mind from the start. The design of the space frame was such that it did not allow for a traditional hinged door. Thus, the iconic gullwing door was created. The SL was immediately a hit and desired all over the world. The car was quick and classy. It was sporty and yet sophisticated. That blend of attributes is what has defined the SL for the last several decades. With a new 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL just around the corner, that same goal is in mind. One of the key pieces in achieving that goal is a lightweight bodyshell. It is as important today as it was back in 1952 when the first SL was being designed.
This all-new lightweight body shell was recently unveiled by Mercedes-AMG. And just like with the first SL in 1952, the design was started from scratch. “The development team in our bodyshell design area was faced with an extremely appealing, but also challenging task: when we were commissioned to undertake the overall development of the new SL, we started from scratch, so to speak, without building on any existing structure.” says Jochen Hermann, Chief Technical Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. While the goal may be the same, the challenge of building a car today is much more complex than it was in 1952. Not only does the SL have to be a light and sporty 2+2 but now it has to be built to accommodate a wide range of drive systems.
Once again, a space frame is utilized. Although the 2022 car is not expected to need gullwing doors this time. The space frame provides a very light structure. However, it also offers extremely high torsional rigidity. The new SL space frame is made up of aluminum, steel, magnesium and fiber composites. This allows for the basis of a strong but light automobile. Compared to the previous model series, the torsional stiffness of the bodyshell structure increased by 18 percent. The transverse rigidity is 50 percent higher than that of the AMG GT Roadster, while the longitudinal rigidity is 40 percent higher. The weight of the pure bodyshell without doors, hood and trunk lid, as well as without add-on assembly parts, is around 595 pounds.
To produce such an advanced bodyshell must have taken a massive team and thousands of hours, right? Well, not exactly. The pre-development was done in only three months. It took less than three years from the time the commission was given to a team of, initially, just six people to the release of the series. So, not only is the car light and fast, so is the team that designs it. We can’t wait until the first new SL rolls out of the Bremen plant. It is amazing to hear how the car was designed, and the technical details around it. However, final judgement is reserved until we can actually get behind the wheel. Hopefully that is in the not-too-distant future.
Photos: MBUSA.com
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