Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012) Review
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Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012) At A Glance
Great performance from all the engines with SL350 the pick of the bunch, neat folding metal roof.
Expensive with top versions more than £100,000.
Four years ago, I wrote "Forget Ferraris, Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Porsches. The most desirable car you can buy is the new Mercedes 500SL. Wherever you happen to be, no other car impresses most of the people most of the time. It's the one car the world over that says you've arrived before you even start your journey."
That hasn't changed. The range has expanded up and down. You can now have a relatively fuel efficient £63,000 3.5 litre SL350 with 272bhp and 350 Nm torque. This is slightly better in all respects than the old 3.7 litre SL350. You can go one better with the new £75,880 5.5 litre 388bhp 500SL. Or you can go completely Puerto Banus with a £149,000 SL65 AMG that boasts 612bhp, 1,000Nm torque and a de-restricted top speed well over 200mph. Over the last year UK registrations have split 65.4% SL350, 23.2% SL500, 0.8% SL600, 9.1% SL55 AMG, while 1.5% cough up the extra £49,000 for an SL65 AMG.
People will know you have the latest model from the slightly cleaner styling with a more pronounced V shape bumper, three large air intakes, chrome fog light surrounds, new alloy wheel designs and new rear light lenses.
Reviews for Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012)'s top 3 rivals
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Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012) handling and engines
- Engines range from SL 300 to SL 63 AMG
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 14–30 mpg
At the launch we were slightly nonplussed but pleasantly surprised to be presented with Mercedes heritage fleet of older SLs, dating back to the 1950s. The idea was we would drive these first, and the reason soon became apparent.
The original late 1956 to 1962 300SL roadster is a wonderful car. It still puts out around 190 - 200bhp, so it's no slouch. It sits on fully independent suspension with the rear swing axles tamed by a lower diff than the famous 300SL ‘gullwings' and the addition of a compensator spring. It's still on drum brakes, mind you, so you can't treat it like a modern car. But it's by far the nicest 1950s - 1960s sports car I have ever driven. Far more enjoyable than an E-Type Jaguar, for example. (Can't tell you about the Ferrari 205SWB.)
The 1961 300SL we drove would still pull an indicated 125mph, no bother, though the speedo had a mind of its own. It was fast, handled decently and sounded glorious. Which is the main difference between the revised SL and the original 2002 SLs.
Next, I took out a new SL350 fitted with a couple of important optional extras: 7G-TRONIC Sport that is a programmed to change faster than the standard 7G-TRONIC and has the benefit of steering wheel paddleshifters. And ABC Active Body Control (standard on the SL500), which allows you to select stiffer suspension settings if you really want to motor. It also has slightly quicker steering now 2.5 turns lock to lock rather than 2.6 and a much more precise ‘feel' than before.
Pull the left hand paddle to change down, floor the accelerator and the banshee wail of the exhaust immediately tells you what Mercedes has changed. They've taken a good car at its best cruising and posing. And, without sacrificing its cruising ability, they've turned it into a sportscar.
The extra power helps, of course. Getting on for as much as the 306bhp of the original SL500. But that was a lazy engine, and this one isn't. It relishes high revs and can provide as much fun as you ever really want. Yet the other side of its split personality remains the "look at me" boulevard cruiser that made the SL the World's most desirable 2-seater.
You might, therefore, wonder if there's any point in stepping up to the new SL500. Well, an extra 116bhp and a full 82Nm more than the old SL500 is a very good reason.
This car really does have as much power as any of us could sensibly want. Whack it down a couple of ratios, floor the throttle and it takes off so quickly and positively you pass 6 cars in the time it might normally take you to pass one. Excellent braking reins it in even faster. So while it might not go, stop and handle quite the same as 911, it ‘s easily as much of a sportscar as most of us can actually cope with. It also howls, rather than wails, with a more pleasing exhaust note than a Ferrari 430. Yet if all you want to do is cruise, it still does that as well as the 2002 SL500. Its only true competitor is the new Jaguar XK8 convertible, which is also a lot sportier than the old one.
