More Details of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on February 14, 2006 at 12:05 PM CST As promised, Mercedes has published a new press release detailing additional specifications of the updated SL-Class. Similar to the previous story about the SL 55 AMG, the new press release covers pretty much everything pertaining to the SL's updated styling, as well as extensive standard features and options lists. Visit www.eMercedesBenz.com to see new photos of the updated SL, and check out the full press release below. Enjoy. OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE Design and model range: Refined sportiness Driven by a strong tradition: updated model continues the SL legend Stuttgart, Feb 14, 2006 Since its debut in 2001, the fifth-generation Mercedes-Benz SL has now also established itself as a particularly desirable vehicle in every market. With its unique combination of compelling design, advanced technology and a strong character, it is able to win over drivers in all age groups. The "SL" model designation is synonymous with passion, emotion, driving enjoyment and the sheer thrill of travelling in a roadster – as, indeed, it has been for more than 50 years. Ever since the very first SL appeared in 1954, car enthusiasts all over the world have been captivated by this legendary Mercedes model series. The new generation SL-Class resolutely perpetuates the SL legend and the unprecedented success story of the model series. With a worldwide market share of 35 percent, the SL-Class is the clear market leader in its segment. The model update measures in the areas of design, engineering, equipment/appointments and quality will help to extend this lead even further. Design: modifications calculated to create a more dynamic appearance Sparkling new looks yet still familiar – welcome to the latest generation of the SL-Class. Only a few details of the body which has won a whole series of awards were modified by the Mercedes designers in order to give it a more dynamic look. One such change concerns the front bumper: three large air intakes with a new design provide a visual indication of the power of the V6, V8 and V12 engines. By adding to the presence and width of the face of the SL, these distinctive openings visually lower the centre of gravity of the vehicle. New, oval fog lamps with chrome surrounds reinforce this effect and harmonise with the twin-headlamp face. The noticeably more pronounced V-shape of the front bumper gives the Mercedes sports car a more energetic and powerful look, even when stationary. Now featuring three louvres instead of the previous four, the slightly higher matt-silver-painted radiator grille also looks more dominant. The louvres have a more substantial appearance and feature chrome highlights which contribute to the sense of exclusivity. Light-alloy wheels: attractive designs in 17 and 18-inch versions The side view of the new generation SL-Class is dominated by attractive light-alloy wheels with an updated 5-spoke design. The SL 350 and SL 500 have new 17-inch wheels while the SL 600 has 18-inch light-alloy wheels in an exclusive V12 design. Two new 18-inch wheels are available as an option for all three models. Featuring a high- sheen surface and deliberately technical styling, the wheels with the new 5-twin-spoke design look a size bigger thanks to their spokes which continue right into the rim well. The new 10-spoke wheels add a distinctly elegant touch with their rounded, flowing forms. Modified rear light units enhance the muscular rear of the updated SL- Class. Their red and white lenses bring extra brilliance to the rear view of the SL-Class while their horizontal division creates an impression of greater width. Awards: numerous prizes reflect the quality of the design The numerous awards with which various media and bodies have recognised the SL-Class since 2001 testify to the unique status of the Mercedes Roadster. "World’s most beautiful automobile", "Deutscher Designpreis" [German design prize], "Aufregendstes Automobil" [Most exciting car], "Auszeichnung für höchste Designqualität" [Award for the highest design quality] or "1. Platz bei den Traumwagen" [Number-one dream car] are just a few examples of the international awards which the two-seater with the three-pointed star has received. Quality: special attention to interior details for even greater perceived value The discreet modifications continue inside the vehicle. By devoting great attention to detail, the designers have been able to increase the perceived value of the SL-Class even further. The characteristic combination of Mercedes comfort and sportiness has been given added emphasis within the context of the model update measures. New, even softer leather upholstery (standard in SL 500 and higher) not only improves seating comfort but also enhances the sense of quality. The high-sheen metal door sills with Mercedes-Benz lettering now have a new design. New, embossed aluminium trim elements with an attractive pattern (standard in the SL 350, available as a no-cost option for the SL 500) are pleasing to the eye and to the touch. Burr walnut wood trim elements with a new grain pattern are standard in the V8 and V12 models and are available as an optional extra for the SL 350. Another enhanced-quality feature is the redesigned shroud with double topstitching which houses the instrument cluster with its classic, chronometer-style gauges. To the right is the digital clock with a new dot-matrix display for better legibility. In front of the clock, the