The Mercedes-Benz SL (R232) is the seventh generation of the

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (marketed as Mercedes-AMG SL-Class (R232), Mercedes-AMG SL since 2022) is a grand touring sports car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 1954. The designation "''SL"'' derives from the German language, German term "''Sp ...

roadster, succeeding the R231 model. Introduced on 28 October 2021, the R232 serves as a direct replacement for the GT Roadster. It was exclusively marketed under the

Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG v ...

brand until the introduction of the

Mercedes-Maybach Maybach (, ) is a German luxury car brand owned by and a part of Mercedes-Benz AG. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH'', and it was ...

SL in August 2024.

Design

Roof system

The R232 has several departures from its previous SL-Class predecessors, one of which is the design of the

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...

roof. AMG switched from a folding metal roof to a fabric-lined roof that utilizes

electric motors An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate Laplace force i ...

compared to

hydraulics Hydraulics () is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counterpart of pneumatics, which concer ...

which reduces the weight of the car by . This was done to lower the

center of gravity In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the barycenter or balance point) is the unique point at any given time where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. For ...

for improved handling. The R232 is also fitted with the fourth generation of Mercedes all-wheel-drive system, 4Matic, and rear-axle steering.

Seating and dashboard

The R232 reintroduced the 2+2 seating as standard, since the C107 and R129, which had the optional 2+2 seating. The dashboard is symmetrical, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch touchscreen panel in the center. The instrument cluster is placed within a binnacle which Mercedes claims to reduce the reflections from the sunlight and improve visibility when the roof is folded down. The touchscreen panel in the center is electronically tiltable to the vertical position for the same reason.

Frame

The car's platform is an aluminum

space frame In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure (Three-dimensional space, 3D truss) is a rigid, lightweight, truss-like structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometry, geometric pattern. Space frames can ...

self-supporting body structure developed by AMG to provide more rigidity. Transverse rigidity and longitudinal rigidity are said to be 50% and 40% higher, respectively compared to the GT roadster platform. AMG's chief technical officer, Jochen Hermann, reported that the SL shell weighs .

Technical data

At the launch, the sole engine option was a biturbo 4.0-litre V8 with two different levels of output: SL 55 4MATIC+ and SL 63 4MATIC+. The lesser SL 55 is rated at & while the SL 63 has & . The base six-cylinder inline engine and a more powerful hybrid version of the V8 engine are to be introduced at later date. The 4-cylinder model is added with the SL 43. The SL 43 is rated at & which adds an extra for mild hybrid. This marks the first time the SL-Class is powered by an

inline-4 A straight-four engine (also referred to as an inline-four engine) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout ( ...

engine since Mercedes-Benz 190 SL.

References

External links

{{Mercedes-Benz timeline 2020 to date R232 All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 2021 Roadsters Personal luxury cars Coupés Grand tourers Plug-in hybrid vehicles