Two men look at a newly unveiled 2017 Mercedes-AMG SL63 convertible at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California on November 18, 2015.
(Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
The new Mercedes-AMG SL may be getting a new twist with Germany's MB Passion Blog reporting that an entry-level SL43 will soon be getting a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That is an interesting development considering the Mercedes-AMG SL was launched exclusively with V8s.
The said SL could become available to Mercedes-AMG fans as early as this month. The Mercedes-AMG SL43 could use a variant of the automaker's C-Class' M254 mild-hybrid engine, which is tuned to generate 390 horsepower with 20 more horsepower available via electricity.
The turbocharger in the luxury car will feature a 48-volt electric motor driving the compressor wheel, which would help eliminate turbo lag. Buyers of this new SL43 car will get round twin exhaust tips for their vehicles instead of the squared-off quads found on the current models.
Mercedes-AMG SL55 and SL63 specs and features
The Mercedes-AMG SL exclusively uses a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 variant in its SL55 and SL63 models. The SL55 can generate 469 horsepower with 615 pound-feet of torque, while the SL63 is tuned to produce 577 horsepower with 590 pound-feet of twist.
The SL55 can reach 0-60 MPH in just 3.8 seconds, while the SL63 is slightly quicker in that regard, needing just 3.5 seconds to reach 60 MPH from a standstill position. Both shift gears of the SL55 and SL63 are paired with AMG's speedshift MCT 9-speed transmission.
The SL models receive power to all four wheels through Mercedes-Benz's 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive. The new SL features 2+2 seating for the first time in over 30 years, giving this Mercedes-Benz model more space and versatility. The car's interior also features an 11.9" multimedia touchscreen positioned vertically.
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SL to rock four-cylinder for the first time since 1963
The SL may not be the only vehicle by Mercedes to get a variant with just half of those cylinders. According to the report, the German automaker is preparing a four-cylinder variant of the next-gen AMG GT and a C43 sedan that uses the same four-cylinder engine as the alleged SL43.
The Mercedes-AMG SL may be rocking a four-pot soon, but this would not be the first SL model to get a four-cylinder variant. Avid historians of Mercedes would know that from 1955 to 1963, the luxury carmaker built the 190 SL, which was powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine.
Mercedes introduced that car to customers as an entry-level alternative to the company's legendary 300 SL Gullwing. Once that era ended, though, Mercedes opted to exclusively power its luxury convertible with V6s, V8s, and V12s.
It is pretty clear, though, that Mercedes' decision to bring back the four-cylinder engine to the grand tourer Benz is not driven by the company's desire to pay homage to the 190 SL but to provide customers with a cheaper SL alternative.
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