2017 Mercedes-Benz SL Debuts with New Look

They fixed the styling, mostly.

 Official Photos and Info

Ever since the 300SL was launched in the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz’s flagship roadster has been an icon of style. The original 300SL inspired the elegant 190SL, and the later "Pagoda" version, designed by Paul Bracq, stood out for its lithe, compact shape. The R129, launched in 1989, was the epitome of sleek modernism. But something went wrong with the current model, which debuted for 2013. We’ve previously called it "slightly awkward" and noted that it broke a long line of beautiful design. No one at Mercedes-Benz has been particularly eager to defend its aesthetics since former design chief Peter Pfeiffer retired.

The SL's midcycle refresh for 2017—which is early as far as SLs go—includes a few mechanical updates. But its main purpose is to clean up the SL's looks as much as possible. Viewed from the front, the operation has been a remarkable success. Cleaner surfaces, reshaped headlights, and an entirely new grille inspired by the look of the 300SL that won the 1952 Carrera Panamericana give the car a face that looks as distinctive as it is elegant. The grille shape will appear on future Mercedes-AMG models that are unrelated to the SL, as well.

After fixing the front, Daimler seems to have run out of budget, as the unfortunate rear end with its oversize taillights remains almost untouched, and the profile view receives nothing more than slightly larger "cosmetic air outlets." Moreover, there are few changes to the rather nondescript interior. Still, the SL is an altogether better-looking car, and the cosmetic changes are welcome.

Under the skin, the entry-level model—formerly called the SL400, now renamed SL450—gets the most significant changes: Its twin-turbocharged V-6 jumps from 329 to 362 horsepower, and it is now mated to a new, nine-speed automatic. As a result, the factory zero-to-60-mph time improves from 5.1 to 4.9 seconds. This time is no doubt conservative, as we hit 60 in 4.6 in the SL400. The uplevel SL550, powered by a 449-hp 4.7-liter twin-turbo V-8, gains the same nine-speed automatic but its powertrain otherwise is untouched.

There are no major changes to the AMG models, which include the SL63 with its 577-hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 and the SL65 with its 621-hp 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-12. Both models keep their seven-speed "Speedshift" automatic, which has been tweaked for quicker shifts.

Daimler has made life with the SL even easier: Its roof can be opened and closed at speeds up to 25 mph, a blessing when the light turns green earlier than expected and you'd rather not hold up traffic behind you by forcing them to admire the impressively complex gyrations of the SL's retractable hardtop. That separator within the trunk—a plastic cover that is moved to a different position depending on whether the top is up or down—now is electrically powered. And the red ambient lighting inside the cabin can be switched to white or blue. One of our favorite gimmicks is the curve-tilting function on the available Active Body Control suspension. It makes the SL lean into corners a couple of degrees, like a motorcycle.

When the revised SL comes to market in early 2016, its prices will remain close to the current model, which means about $86,000 for the base SL and $109,000 for the SL550. The two AMG models should run about $151,000 (SL63) and $220,000 (SL65). They may not be easy on the wallet, but at least they will be easier on the eyes.