flkp

I know I am jumping the gun, but has the rumor mill or our trusted spies heard anything about what might be coming on the 2006 SL ?

LovinMercedes

This is a higly debated subject as some people swear the SL is getting the SLR nose.

I know of no such change and even called Mercedes in Montvale and asked them as well.

My opinion, and that is all it is, my opinion is that you can expect the 2006 to be very much the same as to 2005 with some interior instrumentation change they dream up.

This year, they eliminated some things on the 2005 that both the 2003 and the 2004 had like the memory rear view mirror and the air conditioning buttons on the center of the upper dash that gave you the bursts of hot and cold air.

They also made a major command unit upgrade as they went from CD based to DVD based.

Is anything going to change. It is always a crap shoot but this is my opinion based upon what I have read and people I have spoken too.

Good Luck.

Chris 45971

I just have a couple of rumors for you. Things that I have heard. Again, these are only rumors:

- engine upgrade ~ more power and efficiency
- SLR-SLK nose to be intigrated into the design

If these changes where to take place, I think they will be big pluses (not for me and everyone who has a new SL but for the model itself). Power and efficiency is good but there will probably be a few bugs to work out with the new engine. Don't pay attention the pictures that you may have seen of the SLs with the SLR noses. Those pictures are of kits and they not Mecedes-Benz. I don't think they look that good. However, if Mercedes decides to include the SLR nose to the SL class, the lights and other conours on the front of the car will be changed. I would bet that it will look real good when it is done if Mecedes-Benz decides to go that way. We'll never know for sure until we see official Mercedes-Benz pictures. With all of the auto shows in the coming months we are sure to find out one way or another.

LovinMercedes

Chris, do you really think having just put out the SL65 that they would then make a major change to their most expensive car? I would have thought if they were going to make this change, the launch of the SL65 would have been the time to do it.

I don't think you can point back in Mercedes Benz history and ever find they have done this that early in a model cycle.

Then again, as you have said, who knows. We will only find out when Mercedes puts out pictures.

The engine upgrade I could see and would be great, I agree.

WIldcat465

My dealer has told me that we'll see no changes for 2006.

vraa

Whatever, with the lack of real useful electronic gizmo's compared to the Japanese guys, my dad is really thinking about getting rid of the SL

tiggerfink

That is the one area that Mercedes is lacking. Mercedes is so behind in radios, navigation systems, and cell phones. The Germans do not understand Americans love for gigots and gadgets. The Japanese has figured this out. Some of my friends do not car about performance or extra safety, they just want the latest gigots and gadgets in their cars.

LovinMercedes

Hey tigger, agree with you for sure on the phone but I am pretty impressed with the new 2005 DVD command center that has the new stereo and navigation. Not sure what year your car is but the new command unit is a huge improvement over the 2003 and 2004 CD command units.

LovinMercedes

And what Japanese car does he think is better than the 2005 SL's?

speed

With reference to whether or not the nose will changed on the SL for 06,keep in mind that typically Manufactures and Dealers will try to protect their current product and inventory by NOT releasing any information on the next years model, especially major changes like the nose and engine. If information is released it is usually late in the model year so as to have minumum impact on present year sales. Bottom line is that we have to wait untill late in the 05 model year before they tell us. Be alert for misleading information coming from Distributors, Dealers, and Manufactures. Sometimes they ( not only MB) employ this tactic to throw us off!

tiggerfink

I still think Mercedes is far superior to Lexus even with its shortness in radios, Navigation systems, and phones. But in 2 months there will be a Blue tooth PSE for Mercedes, so Lexus and Mercedes will be equal in phones.

Lexus has a touch screen DVD Navigations with voice control. The only thing that I can do with my 2004 SL500 Navigation is turn on the Navigation with voice control. You can even raise the cabin temperature by saying warmer on a Lexus.

I really do not care for touch screen because those screens will get damage and scratch real fast, but I do want voice control over the NAV. I am in love with the Navigation system in my 2004 SL500, and I have no complainants. I just like bells and whistles.


http://www.lexus.com/assets/models/e...LS_Page_08.pdf
http://www.lexus.com/assets/models/e...LS_Page_06.pdf

LovinMercedes

Since my car is so new I haven't played with the command unit that long but I can tell you that the difference between the 2004 and 2005 command units are night and day. The 2005 is way more high tech both in looks and in operation. I am not sure how far the voice control goes but I will let you know. Having had the 2004 command unit I couldn't imagine the 2005 being that much better. Well, I can tell you that I was blown away. It is like a 1 verses a 10, absolutely incredible.

I too am not a fan of any touch screens. They always look terrible from the smudges and I find they don't always react as well to touch as the buttons. A touch screen unit would detract from my willingness to buy a car.

To think a Lexus compares to a SL is like saying, in my opinion, bears don't **** in the woods.

