dkim

I was at an intersection and saw the new sl550 coming from my left side so I got to see the front, side, and rear of the vehicle. Wow, it looks worse in person than in the vids/pics. The headlights have this orange led wave above the main xenons that really look hideous. I don't think I'll get used to the new look. Someone on another car forum put it best (but extremely insensitive) by saying it looks like it has down syndrome.

The paint was matte black I believe, and after making the turn behind the sl, we came to a red light. The back of this thing looks like a hyundai genesis with in terms of the rear lights. The car had dealer plates on them which makes me think it is owned by one of the execs in their montvale nj headquarters.

What a disappointment...I thought it would look better in person but it sucks

Tri-Star

If it was flat matte black it might of been coming from headquarters in montvale and somewhat camo'd

dkim

it was definitely from the montvale headquarters. It had "DTM" plates on it and no camo whatsoever.

I must see new mercs months before they are sent to the dealers. Just today I saw a 2013 GL550 silver on the parkway.

abiazis

I used to work across the street from MBUSA and always drove thru the parking lots to get a look at new models.......fun....

SL4Life

Normally i would say "its gonna take some time to get used to". In this case the most dissapointing thing is the loss of the sleek nose! it is no longer a sports car, its a convertible CL! SMH...

dkim

saw another one park at the golf club....still not used to the front especially with the orange side marker...uhhgg

RichardB

The car grows on you quickly. I remember the same thing being said about the last body style when it first came out. And the same thing was said earlier when the round head lights were replaced with More modern.

I like the look. It's definitely taken a big step away from the "typical" look of roadster front ends and back toward a more conventional Mercedes look.

With that said, the car looks MUCH better in person than the doctored up semi photoshopped pictures in the brochures or that you see on MBUSA web site.

Regardless, sitting in and driving the thing is a true pleasure, much more so than previous models and-----I speak from experience here----you cannot for the life of you see those orange side markers when you're driving.

RJC

First off that car has no sport rims and imho the amg rims really help the looks of ALL MB's with the SL being no exception. I too however am not crazy about the orange markers and I think the 63 will do without them; the euro version is also void of them.

The thing most are forgetting is every other SL except for the R230 had an upright front end.

Daytona-flyer

No photos, nothing in your garage. Lots of complaints.

A jealous Troll?

I get thumbs-up daily!

abiazis

Thanks for the photo........if anyone lives by Montvale, NJ....go to Mercedes employee parking lot and snap a few...I used to work across the street and do a drive through to see new stuff....

The headlights - OMG......even though new pedestrian standards are causing this, other manufacturers have been able to design something that looks good......I think the appeal is for the Asian markets, as the cars are looking very Japanese, i.e. Lexus, Infiniti, etc...that is where the future is as far as critical sales mass....

RichardB

I am beginning to think the same thing.

I like the way it looks and wrote a check on the spot. After 100 miles I love the way it drives. It is a much much finer and incredibly more advanced automobile than previous SL's.

I was at a MBCA event last week with mine. Nothing but compliments from 60 other MB SL owners.

Like most here, we've worked hard, earned a nice living and can afford what we want. We wanted this.

Soly20

I love the looks. I previously owned a R230 SL55 AMG and i like the looks of this one more tbh.
I didn't need to get this car but wanted to cause I really liked its looks. I could have gotten the new Porsche 911 but preferred this one for its looks and interior comfort level and luxury. The prosche is practically the same as the older model but with narrower tail lights.
I don't want to buy a new car that looks 90% similar to the older one.

This new redesign looks stunning, thats also what all my friends and family said when I showed them the pictures (still haven't gotten delivery of mine).

Daytona-flyer

I am really enjoying my month old SL550. I'm just waiting for them to get some of the bugs out of Embrace II. It's on their end. I am also waiting for a MAC version of Send To Benz so I don't have use my wives PC.

Other than that I have no real issues with the car.

