Just a day after grainy images scanned from a brochure revealed the look of the upcoming 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, proper high-res images of the newcomer have been leaked onto the Internet via a German car forum.
A quick straw poll in the CAR offices generally produced a mixture of mild distaste and downright shock at the exterior styling treatment doled out to what has perennially been Mercedes’ most eye-catching and graceful models.
There are definite SLS cues evident in the gills on the front wing, strong shoulder and swage lines and that long bonnet. It’s at the nose-end that it appears to have gone a bit awry…while the rectangular grille and nose cross-section are tasteful nods to both the aforementioned SLS and the SLK, the bulbous and oddly upright-looking headlamps give the car a front end reminiscent of a deep-sea fish.
Other SLK inspired touches include the likely inclusion of the compact model’s Magic Sky Control photochromatic glass roof, as well as another “Magic”-prefixed technology. Dubbed Magic Vision Control, it uses two rows of laser-drilled holes in the windscreen wiper that neatly distributes washer fluid over the screen while sidestepping the age-old problem of roof-down driving being spoiled by an eyeful of washer fluid jetted over the top of the screen.
Initial reports have suggested that while the SL (abbrev. Sport Leicht [Light]) has gone from being a lightweight roadster to a hefty GT, Mercedes intends on returning the 2013 car to its roots by employing the extensive use of aluminium – only the A-pillars and roof cross-member will use high-strength steel in their construction. As such, the new car could be as much as 140 kg lighter than its predecessor.
The engine line-up has not yet been disclosed, but expect both standard and tuned versions of the company’s 5,5-litre V8 powerplant. Mercedes-Benz South Africa has already told us that the first models to arrive in South Africa will be the SL500 and SL600 (second quarter), followed by the SL63 AMG and SL65 AMG in the third quarter.
More will be divulged when the SL makes its official debut in Detroit next month.
