- Mercedes prepares a refreshed look for the SL that first arrived in 2021.
- Spy shots reveal subtle tweaks, including a taller Panamericana grille.
- The SL63’s 5.5-liter bi-turbo V8 remains, possibly with added power.
Mercedes will make a big thing of its grilles for the next few years, and we mean big. We know this from the reveal of the new GLC EV, an image teasing the upcoming C-Class EV, and the recent Vision Iconic concept.
And now designers have been tasked with applying some of that thinking to the brand’s existing cars, including the SL.
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The current SL still looks great in our opinion, but it made its debut in October 2021 so it’s due a little nip and tuck, particularly since its Porsche 911 rival was renewed relatively recently.
As with the Porsche 992.1 to 992.2 transition, only dedicated fans will immediately notice the difference between old and new cars, but that new grille didn’t pass us by.
No, it’s not a huge new jumbo grille like the GLC EQs’ or the Vision Iconic concept’s, or even as big as the one on the SL’s GT coupe brother, but it’s noticeable deeper this time around, the bottom section now dropping behind the license plate rather than ending just above it.
We won’t be surprised to see it feature plenty of illumination to make the car instantly recognizable at night.
More: Mercedes-AMG Forced To Kill Some Of Its Loudest Cars Under New EU Rules
Enlarging the grille means reshaping the whole bumper assembly, whose side air intakes’ new design is hidden behind camouflage on these prototypes. The headlights appear unchanged here, but will definitely showcase new DRL graphics in time for the MY27 SL hitting the road next year. Same goes for the rear.
Baldauf
But what about the interior? We were half expecting Mercedes-AMG to update the dashboard with the pillar-to-pillar digital setup Mercedes has put into cars like the new CLA and GLC, but the few pics that show glimpses of the dash through the windows of these test cars confirm that the existing center-mounted tablet display is still present.
Also present, according to the fender badges on this pair of SL63s, is the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, though we’re sure the AMG engineers will have liberated a few more horses.
The current SL63 makes 577 hp (585 PS), and the less highly-tuned SL55 cranks out 470 hp (477 PS). Other engines include a 416 hp (422 PS) 2.0-liter inline four in the SL43 and an 805 hp (816 PS) hybrid V8 in the SL 63 S E Performance PHEV. Mercedes also offers the SL in Maybach trim with the SL63’s motor but softer suspension.