IMHO, the front is a big improvement over the pointed nose SLs. It's what the car should look like. Heritage is a big part of the brand. Taste is in the eye of the beholder. However, if one doesn't care for it, they should not annoy those who like it and bought it. Especially on a public forum dedicated to Mercedes Benz

Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, this "nose bashing" has run it's course.

To those who don't like it, get an drop dead gorgeous Italian car.
You know, a fiat 500 would be a good choice.<VBG>.

dkim

Wow, haven't been called a troll before. Wasn't trying to bait people into a flame war...just really disappointed in the way it looks that's all. IMO the previous gen is much more aggressive looking and manly although I have to say the interior of the new one looks much much better.

my garage? a clk500 that I can't seem to get rid of and a RR sport.

Daytona-flyer

It wasn't your opinion that irked me. It's the lack of feelings for those, like me, who just bought one. Not just you now, there seems to be an "ugly bus" that many here have to get on.

Hey, I just dropped 120 large on the car. Can you see where I'm coming from? The threads title, "saw one in old tappan nj...disgusting" says it all.

As a matter of interest only, get used to it! The car was selling fast last month. http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...ling-cars.html The new SL ties for first place in regards to how long it stays in the showroom. (8 days).

It seems everyone I run into think it's a fine looking automobile. A motorcycle cop, next to me at a light, said "Wow. nice car sir". Kids come up to me, young ladies ask me about it. Then I come here and I find the car being bashed.

Though beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, ugly runs much deeper.

RichardB

You make several very good points, Daytona.

But why do these people want to bash these cars so aggressively? Did they expect Mercedes to copy the dated style of Mazda's Miata?

The old SL, still an magnificent design and and wonderful automobile, does not compare to the new one. I drove both cars. If I liked the old style more, I would have purchased one of those. I didn't. I like the new car much more. I like the drive, I like the power, I like the feel, I like the quality and the luxury. There is very little about this car I don't like with my only irritation being the engine shut off function. I also wrote a check for better than $120k to back up those feelings. But then again, I actually drove, studied and compared the two automobiles side by side.

I have no doubt that given the ability and opportunity to drive away with either car the nose bashers would swallow their words and rather than whining spend their time smiling about the car the same way we do!

Then again, maybe they'd run away and buy that Miata.

With all that said, for the life of me I can't see the front end when I'm driving this magnificent piece of luxurious and high performance German engineering. I wish I could, it's a darn good looking automobile. The car can, and will, prove itself.

abiazis

The greatest thing about subjective opinions, especially about design, is that you don't have to swallow your words........just state them and move on........some people like Kim Kardashian's butt, some don't........I happen to group the SL's front end with my opinion of Kim's butt.........

RichardB

So you admit your opinion is asinine? We agree. Just kidding.

gocargo

I thought so much of the 2013 SL's looks, safety features, engine and construction that it's the first new car, of any make, I've EVER purchased for myself although affording (a brand new MB) was never an issue

Helmut430

Great color combination, gocargo! Congrats on buying a very handsome automobile.

cal1

Too Funny! I wonder how much of the design is the result of the more "pedestrian friendly" bumper?

cal1

Add Car and Driver to the list of Jealous Trolls. They were a bit nicer though, calling the R231 ungainly. I wonder what they think of Kim's butt?

http://blog.caranddriver.com/2013-me...+and+Driver%29

All joking aside, the styling is starting to grow on me. Most new MB models seem to do that. You should of heard the W211 guys go on about how horrid the W212 was. I think many kind of like it now.

Florida Joe

I have had the car 24 hours. I have had more people give me the thumbs up or yell out out their window on the positive looks of the car.

dkim

uggghh...I hate myself for saying this but it's taken me 6 months to get used to the new SL and now the old one looks really, really dated. Saw a handful on the road now, including an sl63 in white...nice looking ride.

Sorry if I offended anyone who dropped 100k+ on this car...you are just more forward thinking and designed advanced than moi

jmrscuderia

For those out there who hate the new SL I suggest you drive one and I guarantee you will change your mind, it's much aggressive and faster than previous model not to mentioned the interior which is beautiful and elegant. I own many high end cars over the years and this one it's in my top 3