Is the Sl series failing?
 

Thoughts on this?

I don't believe MBZ will discontinue the SL anymore than Chevy would discontinue the Corvette. Modern manufacturing techniques have enabled the ability to make low-volume cars at a profit. Of course selling them for $100K+, it's not too hard to make a profit.

You're late to the video, haha.

I think Doug is right. In fact, when I read the title the first time, before I even watched the video, I said, "Well, they have the s-class coupe and the AMG GT."

So it might not be failing but it's certainly not exactly blowing any sales numbers either.

Will they stop it? Probably not, as it has the comfort cruiser aspect.

I was thinking about the CL's today.

The CL was the S-class in coupe, and the CLS was the sporty E-class. However, between the S, E, and then the coupes coming out, they seem to be pointless. They dropped the CL, I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up dropping the CLS. However, now that they're using it as their 53 platform, they may have kept it alive for a bit longer.

After watching that video I am no longer in favor of capital punishment. A fate worse than death would be solitary confinement and non-stop Doug DeMuro videos with hearing him punctuate the end of nearly every sentence with an acutely annoying affectation.

DeMuro states that convertibles are not selling, and Mercedes may drop the SL lineup. But convertibles fell out of favor in the '70s too, yet the SL persevered.

Sales of the current R231 car are soft, and this could be attributed in some measure to its dubious styling. In contrast, the R230 was widely regarded as a beautiful car -- an English car magazine christened the '03-'08 the most beautiful car in production.

Bizarrely, DeMuro compares the SL to a 60-year-old predecessor and observes the SL has gone "soft". Where the SL went soft was in 1963, and it retained that character through two model series. The SL became a strong performer with good handling again in 1989 and has remained that way ever since.

Where I find agreement with DeMuro is his observation that the SL is no longer the object of desire it once was. I suppose Mercedes' loss of prestige and the increased availability of other convertibles is a factor.

I think the R231 looks better than DeMule. That's a statement in itself :rolf:

Most of us will agree that the styling on the newer SL is not as beautiful as it used to be. but still that remains the only hardtop convertible offered by MB. as Bobterry99 stated, the sales of SL have been going up and down due to style they made.Iit has nothing to do with the pleasure it delivers. Just like with any other SL, is intended to a certain group of people. In my case - only a handful of people that i know consider the convertible as an "cool car" to start with. and even less can afford a SL :) so obviously i'm the only one that owns one. that goes to all people worldwide. But, as Rudeney said, companies can make profit out of any car, it all depends on the price.

I own a Pagoda. MB won the grueling Liege-Sofia-Liege rallye with it, proofing its intelligent agility on both roads and dirt tracks, as opposed to brute horse power. Then they somehow managed to spit out the R107, a car of which I have hated the design, interior and exterior, from day one. Longest production time of all SL’s I believe, folks just kept buying them.

I own an R230, and again I find every SL that came after ‘mine’ plain ugly. But I have already been proven wrong once, so I shall carry my grief in dignity and silence.

It sounds like Doug and the S class cabriolet need to get a room!

Well I just found out there's an SLC series coming out so I guess not.

Sadly that comes to an end with the next iteration of the SL being a 2+2 Soft-Top.

The "SLC" is already out and it's just the new name for the "SLK". For some reason, MBZ has decided it no longer likes the "K" (lurtz, or "short") nomenclature, so the GLK is now GLC and the CLK just became the E-Class coupe, and the SLK is the SLC.

For now, that's just a rumor. Other rumors are the the S-Class cabriolet is being dropped. My guess is that the truth is somewhere in-between. What we are likely hearing about a soft-top 2+2 SL is likely the replacement for the S-Class cabriolet. I remember a few years back when there rumor was that the CLK was returning. Well, it did, but it was called the C-Class cabriolet (which effectively was the CLK anyhow).

Oh, and when i was working for the marque, there was this huge thing where the forthcoming GLK was most assuredly going the be name an "MLK" (A "short" ML) and various USA civil rights groups were already planning protests as it was not well received that a German company would name a car after their famous leader. Of course it was never, ever planned to be named an "MLK", but the rumors were flying.

