The next Mercedes-AMG SL, which is due to be revealed next year, will hark back to the original model of the 1950s more than any generation that followed, according to Daimler’s chief design officer.
Speaking to Autocar, Gorden Wagener admitted that he’s “not a fan of retro designs”, so the new SL won’t wholly revive the two-seat, gullwing look of the formative car. However, he said that the SL is moving away from the GT-style roadster ethos of the past few decades, returning to its sporting roots. To this end, Mercedes-AMG is heavily involved in its development.
“For me, the most beautiful SL is the original, the 300,” said Wagener. “And I think we’ve taken some of that DNA, starting with the proportions, the surface treatment, things like that. In that respect, the new SL is probably the closest to the first one ever.”
Our best sighting yet of the new Porsche 911 Cabriolet rival has been of a prototype with a cover half-removed at a research and development facility in Germany. This spy shot (below) shows that the car retains its classic long bonnet and cab-back profile but uses a fabric convertible roof instead of the current SL’s folding metal item.
Its platform will be adapted by AMG for the next AMG GT but, when asked if there will be any crossover between the two, Wagener said: “The GT is more of a race car and the SL is more of a sports car. You will clearly see the differences.”
Wagener also discussed the next S-Class, which will be shown towards the end of 2020. He described the model as a “milestone in design” and a “digital S-Class of the next decade” but admitted it will evolve Mercedes’ existing design language rather than lead it into a new era.
He said: “Back in the old days, the S-Class invented a new kind of style every time for the rest of the brand. But that was back when we only had three models, and it’s impossible to do now. There are still a lot of people who love the S-Class how it is, so that’s probably the last car we would want to change [radically].”
Join the debate
Add your comment
A few rise
The original 300SL Gullwing may be my personal favorite automobile design of all time. Elegant, aggressive, and unique. I can only imagine what the average person thought when they first saw one in the mid 1950s. I thought the subsequent "Pagoda" was also a knockout. The R107 is where it morphed into more of a "lifestyles of the rich and famous" boulevarder to me. The R129 was a sensation, again a technical tour de force and timeless design. Since then...nah. We shall see with the forthcoming model. As far as the AMG/M-B overlap, it's akin to the way BMW had diluted the "M" brand; slap a badge on every model and the specialness evaporates and the original focus and intent has waned.
frarob wrote:
That's the one I'd like to see influence the next SL
The new SL will be a 'sports
The new SL will be a 'sports car' i.e. in English - the ride will be sh1t.
Perhaps its me
but the original SL was a gullwing race car with a tubular frame, put into production after public demand from America.
The SL soft top was built because demand for the hardtop was waining in the US, and it was seen as a way to re-boost sales.
So which one is he making a sports car, or a race car, he seems confused.