Hope all is well.

tiggerfink

Lexus is designed for one type of owner and Mercedes is designed for another type of owner. Unfortunately lot of Americans pick a car with the most bells and whistles. Bells and whistles covers up for a car that is lacking.

blueSL

Can't think of any Mercedes in the recent past where a current model has had the sort of revision a new nose would entail. The SLK was a complete re-design and a new model series and it seems unlikely Mercedes would go to the expense of changing the design of the SL. It's not just the tooling for the new parts which costs, but the re-engineering of everything else affected like lights, cooling, aerodynamics plus all the crash testing and re-homologation in all the different markets. Big job and for what?

One other factor is that new regulations are coming in in the EU concerning pedestrian protection which will colour the design of all cars sold in Europe, so that will include Japanese designs, maybe not US designs which are sold in miniscule numbers here. These new regulations require more space around the hard points under the hood to reduce injury and some manufactures are looking at hoods which deploy air-bag like to provide cushioning to the hapless person you've just mown down. Mercedes could not contemplate modifying any existing design which, from a homologation point of view, would not then be regarded as an "old" or "pre-existing" design. The CLS was rushed out to beat them presumably because it does not meet them.

I think we're likely to see an evolution of easily changed body parts like the bumpers, maybe some interior revisions. But Mercedes is smarting from the quality issues it's had and their CEO has said that the number of electronic and software functions will reduce in future cars. There has to be a "it ain't broke so don't fix it" school of thought in Unterturkheim.

Next years new S Class will give us some pointers on what the next generation SL may have in terms of gizmology. In the meantime for the current SL, it will be refinement of an already excellent car, just as it has been over the first 3 years of the car's life.

I agree with you about the Japanese and German approach to electronics and related software. The Japanese go for the "surprise and delight" approach whereas the Germans are all together more clinical. Only they would call a low fuel warning a "malfunction". Porsche have the same disease. The message in my 911 says "Consider Remaining Range". How about "Fuel Low"?

vraa

Hah blueSL. I just love your cars and comments.

Bilal

BlueSL, not to detract from the thread or anything, but you complain the SL is not a sportscar (duh!) and you ordered a DB9, but thats disappeared from your sig....whats the deal? I know the 996 is your stopgap car, have you reached an ideal balance of perfection by the Porsche and Merc that didn't warrant a thorough go-between the two?

blueSL

Have to say the 911 is proving a riot, sitting as it does between the extremes of the soft SL55 and the hard F355. Makes the DB9 seems too close to the SL55 to have them both so we'll have to see how the SL55 behaves over the next year. I dumped the old SL600 on the basis of three-strikes-and-you're-out and the SL55 is on probation...

The other spoiler this year will be the AM V8 of course.

Bilal

Very clever. I assumed the Porsche would be so. Have you tried the 997 C2S by any chance? Could prove to be even better?

The AM V8 could be a great car, lets see what 2005 brings us!

flkp

Hey LovinSL600 . . . I have an 04 SL500. what changes in particular can you tell me about? I know the screen is much bigger.
I have been to Bremen and watched SL's being built. rather, crafted. I traded my Lexus SC to get my SL. yes, I am frustrated over the step down in electronics, but the SL is so much the better car. If any MB people read this forum, PLEASE upgrade our electronics. I promise I will never turn to the dark side (Lexus) again. MB should use the new Acura TL as an electronics model.

jasab

I'm not sure a Japanese car would be better, just different.
I have a Merc and a Lexus and find them very different.
I believe the build quality is edged by the Japansese, however the Mercedes have a quality driving feel that they can't seem to match / copy

Gadgets, Lexus are streets ahead, DVD Nav was released in 2001. Bluetooth late 2003.....come on Mercedes listen to us

david_101

hello all,

we've asked about whether there will be any significant changes any year soon, and have only "no," and "i haven't been told of anything."

then only thing that gives us pause is the willingness of so many dealers to discount the car. are they receiving incentives from the fatherland, or is it just good old supply-and-demand forces at work?

well, we've decided to take our chances and add an SL to our little MB family. i hope that's the right decision.

this being the best forum for MB chat, i'm certain that as soon as one learns what's to come, we all will know soon thereafter.

all the best,
david

blueSL

More than half the SLs produced will be coming to the US and it's possible MB USA committed to buy more than they should have. That will translate to dealer incentives to shift the cars if rising interest rates are dampening demand. It's not much fun for DC either, making the cars in the most expensive place to do so in the world and selling them in a currency which is worth 30% less than 18 months ago.

It's not long since cars were only being sold at above MSRP, the usual turn-around as the initial demand for a car is satisfied only these days, it seems the cycle is getting shorter and shorter.

scorchie

I believe the change to the SL nose (a "redesign") is mandated by European pedestrian impact standards. Mercedes got caught mid-cycle on this one and is being forced to make such a change before the next product lifecycle.

The earlier versions of these regulations are why you never see things like the pushbars on the M-class in Europe, where in Australia you never see one without.

-s-

v8plus4

So, you are predicting the face-lift to arrive for 2006?

blueSL

I think it's unlikely, it's only new cars which have to have the new pedestrian protection; sheet metal changes are very expensive and I can't think of a Mercedes in the recent past where such radical changes have been made.