Mercedes SL range - bit confused as to its purpose

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

I gather, from recent reviews, that Mercedes have made the SL more sporty. Why, when one has the AMG GT? Surely it'd be better making the SL a little bit more like a proper GT car (ironic, given the AMG GTs name) so that it has 2 very distinct models? It seems they blend into one another a little bit, or am I missing something?

Cheers

[samoht]

The current AMG GT has finished production.

Mercedes are currently aiming to save money by having fewer separate model lines. So the new plan is to consolidate the SL and GT onto a single platform for the new generation. Same engines, same gearbox (on the engine, not transaxle as the current GT), same 2+2 interior in both cars.

The fabric soft-top version is the just-launched SL, and the hard-top coupe version will be the new AMG GT coming out later this year. The sheet metal will be different, and the tuning, but they're more or less open and closed variants of the same car.

So rather than establishing two distinct models with different characters as you suggest, they're making basically one model with two body style variants.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2023-m...

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

samoht said:

The current AMG GT has finished production.

Mercedes are currently aiming to save money by having fewer separate model lines. So the new plan is to consolidate the SL and GT onto a single platform for the new generation. Same engines, same gearbox (on the engine, not transaxle as the current GT), same 2+2 interior in both cars.

The fabric soft-top version is the just-launched SL, and the hard-top coupe version will be the new AMG GT coming out later this year. The sheet metal will be different, and the tuning, but they're more or less open and closed variants of the same car.

So rather than establishing two distinct models with different characters as you suggest, they're making basically one model with two body style variants.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2023-m...

Interesting, thanks!

[fourwheeler]

samoht said:

The current AMG GT has finished production.

Mercedes are currently aiming to save money by having fewer separate model lines. So the new plan is to consolidate the SL and GT onto a single platform for the new generation. Same engines, same gearbox (on the engine, not transaxle as the current GT), same 2+2 interior in both cars.

The fabric soft-top version is the just-launched SL, and the hard-top coupe version will be the new AMG GT coming out later this year. The sheet metal will be different, and the tuning, but they're more or less open and closed variants of the same car.

So rather than establishing two distinct models with different characters as you suggest, they're making basically one model with two body style variants.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2023-m...

That's an interesting recap, thank you.

Ultimately I think MB are selling nack all SLs these days, as everybody is flocking towards SUVs.. just need to look at how MB have gone from the ML class to the GL {A / B / C / E / S}.

I read somewhere that MB were just refusing to stop the SL class due to it's heritage within the brand.. and rightly so.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

fourwheeler said:

samoht said:

The current AMG GT has finished production.

Mercedes are currently aiming to save money by having fewer separate model lines. So the new plan is to consolidate the SL and GT onto a single platform for the new generation. Same engines, same gearbox (on the engine, not transaxle as the current GT), same 2+2 interior in both cars.

The fabric soft-top version is the just-launched SL, and the hard-top coupe version will be the new AMG GT coming out later this year. The sheet metal will be different, and the tuning, but they're more or less open and closed variants of the same car.

So rather than establishing two distinct models with different characters as you suggest, they're making basically one model with two body style variants.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2023-m...

That's an interesting recap, thank you.

Ultimately I think MB are selling nack all SLs these days, as everybody is flocking towards SUVs.. just need to look at how MB have gone from the ML class to the GL {A / B / C / E / S}.

I read somewhere that MB were just refusing to stop the SL class due to it's heritage within the brand.. and rightly so.

It'll be interesting to see what happens to the S Class, too. Most luxury cars these days are SUVs. Wouldn't surprise me if S Class sales are incredibly low right now.

[fourwheeler]

TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

It'll be interesting to see what happens to the S Class, too. Most luxury cars these days are SUVs. Wouldn't surprise me if S Class sales are incredibly low right now.

Yea, that is curious alright. That said, still a lot of executive travel etc is the S class, which is what the S would have been aimed at. I'd hazard a guess that the mid size luxury saloons took a bigger hit from the SUV that the barge.

[Geoffcapes]

fourwheeler said:

Yea, that is curious alright. That said, still a lot of executive travel etc is the S class, which is what the S would have been aimed at. I'd hazard a guess that the mid size luxury saloons took a bigger hit from the SUV that the barge.

The S Class will always exist as it's the go to car for dignitaries, dictators and despots the world over!

And the diesel versions are used as cabs all over Europe.