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I know there is an SL dedicated thread, but since this car is going to be the soft top version of the next GT - it seemed appropriate to post here.
Personally, I think its a 2 generational improvement from the outgoing SL with the baffling, asymmetric infotainment. However, I am not a fan of the Tesla-fication of center console. I like my physical buttons + having a screen, not having just a massive iPad. It probably is cheaper in the long run for Benz since this screen seems similar to the new W206 C class. The rest of the interior is great though. Will be cool to see how the next GT will be different.
That screen looks like an afterthought and not incorporated into the design homogeneously. With the new foldable screens technology it is interesting to see how the future generation digital control system will look like.
Looks nice. I do generally like the new MB/AMG interiors, including the large center touchscreen. I think it's one of the best implementations so far. In reality 99% of my interactions with the car's systems these days is through the steering wheel thanks to the awesome AMG Drive Unit and I use voice control for anything that requires navigating around the Infotainment system or inputting text, so the loss of the physical controls in the center console doesn't really bother me, since I rarely use them anyway. It is kinda nice to have a redundant set of controls for the functions I use less frequently, since the AMG Drive Unit only allows me to map two of them at any given time, so for the rare occasions I wanna change something that I don't currently have mapped to one of the soft buttons on the steering wheel I can use the buttons in the center console. I think a driver oriented "sports" car should have the important controls on the steering wheel as is the case even with these new interiors. However, what concerns me is that they replaced most of the push buttons with capacitive buttons and based on initial reports, they don't work all that well, so they need to go back to the drawing board on those and make them work better.
2020 GTA; 2022 Audi e-tron GT, 2022 Ford F-150; 1926 Rolls-Royce Springfield 40/50 Playboy roadster
Different parts of the brain are used for controls that can be touched, controls that have to be looked at, and controls that can be spoken to.
Needless to say, controls that can be operated by touch (and which don't need visual confirmation as well), require the fewest, least distracting interactions. Controls that can be spoken to require more "brain power" (from a different area of the brain), and controls that require visual inputs and outputs from touch or speech, command the most concentration and parts of the brain; when you look at the controls you are also taking your eyes of the road, which is not a good thing.
In the old days, touch controlled almost everything. The trend has moved to touch screens, because it is easier to program controls through a computer device than to run separate wires to each control. Easier for the automobile manufacturer but very hard on the driver and on general overall safety. (Ergonomics is a dying art, proudly led by the computer company that decided to sell automobiles. What could possibly go wrong?)
The two disappointing things on my 2020 as opposed to my 2018 were that everything moved to controls that now require visual and touch inputs and the muffling of the exhaust. (Doing away with the knobs on the central console also took away the pleasing homage to the V8 cylinder configuration of the engine.)
Looking back, I wish I had bought a 2019 roadster. Based on the 2022 SL pinball interior there is no way I would ever be comfortable driving a car with a huge computer screen in the middle of the console, a screen which basically commands my attention while driving and while my eyes should be on the road ahead. The SL interior looks futuristic, but only when we have 4th level autonomy will it make any sense.
(I am also a great believer in HUD. I've had it in all my BMWs since 2006 and in my etron as well.)
FWIW, that grill for me only works on a wide GTR or BLACK. Narrower grills look like C class Shiite.
The rest of the car looks like a bust. surprising since the SL styling has been so ****ty for so many years you think they could reach in the bucket a little deeper and revive the spirit.
I suppose we are entering a new age without V8 powertrains and classic styling.
That center tablet screen is horrible. That will NOT age well! MB is probably going the way of the EQS, in terms of screen integration. I honestly don’t know what they were/are thinking with the S class and now SL class screens. Really bad.
I have zero desire to sell my GTC for this new SL.
For an SL the interior is befitting, for an AMG GTS I do not like it at all. Looks like i left my iPad pro in the center console. One of the things that kept me away from the newer GTS when I was looking to purchase is the Speedo/Tach are the newer TFT (or whatever theyre called) screen and switches being the touch capactive and not knobs I can turn and feel. Seemed like an overkill to "update" the GTS with gizmos that were nothing more than finger print magnets. At first i like the panamericana grill but now it looks like pretty much alot of the newer.
But to each its own, I am sure MBZ will sell a ton more of the SL/GTS combo buggy with hyrbid and 4 matic etc. I am perfectly happy for having the original.
The Black Series owners will have the swan song of AMG and what their original idea was and what AMG stood for. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary and thats good.
For an SL the interior is befitting, for an AMG GTS I do not like it at all. Looks like i left my iPad pro in the center console. One of the things that kept me away from the newer GTS when I was looking to purchase is the Speedo/Tach are the newer TFT (or whatever theyre called) screen and switches being the touch capactive and not knobs I can turn and feel. Seemed like an overkill to "update" the GTS with gizmos that were nothing more than finger print magnets. At first i like the panamericana grill but now it looks like pretty much alot of the newer.
But to each its own, I am sure MBZ will sell a ton more of the SL/GTS combo buggy with hyrbid and 4 matic etc. I am perfectly happy for having the original.
The Black Series owners will have the swan song of AMG and what their original idea was and what AMG stood for. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary and thats good.
