SLK 350

Can someone post the new SL model with the SLR nose. I think it will be the SL 2006 or 2007. I saw a picture, but I never saved it. I know there is one out there. Thanks to anyone who can get it for me.

ano0oj

LovinMercedes

I having been saying that this was never going to happen anytime soon. I am going to be one pissed off Mercedes Benz owner if I just spent $145,000 on my new 2005 SL600 and it is going to be outdated next year.

Anyone have any idea what year this is planned for?

jinmin803

I'm sorry to be tell you this, but I heard that it was going to be model year 2006, which is next year... I think this is just a speculation at this point, but most of the people that have talked about this seem to agree. Also, someone had said that a "reliable" source inside MB had disclosed this info to him. We'll have to just see whether or not this will actually happen, but I must say that I am very dissapointed about this, since I don't like the SLR style nose at all.

Chris 45971

It appears (from the pictures shown) that the only change is in the nose (front bumper area) of the car. I would not call this a new model but rather a minor facelift. To be honest, I don't think that it looks any better than the current model. I think that if MB were to do that and improve looks, they should make it with two headlights instead of the four shown.

Don't worry everyone, bottom line is that our cars look ultra sharp one way or another.

LovinMercedes

In my humble opinion, you are missing the entire point Chris 45971. To me, I am not sure the new look is actually better, but I do know one thing, I just spent $145,000 on a new Mercedes SL600 which is about to look outdated in the next 9 months.

What about those people that just bought a SL65 for $180,000? This was the introductory year of that car and you mean to tell me next year the car is going to be outdated.

To me the looks are not the issue, it is the idea that your car is outdated and if you don't think this is going to decrease the value of your car, I'd suggest you are wrong.

This is breaking 50 years of Mercedes history. Why now?

blueSL

Ah yes, the idea is that they introduce a minor facelift, you sell your SLxx thereby realising huge depreciation and buy one of the new models. Demand for the new model continues, never mind demand for the old model falls away. Mercedes have long given up the idea of protecting their users against depreciation. The drive towards constant change and innovation has put pay to that.

It's difficult to know exactly when the best time to buy a new car is. Buy too early, and you suffer all the bugs and miss out on the things that were canned for lack of development time (SBC refinement, DVD Sat Nat). Buy too late and you risk having your model superceded before you've barely broken it in.

Seems to me the best time to buy a new car is to get one of the first fascelifted models. Maximum life before the next one and, hopefully not so many bugs.

LovinMercedes

Hey guys, been buying Mercedes for a lot of years and you make alot of friends. I do believe the answer is absolutely no plans to put this nose on the SL any time soon. These photo's were photoshopped.

Felix

@LovinSL600:
i agree with you, the facelifts of mercedes-benz car were always very small. see C-class or last e-class (w210).

the SL sells very good, why change to this nose?

but the pics are not photoshopped, there is a german tuner (lotec) which offers this hood, if seen it already in real and its good quality. but its not my personal taste.

LovinMercedes

Blue, when is your new DB9 coming in. The one that I ordered and cancelled was completed at the factory yesterday so it should be arriving in the US in about 4 weeks. I am going to look at it because I want to see how my color combination came out but I can tell you, the car is not mine. My new SL600 is scheduled for production the 3rd decade in November which puts it here for the holidays. Great, I am going to be in Maui then.

Now that's a choice. 10 days in Maui or stay home for my new car. I know what I'd do and I know what my girlfriend will do. Guess I'll see my new car with a great tan!

bbjai

i agree with the outdated look and not money.
but for those worried about money, i got a little story to tell. porsche 996 models were depreciating a lot more than the old porsche with those round lights, like the ones on the new 997 model. In many cases, the 996 models did poorly in reselling vehicle while the old light porsche were sold much faster, so the price difference were the same when selling the cars back. That is until the new model with the old lights came back did both 996 and the older model both crash since old model has no more advantage of the vintage light look and 996 just plain sucks. used to be a 996 model owner but it was too inconvenient and teh interior is so plain, the sound system was horrible but the ride was awesome, tho not quite fast still.

so i'm guessing even the new nose sl if it does come out won't have high reselling value because ppl aren't blind. they know what's good for teh eyes, and teh old nose is definitely nicer. while old sl will retain its value.

jinmin803

The look of the car becomming outdated is something that is inevitable. It is a shame that the car will depriciate.

About the facelift, whether it will happen or not; my source said that Mercedes was pushing for a distinctive look for the cars that started with SL. Therefore the look of the SLR being carried over to the SLK, and in the future to the SL. I guess some kind of corporate logic is being used here for it, but personally I think the SL itself should stay with the grill that it has right now, since it has been that way for 50 years. For the other SLx cars, they are pretty recent, and trying out new design strategies doesn't seem to be a bad thing. It's just that when a car has such history like the SL, tampering with such a iconic part of the car can upset many enthusiasts, including myself.

