SL/R232: The new SL was at Pebble Beach
10-02-2021, 10:28 AM
#26
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 2,838
Received 1,585 Likes
on
982 Posts
Mercedes/Mazda/Genesis
I'm not sure where this idea of the SL replacing the S 2-Door came from. The SL is not replacing the S 2-Door despite it being canned, that market was incredibly small, hence why it was canned. The first clue should have been the fact that its an AMG-only vehicle which doesn't fit with the S-Class philosophy. MB and AMG are emphasizing the SL to once again be an athletic and sporty handling roadster once again.
10-02-2021, 11:17 AM
#27
Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Land of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 10,056
Received 3,241 Likes
on
2,018 Posts
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
I'm not sure where this idea of the SL replacing the S 2-Door came from. The SL is not replacing the S 2-Door despite it being canned, that market was incredibly small, hence why it was canned. The first clue should have been the fact that its an AMG-only vehicle which doesn't fit with the S-Class philosophy. MB and AMG are emphasizing the SL to once again be an athletic and sporty handling roadster once again.
Real sales of those would have been even lower if MB wouldn’t have had the habit to force allocations on dealers.
If a dealer wanted to get sufficient AMG and G-Wagon inventory, they would have to take them and usually blow them out at incredible discounts.
That obviously varied by region but the car was just cancelled and not replaced by anything.
The AMG GT Roadsters were also not selling as well as the coupes as they weren't a good fit for Mercedes convertible customers. Too difficult to get into, a bit too spartan inside and too sporty of a ride.
The new SL is designed to be softer than the new AMG GT coupes even in its highest performance trim. So this isn’t just a name change from GT to SL either.
Last edited by Wolfman; 10-02-2021 at 11:21 AM.
10-02-2021, 12:31 PM
#28
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Scottsdale AZ
Posts: 1,564
Received 447 Likes
on
357 Posts
2015 CLS 550 2015 ML 400 Previous 2020 GLB 250 2019 A 220 2005 ML 350 1989 300 E 2001 SL 500
MB had issues selling the S-Class cab from the get go. Especially the V12 S65 trim. Although all were slow sellers.
Real sales of those would have been even lower if MB wouldn’t have had the habit to force allocations on dealers.
If a dealer wanted to get sufficient AMG and G-Wagon inventory, they would have to take them and usually blow them out at incredible discounts.
That obviously varied by region but the car was just cancelled and not replaced by anything.
The AMG GT Roadsters were also not selling as well as the coupes as they weren't a good fit for Mercedes convertible customers. Too difficult to get into, a bit too spartan inside and too sporty of a ride.
The new SL is designed to be softer than the new AMG GT coupes even in its highest performance trim. So this isn’t just a name change from GT to SL either.
Real sales of those would have been even lower if MB wouldn’t have had the habit to force allocations on dealers.
If a dealer wanted to get sufficient AMG and G-Wagon inventory, they would have to take them and usually blow them out at incredible discounts.
That obviously varied by region but the car was just cancelled and not replaced by anything.
The AMG GT Roadsters were also not selling as well as the coupes as they weren't a good fit for Mercedes convertible customers. Too difficult to get into, a bit too spartan inside and too sporty of a ride.
The new SL is designed to be softer than the new AMG GT coupes even in its highest performance trim. So this isn’t just a name change from GT to SL either.
We had great luck with GT convertibles. I think that is more of a market specific thing.
I think the new SL will be a great fit. The convertible market favors smaller sporty cars. The SL will slot in above the 911 and below Ferrari and Lamborghini. Right back to it's roots.
10-02-2021, 02:29 PM
#29
Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Land of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 10,056
Received 3,241 Likes
on
2,018 Posts
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
We sold every S 63 convertible we could get our hands on. The S 550's cabs were very slow sellers. Same with the V12's It took us forever to sell our Maybach S convertible.
We had great luck with GT convertibles. I think that is more of a market specific thing.
I think the new SL will be a great fit. The convertible market favors smaller sporty cars. The SL will slot in above the 911 and below Ferrari and Lamborghini. Right back to it's roots.
We had great luck with GT convertibles. I think that is more of a market specific thing.
I think the new SL will be a great fit. The convertible market favors smaller sporty cars. The SL will slot in above the 911 and below Ferrari and Lamborghini. Right back to it's roots.
Our GTC sits in the garage for 5 months a year due to weather. This is where the new SL scores big; while the soft top isn't perfect for winter, AWD is... This will be a very usable car.
10-02-2021, 04:15 PM
#30
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 4,846
Received 290 Likes
on
203 Posts
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
My initial impression with the car in real life, was an upgraded AMG GT Roadster, from the inside and the outside. Beautiful, like the AMG GT Roadster also was. And as you could read in several articles, it will be built on the same MSA platform as the AMG GT Coupe.
That the MB marketing department decided to call it the new SL is purely their call. Nothing wrong with that, but just so you know what to expect. It is like the BMW 8-series, which in fact is "just" a new 6-series, so a sportier coupe/convertible version of the 5-series (comparable with the E Coupe/Cabriolet). Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect a 7-serie coupe/convertible in quality, etc. (like the S coupe/cabrio).
