So Cal Sam

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enth...78.A12374.html

The above shows some spy photos and includes this rendering of what the 2009 might look like under those diguises.

So Cal Sam

Sorry, I see this pic was already posted by shahedC. The website that I got the photo from stated that it was an artists guess at what the car might look like under the disguises. Personally, I don't care for it - the current look will be awfully hard to beat.

johnny5

I as well like the current model but have to say the newer model isnt that bad looking but its not one of those where I have to upgrade to the newer one not much of a difference. It might be me but I dont think the lights suit this body style!

Vik888

I'd bet money it wont look like that. That just looks so bad compared to the current model, I doubt its going to look like that. Maybe its the current headlights just blended into one glass piece or something .. who knows .. but its not whats in that picture.

RoydRage

If it looks anywhere near that it's a shame. The lines of the car are ruined with that.

Agreed. Our cars I feel are destined to be classics as the gull wings were. Mercedes designed our cars to emulate it.

Best,

RoydRage

lkirchner

I have an SL55 and truly enjoy the car but I doubt that the R230's will ever become anywhere near the classic that the Gullwing is. For one reason there were too many of our cars built to become a classic. The gullwings only had less than 1500 ever built.

vixapphire

that artist's conception photochop is hilarious looking! the grille is awful, and the inclusion of CLS headlights is totally lame. if this is where they're going with the SL design, they oughtta skip the formalities and brand it a Chrysler already.

seriously, there's exceedingly small chance the next-gen sl is going to look anything like the one in that concept graphic. and thank heaven for that!

Murtaza

That looks horrid

JackStraw

I think the European pedestrian safety rules are driving the changes to the front ends of these vehicles.

If what Autocar wrote in a recent issue was true (that the R230 will be around until 2014), MB may have seen fit to, or may have been obliged to change the design of the front end to be in compliance with the law.

I would hope that the designers could come up with something better than this, though.

But given some of the recent efforts (R, C and CL), I suspect they find it challenging.

LovinMercedes

It really doesn't matter what it looks like. The greater the difference is compared to the existing look the greater the sales will be when it comes out.

The desire to have something new and different looking always wins out statically in the consumers mind.

Everyone wants to have the new and different looking car on the block.

Now of course, there is some point where it is so ugly this isn't true but I suspect Mercedes won't go there and the existing guess for the new SL surely doesn't as well.

blueSL

I agree, the new C Class is showing the impact of the new safety regulations with the raised hood, designed to provide some soft deformation before the pedestrian's head meets solid metal.

I was interested to see the Autocar date of 2014 as well which suggests at least one more mid-life makeover between now and then.

Going to be a challenge for front engined GTs, though not bad for cars like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage or the Ferrari F599 Fiorano which have the engine set well back; if packaging efficiency is important, the new C Class points the way...

bijan

Half benz, half jag!! Its scary looking!