SL/R230: New SL600
Molsheim, France- At the 72nd Geneva Motor Show, BUGATTI Automobiles S.A.S. are displaying the latest version of the Bugatti EB 16-4 Veyron. With a two-color red and black paint finish ('rouge Ventoux / noir') recalling the Bugatti T 57 C Ventoux Coupe of 1938, the car in display is close to production status in the driveline and body areas. In addition, the first performance figures are available: the production version will have a top speed of 406 km/h (252 mph) and accelerate from a standstill to 300 km/h (186 mph) in under 14 seconds.
Either way, the Bentley and Bugatti will trump the SL600 on exclusivity, because even if there are few SL600s made, they will still look like an SL500 at first glance - just like my R129 SL600 does.
Local Mercedes dealer in Newport has 60 deposits (I'm told) on the SL 600. I don't believe it.
The new SL600 promises much and it will be interesting to see the back-to-back comparisons with the SL55 when they come out. If there are 60 deposits, I'm sure many of those will be from speculators hoping to make a quick killing. Let's hope oil doesn't surge to $100+ a barrel...
The Best of Mercedes & AMG




The sad news is the SL600 will most likely follow the path (perhaps with a slight premium) of the CL & S class in dropping value at an incredible pace.
You can buy an 03 S600 or C600 pretty much at list right now and I just glanced at a 02 CL600 at $45K under list
This of course says nothing about the joy of driving a V12; they are wonderful and deliver super smooth acceleration...
Wolfman
I just read somewhere that the twin turbo V12 can operate smoothly and maintain its characteristic driveability at a limit of 700 Cv and 1200 Nm (that is 888lb/ft of torque).
The new AMG V12 will be tuned at just under that, about 640hp and around 1000pounds of torque. I want a SL65 (I assume it will have all AMg goodies, and beat the c.rp out of a porsche GT2)
If you look at Ferrari V8s and V12s, the V12s depreciate like a stone in free-fall, the V8s hold their value well and the same is true of Mercedes. When I enquired about trading-in my SL600, I was told it would be valued the same as an SL500. Used car buyers evaluate cars on different criteria from new car buyers. As new car buyers, we can be picky about what we want safe in the knowledge that during our likely ownership of the car, we're unlikely to face any serious maintenance. Used buyers will factor in the likelihood of serious maintenance which is why a bullet-proof service history is even more vital with a V12 than it is with a V8.
The SL which will hold its value best is the SL350 which Mercedes think will account for 1 out of 2 cars made in the future. 3, 4 years down the road, it will be the most attractive used buy.
Personally, I do not think the SL600 (or any SL) will seriously take on a GT2, especially around corners. I'm coming to realise that, however good the SL55 is (and it is great), it is one heavy car and the Porsche is at least 500kg, 1100 pounds lighter and you cannot change the laws of physics. The SL is plenty heavy enough in SL55 guise, without the added weight of the V12.
What's this, I hear you asking? BlueSL criticising the SL? Shock, Horror! No, just a bit of objectivity at 5 in the morning...
The SL which will hold its value best is the SL350 which Mercedes think will account for 1 out of 2 cars made in the future. 3, 4 years down the road, it will be the most attractive used buy.
In that context, I get to see the differences between the SL55 and a Ferrari and can safely say the SL55 lacks the ultimate agility due to its weight disadvantage against a 355/360/911 type of car.
The SL55 is the best car overall that I have ever had, but there's still great fun to be had from a car is rawer and even more driver focussed than it.
.......evangelical fervour that I do a bottle of Cloudy Bay 2002, for example.
I'm a Kiwi. I know Cloudy Bay well - too well. Try instead the 2002 Kim Crawford - exceptional. ......
Last edited by Mustard; Jan 31, 2003 at 03:03 PM.
As for the SL600, I'm sure the motoring mags will run back to back tests against the SL55, so the truth will out...
Last edited by blueSL; Feb 1, 2003 at 12:14 AM.
Bilal, not sure what I've said to make you so belligerent, but no matter - you're not the first person to intimate I'm an ****-hole and will certainly not be the last. As it happens, you could not be further from the truth about the SL55. I think it's the greatest car but I do not regard it with the same evangelical fervour that I do a bottle of Cloudy Bay 2002, for example.