I wish this whole rumor was false. However, this logic applied to the facelist does seem to make sense to me. I guess all we can do is to wait and see what happens.

LovinMercedes

I checked into this and I am willing to bet my new 2005 SL600 that the new nose is not coming. Who wants to bet?

OK...so I won't bet, but I am pretty sure my information is extremely reliable.

jinmin803

I really hope you are right. Let's pray that is so.

Twinturbo

Hey I'll bet against you just so I have a chance of getting the car Really though, I dont think its coming as I have only seen the lotec pictures of the SLR nose. Perhaps Mercedes model will look nicer than this, like the SLK, which wouldnt be so bad. But until I start seeing spy pictures of the SLR nose and not Lotec pictures, I dont see the new nose coming within the next few years.

jettie1767

I'm not a big fan of the SLR look. I think it looks like an oversize nose or bird beek...LOL.

I think it will eventually trickle down to the SL but hopefully not on the R230!

LovinMercedes

I am in LA this weekend and I wanted to say to jettie1767 that I went to the Mercedes dealership in Beverly Hills last night and saw a Brilliant Silver SL55 with the Berry Interior. I wanted to say congratulations to you because that color combination was gorgeous.

Now, I flipped when I got there. They had a SLR for sale right on the floor and I got really close to buying it. It was the most gorgeous piece of machinery I had ever seen. I was never a fan of that car and I never really liked how it looked on the outside or inside from all the pictures I have looked at.

I am here to tell you that under no uncertain terms this car is absolutely gorgeous. The silver color is a special paint, the inside which I thought would be very simple is also absolutley amazing. As for it's performance, can't tell you because I don't know enough about that stuff.

I was so close to getting this car. My senses finally came over me and my brain took over. What was I going to do with this car? To me, I wanted to drive it all the time. The salesman looked at me like I was crazy and as I spoke to my friends from the dealership on my cell phone I realized this is not the car for me.

I am not a collector, I am not a racer and I don't care if I can tell my friends I am the only one they know that has one. That is not me.

I am just someone that loves to drive really nice sports cars and this one is the nicest I have seen in my life but you don't drive it everyday.

I did not like this car in the pictures. They don't do this car justice. Really everyone, if you haven't seen one, treat yourself and find one because it is absolutely gorgeous. I am a picky as they get and I was floored by this car. Looks wise it blows away any car I have ever seen. Like I said, performance wise, I just don't know.

I am 6'2" and I also fit into the car without any problems. Funny, the car had more room inside than the new Aston Martin DB9 which is suppose to be a touring car.

Hope everyone is enjoying their SL's. Don't worry, no new nose anytime in the planned future.

vraa

'Scuse my language by HOLY ****ING ****! Did Autospies just take NORMAL pictures from a tuner "Lotec and Carlsson and I'm sure a few more" and just say they were spy shots of a car from a few years from now?!

Man, I knew they were a ****ty source but.. wow!

Folks, those are not pictures of a R230 from the future, I'll bet you twenty bucks they are either 2004 or 2003 SL's.

speed

I am dissapointed with what MB is doing. Just look at the new 350. Looks like an SL and they gave it a SLR look nose job. This takes some of the exclusivity of owning the SL away. I am one who believes MB will change the nose of the SL and incoporate the SLR look. Why spend $140K for an SL or 190K for a SL65 when you can get "the look" for less with a 350??

Kar don

agreed, these are SLR type kits not Mercedes-Benz facelift cars. btw I saw someone mentioning height (didn't really read the post) but I am 6' 8" and fit both in the SL and SLK350.

LovinMercedes

Don't worry, the change in the nose is not happening.

okc329

Mercedes is committed to it. Just look at how long the W124 car was around versus howlong the W210 car was around. If it was a 10 year run in the past it will be no more than 6-7 in the future.

vraa

The SLK has always looked like the SL and in someways, the new R230 looking like the R170 from the rear. No one buys a Mercedes any more for the exclusivity.

david_101

does anyone have any additional info about when the facelift or restyle may happen?

david_101

an SLR-dedicated rep at S FL autohaus told me the car was designed so it could be used as a daily driver.

(frankly, i'd have to purchase two adjacent spots at whole foods, banks, the gym, and all other places i stop at regularly.)

the one i saw didn't have COMAND. no COMAND???? sheesh, now that's really bothersome! i didn't bother to check the boot dimensions after noting that deficieny.

i may have to make do with AMGs equipped with the new DVD nav. tough life, right?

all the best,
david