Totally agree. I do not like the MY20 and newer AMG GT update at all. They ruined the 'v8' look of the 8 round buttons/knobs on the console, which was also bespoke to only the AMG GT coupe. Further, all of the functionality of the touch screens is now replicated on the steering wheel, so what's the point? And the start/stop button was much cooler as one of the v8 buttons/knobs. And while I love the touch pad steering wheel in my 2019 G wagon, it just looks wrong to have the same wheel in the AMG GT. It has too many buttons and controls to be sporty. Kind of how the Porsche GT cars have fewer buttons, not more.
Totally agree. I do not like the MY20 and newer AMG GT update at all. They ruined the 'v8' look of the 8 round buttons/knobs on the console, which was also bespoke to only the AMG GT coupe. Further, all of the functionality of the touch screens is now replicated on the steering wheel, so what's the point? And the start/stop button was much cooler as one of the v8 buttons/knobs. And while I love the touch pad steering wheel in my 2019 G wagon, it just looks wrong to have the same wheel in the AMG GT. It has too many buttons and controls to be sporty. Kind of how the Porsche GT cars have fewer buttons, not more.
The center console was a pretty big misstep. That is the only thing I dislike about my 2020. I looked into getting the analog one retrofitted, but with the engine start button moved - it is big hassle for how much it would cost. Plus I want to avoid the risk of making something rattle after putting it back together. So far absolutely 0 rattles.
The steering wheel was a pleasant surprise. I thought I would hate the FL wheel more than the center console change, but I actually love it. It feel just slightly thinner than the PFL and a bit bigger. The buttons are all placed perfectly that I do not mistakenly press anything. With the programable exhaust/suspension buttons on the left and the dynamic control switch on the right, I never need to move my hands off the wheel. Mercedes really does know how to design their steering wheels, so I am curious as how the next generation wheels will feel in my hands.
I agree the steering wheel is one of the best things in the FL GT and other AMGs. The closest you can get to a Formula 1 steering wheel. Very driver oriented. You can pretty much control everything w/o taking your hands off the steering wheel. Much better than reaching down to the center console to adjust the drive mode while driving. In the GT R roadster and C63S you can even adjust the 9-stage TC directly from the steering wheel instead of having to reach over to the lego knob. Not sure why anyone would think it doesn't belong in a GT. Look at Ferrari. The Manettino switch and bumpy suspension mode button are both on the steering wheel where they belong. The buttons in the center console are redundant now, but would have required to design an entirely new interior to get rid of. It's actually kinda nice to have those extra buttons for the less frequently used functions that aren't mapped to one of the two programmable soft buttons on the steering wheel.
Last edited by superswiss; 08-17-2021 at 11:25 AM.
New SL looks like a mish mash of different cars. I can get over the soft top, but the disco ball interior, 2+2 seating and uninspiring exterior styling pretty much kills it for me. Makes one think who the hell is designing these cars?
Trying to be more than a simple classic roadster. This will hardly go down as one of the all-time classics.
I agree the steering wheel is one of the best things in the FL GT and other AMGs. The closest you can get to a Formula 1 steering wheel. Very driver oriented. You can pretty much control everything w/o taking your hands off the steering wheel. Much better than reaching down to the center console to adjust the drive mode while driving. In the GT R roadster and C63S you can even adjust the 9-stage TC directly from the steering wheel instead of having to reach over to the lego knob. Not sure why anyone would think it doesn't belong in a GT. Look at Ferrari. The Manettino switch and bumpy suspension mode button are both on the steering wheel where they belong. The buttons in the center console are redundant now, but would have required to design an entirely new interior to get rid of. It's actually kinda nice to have those extra buttons for the less frequently used functions that aren't mapped to one of the two programmable soft buttons on the steering wheel.
I'm glad you guys like it, that's the most important thing.
The flip side is that you don't need to look down at the pre-2020 console - you know what each button does by feel. And critically, you have to look down at the steering wheel or the console on the newer cars, which is not great.
On my 2019, I can select anything just by feel. And note that the 8 buttons/dials are also of different size.
The steering wheel controls just feel cheap to me - I don't like how the entire pod moves when you press the buttons or rotate the dial. But it looks like they fixed that, as the 2021MY cars have a different design.
I'm glad you guys like it, that's the most important thing.
The flip side is that you don't need to look down at the pre-2020 console - you know what each button does by feel. And critically, you have to look down at the steering wheel or the console on the newer cars, which is not great.
On my 2019, I can select anything just by feel. And note that the 8 buttons/dials are also of different size.
The steering wheel controls just feel cheap to me - I don't like how the entire pod moves when you press the buttons or rotate the dial. But it looks like they fixed that, as the 2021MY cars have a different design.
Actually, I don't need to look down to the steering wheel for the most part, because most everything only requires my thumb to move and I can control the touchpads and most buttons blindly. The thing I love the most is to engage my individual mode I only need to press the dial with my thumb regardless of the current mode I'm in and rotating it for the other modes is also more intuitive than the toggle switch in the center console.
I was waiting with huge anticipation for the new SL - was going to order the top of the line day 1. But sudden abject disappointment fell all over me when I first gazed upon that iPad the size of Peyton Manning's forehead duct taped to the dash. Nope, can't do it. I just bought a 10k mi 2017 SL65 instead (my 3rd SL65).
07-13-2021, 10:25 PM