The new SL500 takes the wind out of the sales of the 517bhp SL55 AMG. That's still a lot faster, of course. But whereas previously if you wanted a fast, sporty SL the 55AMG was the only choice, now the new SL is as much as many people are going to want. The 517bhp SL600 remains sheer one upmanship an the 612bhp SL65 AMG tells everyone you can not only afford the best, but also the best of the best. But with the speed restrictor holding these cars back to 156mph all you gain are seconds saved in acceleration that could just as easily get you into serious trouble with a wall or crash barrier. Up to you, though. If you can afford it and you want it, Mercedes Benz makes it for you.
For the rest of us, the SL500 is plenty enough to aspire to, and, with the possibility of 27mpg combined, the SL350 is even moderately sensible. Those two are the real life choices, and the choices most rich Brits are most likely to make.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SL 300 | 30 mpg | 7.8 s | 217 g/km |
| SL 350 | 29 mpg | 6.2 s | 226 g/km |
| SL 500 | 24 mpg | 5.4 s | 272 g/km |
| SL 600 | 20 mpg | 4.5 s | 326 g/km |
| SL 63 AMG | 20 mpg | 4.6 s | 328 g/km |
| SL 65 AMG | 20 mpg | 4.2 s | 333 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
92%
Real MPG
14–30 mpg
MPGs submitted
42
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012) interior
- Boot space is 206–310 litres
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4532–4605 mm |
| Width | 1816–1827 mm |
| Height | 1295–1317 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2560 mm |
Inside, you'll be marginally more comfortable in softer, more supple leather, with a nicer double-top-stitched instrument shroud.
And the state of the art solid roof still opens or closes in 16 seconds. Interestingly, the torsional rigidity of the car increases from 17,000Nm per degree with the top down to 21,000Nm per degree with the top up.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (2008 – 2012) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4532–4605 mm |
| Width | 1816–1827 mm |
| Height | 1295–1317 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2560 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 1815–2120 kg |
| Boot Space | 206–310 L |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Servicing | - |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £63,575–£157,510 |
| Insurance Groups | 50 |
| Road Tax Bands | K–M |
| Official MPG | 19.3–30.4 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | - |
| Child | - |
| Pedestrian | - |
| Overall | - |
On sale until May 2012
| Open Car | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 300 2dr Auto | £63,575 | 30.4 mpg | 7.8 s |
| 350 2dr Auto | £68,385 | 29.1 mpg | 6.2 s |
| 500 2dr Auto | £81,735 | 24.4 mpg | 5.4 s |
| 63 AMG 2dr Auto | £106,850 | 20.0 mpg | 4.6 s |
On sale until June 2011
| Open Car | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 600 2dr Auto | £109,355 | 20.3 mpg | 4.5 s |
On sale until July 2010
| Open Car | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 65 AMG Auto | £157,510 | 20.2 mpg | 4.2 s |
On sale until April 2008
| Open Car | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 350 Auto | £65,080 | - | - |
| 55 AMG Auto | £102,075 | - | - |
Model History
April 2008
Facelifted W230 SL-Class from spring 2008 distinguished by new headlights. Optional new direct-steer system. SL 350 is powered by a newly developed, high-revving sports engine boasting 315 hp yet with fuel economy 1.1 mpg better than its predecessor.
A horizontal louvre makes the radiator grille appear wider. Two powerdomes on the bonnet and the gill-style air outlets in the front wings are hallmarks of the 300 SL from 1954 and have been given a modern interpretation. Headlamps are drawn deeply into the flanks, further emphasising the impression of breadth at the front end. The front-end design that will serve as a template for future Mercedes passenger cars.
