SL/R231: 2022 SL Road & Track
#26
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I'm sure we'll see lots of high tech in the new SL. All the latest bells and whistles but unfortunately for a lot of us it won't be what we want to drive. At 70 I figure I'll keep my '15 for 3 years and trade for a '19 or '20. That will last me until I move to an old man's E Class.
#27
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You guys do realize that the SL started out more of a sports car and now the old man cruiser that it is now right? I don't think they've forgotten their audience, the "audience" has left the building as per the sales numbers. The SL has to evolve or it will die off. The car is hopelessly, if charmingly outdated at this point, a C-Class Cabriolet has more tech on board, but I get it. The SL was always the Mercedes that many people aspired to own. The look of the current car was a disaster on day one, the facelift helped, but didn't totally fix it. The R129 SL from 1990-2002 was pure grace, ridiculously robust engineering, innovative and built like a bank vault. When it was introduced in 1990 it was also a tech marvel. The 2003 R230 was even more gorgeous, if not built the same, but it was hugely popular with its new folding hard top and airy interior. Then the market has changed and the current car's looks didn't help. I was set to buy one when it debuted, but went with a BMW because I couldn't digest the look. Hopefully Mercedes will restore the SL to it's proper place for 2021 with a stunning design inside and out, tech and performance. The engineering and quality of the current SL smacks you the minute you open the door, it feels expensive as a Mercedes should, but the look killed it in an already shrinking market segment.
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#28
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I just saw this in a Road & Track article.... I'm still not a soft top guy... but I like the flared rear fenders........ https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...-2020-driving/
#29
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You guys do realize that the SL started out more of a sports car and now the old man cruiser that it is now right? I don't think they've forgotten their audience, the "audience" has left the building as per the sales numbers. The SL has to evolve or it will die off. The car is hopelessly, if charmingly outdated at this point, a C-Class Cabriolet has more tech on board, but I get it. The SL was always the Mercedes that many people aspired to own. The look of the current car was a disaster on day one, the facelift helped, but didn't totally fix it. The R129 SL from 1990-2002 was pure grace, ridiculously robust engineering, innovative and built like a bank vault. When it was introduced in 1990 it was also a tech marvel. The 2003 R230 was even more gorgeous, if not built the same, but it was hugely popular with its new folding hard top and airy interior. Then the market has changed and the current car's looks didn't help. I was set to buy one when it debuted, but went with a BMW because I couldn't digest the look. Hopefully Mercedes will restore the SL to it's proper place for 2021 with a stunning design inside and out, tech and performance. The engineering and quality of the current SL smacks you the minute you open the door, it feels expensive as a Mercedes should, but the look killed it in an already shrinking market segment.
M
M
Last edited by C280 Sport; 11-19-2019 at 07:15 PM.
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#30
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I cannot imagine what technology they could add to my car to make it a more pleasing place to be.
For my tastes, the 2022 SL looks fabulous (with the roof open) but being a soft top will spoil it. One of the things I love about the SL (and the SLK I had before the SL) is that it feels like two different cars with the roof up and down.
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#32
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From a business point of view (Mercedes is a business) it kills me to say that you are 100% correct. From a car lover's point of view, I would hate to see the SL go back to a soft top. Also, having crazy tech that takes away from the luxury factor that is is and having huge screens. I agree I think the audience has left and $120,000 is a lot to spend on a car. Many people want the best car their money can buy. For $120,000 there are many more sporty, faster, cooler cars compared to the SL. 911, ZR1, GTR, AMG, M, Audi, ECT. Even used exotics. However, for me. Nothing matches the quality and attention to detail of the SL or even the comfort. Performance and wow factor that is not the SL strong point but ok by me.
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Last edited by Germancar1; 11-20-2019 at 11:56 PM.
#33
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Something with the luxury of a Bentley and the tech that Mercedes is known for. The new Flying Spur smacks you with luxury and craftsmanship first, tech second. It would be nice if the SL did it that way, instead of the other way around, which is where the S-Class seems to be headed.
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How long does it take from having a rendering to production? A 2022 model will go on sale in 2021 and possibly make it's debut at the 2020 car shows?
#34
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The latest rumor is that a concept will debut at the Paris auto show in Sept 2020 with the production car sometime after that. I'd say March 2021 at Geneva we should know. Mercedes has the new S-Class, E-Class facelift and new C all due before then. Fingers crossed. The new Lexus LC500 Convertible just fired a shot over the bow of the SL IMO.
M
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#35
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Originally Posted by Germancar1
That is true. The Bentley lets you know from the moment you walk up to it, what you're paying for. That said, Mercedes can still blend/balance the tech and craftsmanship in the same way, just not as fancily as Bentley does.
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van_rider (11-28-2019)
#36
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You're correct Eddie045...the link is no longer available. I tried to revisit that link and could not find it. The SL is not mentioned. at all ...it was a Car & Driver render photo used in a road and track site that no longer exists...I cannot explain..anyway...Happy Thanksgiving everyone!...
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Rockinrob (11-29-2019)
#38
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You're correct Eddie045...the link is no longer available. I tried to revisit that link and could not find it. The SL is not mentioned. at all ...it was a Car & Driver render photo used in a road and track site that no longer exists...I cannot explain..anyway...Happy Thanksgiving everyone!...
Here's the Road and Track article that doesn't mention the SL at all:
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...-2020-driving/
Here's the Car and Driver article with the "years old render" (slide 17):
https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...-2020-to-2025/
The Car and Driver article is from September 14, 2019, and it links a July 7, 2019 C&D article (https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...adster-future/) that ran the same Ben Summerell-Youde illustration that first appeared here on October 1, 2018, about 14 months ago:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/...edes-benz-sl#9
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#41
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Eddio45:
Thanks for providing the correct link that contained the older rendering. I obviously copied the wrong link. My bad. .. After posting the rendering,
I thought it might be better to start a new thread. I didn't want anyone to think I was "hijacking" their post.. that's why you see it twice.
Thanks for providing the correct link that contained the older rendering. I obviously copied the wrong link. My bad. .. After posting the rendering,
I thought it might be better to start a new thread. I didn't want anyone to think I was "hijacking" their post.. that's why you see it twice.
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#44
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not at all; the illustration was the least interesting part of this thread for me. I'm not a ragtop guy, so I'm not following whatever the new design is. I ound the idea of linking the R&T article with the C&D photo interesting, as it's hard enough to do on purpose, never mind by accident. The age of the illustration has nothing to do with one's inability to click the link though.....
#45
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Well my friend I don't know what to tell you, the folding hardtop era is over. It's too heavy and costly for most carmakers today. Much cheaper to do a soft top now.
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#49
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But it ALWAYS WAS cheaper and I guess that’s part of the point here: The SL should be a “halo” car for MB, with nothing but the best of everything, weight to a certain extent and cost be damned! The AMG GT line is a great Porsche & Ferrari fighter, but the SL should stand alone, as “THE” premier, 2-seat, luxury convertible. The retractable hardtop SHOULD be a big part of that equation. Obviously, this IS all just my opinion.
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Last edited by rmorin49; 12-03-2019 at 09:20 PM.