That the MB marketing department decided to call it the new SL is purely their call. Nothing wrong with that, but just so you know what to expect. It is like the BMW 8-series, which in fact is "just" a new 6-series, so a sportier coupe/convertible version of the 5-series (comparable with the E Coupe/Cabriolet). Nothing wrong with that, but don't expect a 7-serie coupe/convertible in quality, etc. (like the S coupe/cabrio).
M
10-02-2021, 07:11 PM
#31
Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Land of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 10,056
Received 3,241 Likes
on
2,018 Posts
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
You are way too caught up in this platform stuff man. I don't get the point of this constant speculation about what the car will be or what it's based on before actually driving it. It's an SL. It's starting with a totally new space frame/platform, so it's not just an upgraded GT. I mean even with the BMWs what difference does any of that make if the car presents itself well? The 8-series is overpriced, but you wouldn't know what it was based on unless someone told you that. How is the quality of the 8-series lower than the 7-series? I'd love to hear the differences. I seriously doubt the marketing department just called over and said hey that updated GT that you're doing, lets call it an SL - if they did though, what are the deficiencies of them doing this when the GT was already an SL like, high end car to begin with?
M
M
The 8 series does have the carbon core body unlike the 5 series…
10-03-2021, 09:23 AM
#32
MBWorld Fanatic!
It happens that I was just playing around on BMW's site and it looks like the 8 series received a huge price reduction for 2022 (looks like around $15k for all models). It now seems more in line with where they should have been priced from the beginning.
10-03-2021, 06:42 PM
#33
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 4,846
Received 290 Likes
on
203 Posts
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
M
10-17-2021, 08:09 AM
#34
Senior Member
Totally agree with your point that the (new) SL does indeed not replace the S cabrio (that was in fact the only point I did try to make 
).
And yes, I did see the new SL myself, in real life, inside and outside (without any wrap), but did sign a NDA, so I can not disclose any factual or technical details before October 20th (official presentation date), but only what my first impression is comparing it to the previous SL and the S cabriolet.
If you want to see a small part of the front, look here: https://mercedesblog.com/first-photo...enz-sl-leaked/
).And yes, I did see the new SL myself, in real life, inside and outside (without any wrap), but did sign a NDA, so I can not disclose any factual or technical details before October 20th (official presentation date), but only what my first impression is comparing it to the previous SL and the S cabriolet.
If you want to see a small part of the front, look here: https://mercedesblog.com/first-photo...enz-sl-leaked/
https://www.carscoops.com/2021/10/me...-extra-8-days/
(The red one, was the one I did see back in August)
The following users liked this post:
mortgagemaster (10-18-2021)
10-18-2021, 07:50 PM
#35
Junior Member
Good information! I'm #5 on my dealer's list for an order as soon as it opens. Hoping the DOG will be issued close to the launch date so I can make my selections.
10-19-2021, 12:49 PM
#36
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Scottsdale AZ
Posts: 1,564
Received 447 Likes
on
357 Posts
2015 CLS 550 2015 ML 400 Previous 2020 GLB 250 2019 A 220 2005 ML 350 1989 300 E 2001 SL 500
This isn't the launch date. We are probably months away from the DOG. This is just the introduction for the new SL.
10-20-2021, 04:33 PM
#37
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 4,846
Received 290 Likes
on
203 Posts
2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
Next week is going to be quite a week. A new SL, Corvette Z06 Coupe and Convertible and the new Range Rover. ALL IN ONE WEEK!!! You rich guys gets your checkbooks ready.
M
M
10-21-2021, 01:13 AM
#40
Junior Member
As I understand it is moving from the E-class platform to the MSA platform (also used for the new AMG GT): https://mercedesblog.com/first-co-dr...w-mercedes-sl/
See more here: https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...en-generation/
A few years ago, MB had the choice of 6(!) different convertibles: SLK, SL, C, E, S and AMG GT Roadster. From now on, there will be only 2(!): C/E and SL. Where the new SL is more an upgraded AMG GT Roadster (in size, driving, etc), and is different class then a SL imho, let alone a >5 meter long S cabrio.
Nothing wrong with that, it certainly will be a major upgrade from the AMG GT Roadster, but since MB tries to get all 6 target groups in the 2 open cars left, they certainly will loose customers that are not in for a roadster, but want a large, luxourious but sporty converible. For example air supsension will not be offered on the new SL, it will a have smaller wheelbase then the current SL. etc.
See more here: https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...en-generation/
A few years ago, MB had the choice of 6(!) different convertibles: SLK, SL, C, E, S and AMG GT Roadster. From now on, there will be only 2(!): C/E and SL. Where the new SL is more an upgraded AMG GT Roadster (in size, driving, etc), and is different class then a SL imho, let alone a >5 meter long S cabrio.
Nothing wrong with that, it certainly will be a major upgrade from the AMG GT Roadster, but since MB tries to get all 6 target groups in the 2 open cars left, they certainly will loose customers that are not in for a roadster, but want a large, luxourious but sporty converible. For example air supsension will not be offered on the new SL, it will a have smaller wheelbase then the current SL. etc.
