Currently reading: Mercedes-Benz SL replacement confirmed despite sluggish sales

Luxury drop-top will be a "real wow car", according to Mercedes chief Dieter Zetsche

Mercedes-Benz will launch a replacement for the SL, company chief Dieter Zetsche has confirmed, ending speculation that it might not be replaced.

Sales of the SL, one Mercedes' most iconic models, have dwindled in its current generation, and company sources had not seen evidence of a replacement model in the product plan.

However, speaking to Autocar at the Geneva motor show, Zetsche confirmed that Mercedes was working on a replacement for the SL, although he did not put a date on its launch.

"We are working on a next generation of the SL," Zetsche said. "The plan is to make a real wow car, a stunning car."

Zetsche said such a bold step was needed for the SL, as the model always performed best when it was not as conservative as the current model is.

"Whenever we accomplished that in the past, the SL has had a very good performance in the marketplace and that's where we want to go."

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Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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Jeremy 8 May 2018

I'm not surprised sales are

I'm not surprised sales are dwindling. The current SL is hideous, and cars like this should be all about style.

Marcus Mackay 7 March 2018

The real SL problem is

lousy service

£1300 for a major service

Cronic unreliability, I had 3 sensors fail in 6 months

this is the complete opposite of Porsche which is why they hold their value

 

J13Dog 6 March 2018

Dieter Zetsche

Listen up.....When you design the next SL remember to step back from it every now and again and take a good look at it overall. Do not make it look like a dogs breakfast like the last one. And please place the exteroir mirrors in the correct place IE like they are on the E~Class Saloon NOT the E~Class Coupe. Mirrors sprouting out of the doors ala SLC style look terrible. The next SL could be Sporty & Light and NOT electric or full of AI driver aids.