cover of the ventilation outlet has also been redesigned. The control switch for the vario-roof now has a more user-friendly form and a metallic surface. The two-seater can be converted from a coupé to a roadster – and vice-versa – in 16 seconds. The vario-roof is also available in a glass version as an optional extra. Interior: new colour scheme for a luxurious and sporty ambience The interior colour scheme of the new generation SL-Class has also been completely revised. In addition to the familiar alpaca grey and pebble beige, customers now have the choice of three new leather colours (standard for SL 500 or higher): black, flamenco red and cognac brown. The adoption of black as the new contrast colour extends the scope of the colour scheme and creates a luxurious and sporty ambience. The SL 350 has black seats in combined leather/"Como" fabric and can be equipped with leather upholstery as an option. All model variants can be equipped with particularly luxurious Exclusive nappa leather appointments, comprising an all- leather finish for the dashboard, door panels, centre console and the area behind the seats; the roof lining is finished in Alcantara. Customers have always been offered a wide range of colour combinations with which to individualise their SL-Class and the choice has been extended even further in the context of the model update measures. There are now five different interior colours and twelve exterior paint finishes to choose from, meaning that SL customers now have no less than 60 different possibilities for individualising the colour statement made by their sports car. Particularly scratch-resistant nanoparticle paint technology is standard The SL-Class is equipped as standard with the substantially more scratch-resistant clearcoat based on nanotechnology. This innovative paint system, which was introduced first by the Stuttgart-based automotive brand, is used in both metallic and non-metallic paint finishes. Remarkable advances in the area of nanotechnology have allowed tiny ceramic particles - each less than a millionth of a millimetre in size - to be integrated into the molecular structure of the binding agent. The nanoparticles provide a three-fold improvement in the scratch resistance of the paintwork and ensure visibly enhanced gloss over an extended period of time. designo: even greater choice with new Edition interior packages SL customers who wish to individualise their vehicles further can call on an even wider designo range with immediate effect. Ever since it was launched more than ten years ago, the high-quality designo range has become increasingly popular, especially among customers of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class who like to use this unique range of individualisation options to add a particularly personal and exclusive dimension to their roadster. Twelve different designo metallic paint finishes featuring particularly scratch-resistant nanotechnology can be combined with twelve single-tone or twelve two-tone designo leather upholstery finishes – with the result that there are practically unlimited possibilities for customers to turn their personal preferences into reality. A new feature is the designo logo on a high-quality metal badge set into the seat backrests. The designo Exclusive leather appointments have been enhanced substantially: leather appointments in the selected designo colour now cover not only the seats and the door centre panels, but also the lower part of the dashboard, the lower parts of the door panels, the rear shelf panelling and the centre console. Additional appointments available include designo Alcantara in anthracite, alpaca grey or pebble beige for the vario- roof lining as well as the A and C-pillars. With regard to the designo wood trim elements, customers can choose between three variants: maple grain stained in designo natural or designo umber designo matt natural oak grain – a new, attractive wood trim As unique as ever, the designo stone trim elements made from genuine granite are available in two versions for the SL-Class: Labrador blue pearl black Star Galaxy Furthermore, for the first time, two designo interior appointments packages offering an extremely attractive combination of colours and materials are available for the SL 350 and SL 500. designo Edition I features a classically elegant combination of colours and comprises: leather appointments in cashmere beige trim elements in designo matt natural oak grain front armrest lid in designo black leather designo black leather selector lever instrument-cluster shroud in designo black leather Alcantara roof lining in anthracite lower section of dashboard in cashmere beige The designo Edition II appointments package has a sporty character and comprises: leather appointments in designo basalt grey trim elements in black carbon fibre front armrest lid in designo black leather designo black leather selector lever instrument-cluster shroud in designo black leather Alcantara roof lining in anthracite lower section of dashboard in basalt grey AMG optional extras: even more powerful and dynamic looks for the SL- Class The SL-Class can be given an even sportier character by means of two optional extras from Mercedes-AMG: AMG bodystyling and AMG light- alloy wheels. AMG bodystyling comprises front and rear aprons as well as side skirts and has the characteristic AMG design: at the front, the redesigned bumper with the large cooling air intakes and oval fog lamps with chrome surrounds makes a particularly powerful statement – and gives the new generation SL-Class an even more muscular appearance. The side skirts pick up the design of the front apron with their distinctive styling and create a link to the rear apron. The striking rear bumper with its black insert provides a satisfying conclusion. Another particularly sporty touch is added by the AMG 5-spoke light- alloy wheels. Painted in sterling silver, they are now available as 19-inch wheels for the first time as a factory-fitted option. With their wide 255/35 (front) and 285/30 (rear) tyres, they fill out the wheel arches perfectly and give the SL-Class a decidedly dynamic look. Moreover, they also enhance the handling characteristics even further. AMG bodystyling and the distinctive AMG light-alloy wheels are available for all three model variants of the Mercedes-Benz SL- Class. Optimum transport solution: high-quality bag for area behind seats Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH offers the ideal travelling companion for those long trips in the form of a bag which has been specially developed and designed for the SL-Class. This elegant piece of luggage is matched precisely to the dimensions of the SL-Class and thus makes optimum use of the luggage shelf. The base of the bag is raised slightly in the middle to allow it fit snugly and securely over the centre tunnel of the Roadster. In addition to the standard black/black colour scheme, the rear-shelf bag will be offered in future in the three most popular colours of the original leather upholstery of the SL-Class, each colour being used in combination with black ballistic nylon. Furthermore, the customer can make a special request for the bag to be made from any other original leather upholstery so that it is a perfect, harmonious match for the interior of his or her vehicle. Thanks to the integral retaining loops made from hard-wearing nappa cowhide, the bag can be secured particularly effectively with the optional luggage strap system. The intelligent interior layout of the bag allows it to be packed in many different ways to provide optimum protection for valuable items. Enhanced even further: standard equipment of the new generation SL-Class Overview of the comprehensive standard equipment of the SL-Class (selection): 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission (SL 350 and SL 500) Active Service System ASSYST Adaptive brake lights Adaptive front airbags Aluminium trim elements Anti-lock braking system (ABS) Anti-theft alarm system Automatic child-seat recognition Automatic climate control Belt tensioners and belt force limiters Brake Assist Central displays in instrument cluster Central locking with remote control and crash sensor Cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC variable speed limiter Cup holders Draught-stop Electronic Stability Program (ESP) Exit lights in the doors Extended central locking incl. closure/opening of vario-roof and side windows Fog lamps Head/thorax sidebags in the doors Headlamp Assist Headlamp cleaning system Integral seats, electrically adjustable Light-alloy wheels Memory function for seats, steering wheel and mirrors Multifunction steering wheel Nanoparticle paint finish Outside temperature display Power windows Pre-installation for carphone Rain sensor Remote boot-lid release system Removable luggage cover Sensor-controlled roll-over bar Speed-sensitive power steering Steering column, electrically adjustable Steering wheel with automatic entry/exit assistance Tinted glass TIREFIT with electric compressor Touchshift Trip computer Tyre pressure loss warning system Vario-roof Wide tyres, size 255/45 R 17 Xenon headlamps Additional standard equipment in SL 500 (selection): Active Body Control Automatically dimming interior mirror and driver's side exterior mirror Burr walnut trim elements with new grain pattern Heated seats Leather upholstery Metallic paint Additional standard equipment in SL 600 (selection): 18-inch light-alloy wheels Active Body Control Automatically dimming interior mirror and driver's side exterior mirror Bi-xenon headlamps with headlamp cleaning system, dynamic range adjustment and cornering light function Burr walnut trim elements with new grain pattern CD changer Centre door panels in ruffled leather COMAND APS with DVD navigation system, radio and telephone keypad Heated seats Leather upholstery Metallic paint PARKTRONIC Surround sound system V12 lettering on front wings V12 logo on head restraints and floor mats Wide tyres, size 255/40 R 18 at front, 285/35 R 18 at rear Wood/leather steering wheel and selector lever Principal optional extras at a glance: 7G-TRONIC Sport automatic transmission with manual driving program and steering-wheel shift paddles (SL 350 and SL 500) Active Body Control (SL 350) AMG 19-inch light-alloy wheels AMG bodystyling Bi-xenon headlamps with headlamp cleaning system, dynamic range adjustment and cornering light function (SL 350 and SL 500) Burr walnut trim elements with new grain pattern Carphone designo Edition interior appointments packages designo range DISTRONIC proximity control Exclusive nappa leather upholstery Heated steering wheel KEYLESS-GO LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system Luxury seats including ventilation and heating function Multicontour backrest Multicontour seats Panoramic vario-roof Remote boot-lid locking Run-flat tyres (MOExtended) Shift paddles with manual driving program (SL 600) TV receiver Tyre pressure monitoring system For more Mercedes-Benz news and information, visit www.eMercedesBenz.com.