2022 Mercedes-AMG SL: Next-gen roadster to adopt AMG branding
Mercedes' next-gen flagship convertible will ditch 'Benz' for 'AMG' in its name, mirroring its Affalterbach-based development cycle.
Meet the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL – the new name for Mercedes-Benz's iconic SL roadster.
The name change for the upcoming, seventh generation of Mercedes-Benz's flagship drop-top follows the announcement in August 2020 development of the new model would be led by the brand's high-performance division, Mercedes-AMG, in a bid to bestow the new SL with a sharper, sportier drive than that of its predecessor.
A handful of camouflaged 'spy' photos were released alongside the announcement – with similar amounts of disguise to prototypes spied in February 2021 – showcasing the AMG SL's sleek shape, sporting a "redesigned" fabric roof in favour of the outgoing model's heavier folding hard-top, which will house a '2+2' seating configuration.
Mercedes-AMG has confirmed the seventh-generation SL will be the first in the model's history to feature all-wheel drive, namely a fully-variable 4Matic+ system expected to be shared with the brand's E63 V8 sedan.
Rumours suggest the all-paw drivetrain will be paired to a range of electrified four-cylinder and V8 engines, spanning from the entry-level, 291kW, rear-drive SL 43 four-pot to the 615kW, V8-powered SL 73 4Matic+ range-topper.
Under the skin will sit a new architecture shared with the next-generation Mercedes-AMG GT super coupe, while inside the cabin will sit an arrangement of screens borrowed from the S-Class sedan.
The 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL – or SL Roadster, as it could be called – will make its full debut "later this year", with an Australian launch likely for 2022.
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