The Direct Steer system is based on the familiar standard-fit speed-sensitive power steering system with lower steering forces – the benefit of which is noticeable above all when driving slowly, manoeuvring or parking. New features include a variable rack ratio, which adjusts in line with the steering angle, increasing sharply as soon as this reaches five degrees. Compared to a steering system with a constant ratio, the driver does not have to move the steering wheel as much when cornering. The car's response is therefore more direct, allowing the driver to steer more spontaneously or, in other words, more sportily.
Size 255/45 R 17 wide-base tyres and 17-inch light-alloy wheels are fitted as standard on the SL 350 model, whereas the V8-powered SL 500 Roadster runs on 18-inch wheels shod with 255/40 R 18 tyres. And the exclusive character of the twelve-cylinder SL 600 model is accentuated by 18-inch ten-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels with 255/40 R 18 tyres at the front and 285/35 R 18 tyres at the rear.
The SL350 engine can rev up to 7200 rpm in order to make full use of its power reserves in certain driving situations. Compared to the previous 3.5-litre engine, the output has been boosted by 16 percent to 315 hp (at 6500 rpm), while the peak torque has been increased by 10 Nm and now stands at 360 Nm. This powerplant accelerates the new SL 350 from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 6.2 seconds, making it 0.4 seconds faster than the outgoing SL 350. Sounds better too.
The standard-fit seven-speed automatic transmission allows fast multiple downshifts when accelerating, on the other hand by providing a new double-declutching function that is activated during manual downshifts. As well as producing a sporty sound, this function also enhances comfort and safety as the double-declutching equalises the rotational speeds of the crankshaft and transmission. This set-up gives the driver the advantage of even more harmonious gear changes. Plus there is a noticeable reduction in load-change reactions.
The flagship engines in the SL line-up remain the eight-cylinder unit in the SL 500 developing 388 hp and the V12 powerplant in the SL 600, which develops 517 hp thanks to its twin turbochargers. The Mercedes engineers also worked meticulously on these models to further improve fuel consumption by 3%.
The new-generation SL-Class makes its public debut in March 2008 at Geneva. It will then appear at Mercedes-Benz outlets and dealerships in the UK from mid-April, 2008.
July 2008
SL65AMG Black Series announced
Wide cooling air apertures in the front apron and the bonnet are the clearest indication of the massive power of this AMG twelve-cylinder, biturbocharged engine. From its 5980 cubic capacity, the AMG V12's engine generates a maximum power of 670 hp at 5400 rpm and an electronically limited torque of 1000 Nm between 2200 and 4200 rpm. Without a limiter, the AMG 6.0 litre V12 biturbo engine, which is hand-built in the AMG engine factory in accordance with the "one man – one engine" philosophy, would achieve a maximum torque of 1200 Nm.
Compared with the basis power pack in the 612 hp SL 65 AMG, new turbochargers were developed for the 12-cylinder SL 65 AMG Black Series engine. The turbochargers' spiral cross-section, now 12 per cent larger, and the optimised wastegate ducts permit increased air throughput and an even more impressive display of power in all engine speed ranges.
The modified intake air ducting results in an even more spontaneous response. The new design for the AMG sports exhaust gas system's rear silencers reduce the exhaust gas backpressure and help increase the power output. The acoustic side effect of this is to produce a distinctive 12-cylinder sound, typically evocative of AMG engine tuning, from the two trapezoidal tail pipes.
The low-temperature charge air cooler, now 30 per cent more powerful, and the optimised water cooling system guarantee not only that the power generated under extreme dynamic driving conditions is exploited to the maximum but also the greatest possible fatigue strength at high outside temperatures.
What to watch out for
Problem of premature wear of timing chain sprocket for balancer shaft of M272 and M273 V6 petrol engines. Mercedes Star bulletin about this. Big job. Can cost £4,000.
01-02-2012:Moisture gets into the central locking vacuum pump affecting its operation.
02-03-2015:Lacquer peeling from paint of 2008 Mercedes Benz SL R230.
31-12-2015:Report of water leaking into boot of 16,000 mile 2011 SL350, affecting the central locking system in the sump in the boot. Common problem on R230SLs since their launch in 2002.