Honestly, I hate MBZ's nomenclature. Just when you think it makes sense, they do something that doesn't. And then they just start renaming everything. They are almost as bad as Cadillac and Infiniti.

Doug is just a guy that has an opinion ....
 

First off I think sometimes Doug is pretty right on- other times (like this case) I think he’s full of it. It’s also an opinion that the r231 is not as attractive as other generations. I personally think it’s one of the best. (But I like a more masculine car) I also love the 90s SLs . The rounded ones were never my thing.

Mercedes has hits and misses with looks. The R231, in my opinion, is not very attractive.

I think the SL is an attractive car, but unfortunately it's outdated interior (particularly the control center) is just one of the many changes to come. It’s no secret that sales of the current SL have been steadily declining. Rather than killing off its luxury roadster, the automaker plans to reinvent it and position it as a more driver-focused model.

Strong rumors include making it a hybrid with the inline six to sharing a new platform with the AMG GT. One thing seems to be certain: The Hardtop will disappear in favor of a soft top in order to allow designers more flexibility. There is also talk of making it a 2+2.

There's little doubt, the SL will undergo radical changes one way or another.

The R230 in it's pre-facelift form could not be manufactured by Mercedes today. It would not comply with pedestrian safety standards enacted in Europe and other regions.

The R231 does comply, naturally. It's least attractive styling feature to my eyes -- the tall, flat nose -- is a consequence of regulations.

Classic
 

So I’m probably crazy, and I agree you are probably correct as to why the front is pretty upright- but to me doesn’t that styling cue pay respect to the most beloved SLs ? They always sort of had that upright grill it really wasn’t until the R230 that things got swooped
🤷🏼*♂️😃

If this is not a rhetorical question, then please clarify which particular SL model you had in mind. Then I can compare it to the R231.

Upright grills
 

W113
R107

I wrote of the R231 having a tall, flat nose which the R107 and W113 do not have. This is to increase contact area between the car and a pedestrian who it might strike. An upright grille is a natural consequence of that design.

A later U.S. R107 has a low nose and a bumper which extends far in front of the grille. That design has a much smaller potential contact area.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...a8872d68a3.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...361a2c5f4d.jpg

Guess I’m crazy then
 

I guess I’m crazy, https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...3eb6797be.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...048eca4f4.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...8b8d2d05b.jpeg
....Because I’m not sure where you are seeing a lower hood on the older models.

Why?
 

Why even argue? I actually agreed with you in the first place about the pedestrian requirements. I have eyes, and the ability to reason. I can see - the R231 IS very much in keeping with the SL aesthetic - like it or not. If not, don’t buy one. it’s great that you have preferences- don’t mistake your opinions for facts.
That you are pulling up articles that are proving to me something I already knew (and agreed with) is kind of silly.
I own a very nice R231. I really love it, or I wouldn’t be on this forum - I don’t know what you drive, but you can be sure I would never get on a Mercedes forum and tell people that they have unattractive cars. Really bad form.

If a user has filled out their profile as I have, then you will find a list of their vehicles listed under their username.

Worse still is miscomprehending what I wrote and then falsely accusing me of stating a view that I do not even agree with. I wrote of a "least attractive" styling feature of the R231. Linguistically, this does not equate to me telling anyone they own an unattractive car.

At any rate, I find the R231 overall in fact to be an attractive car. But it is flawed. Absent gov't regulations it would surely look different and better.

Ok
 

Research suggests that three main factors stand out amongst internet trolls:

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I think you have lost your way and don't realize that you are in the wrong forum. This forum is dedicated to the R230 chassis where it isn't "bad form" to criticize the styling of other Mercedes models.

Googling suggests that you are a plagiarist. That is bad form.

I don't see where "Matt Beall".has anything to contribute to the R230 forum or much of anything in general, for that matter. I'm done with him and this thread for now.