For 60 years the two letters “SL” have had a mystical resonance among automotive enthusiasts. They stand for powerful sportiness, exciting design, effortlessly superior style, technical innovations and the ultimate in engineering artistry. The SL inherited these genes from its forefather, designed as a racing car. In 1952 it came to the international race tracks, saw and conquered. It was from this car that Mercedes-Benz derived the first series-production model in 1954, the legendary 300 SL gullwing. And ever since, Mercedes-Benz has been setting the bar high in the luxury sports car segment with the SL over five model generations.
The unique combination of systematic sportiness, refined luxury and yet unrestricted suitability for everyday use at the same time is what makes the Mercedes-Benz SL the dream car it is – and it is also what lies behind its success where sales are concerned. The SL was always ahead of its time technically – even when it was rolling off the production line for 18 years at a time, as was the case with the SL bearing the internal code R 107 (from 1971 to 1989). Over 650,000 SL vehicles have left the production halls in Sindelfingen and Bremen since 1954, and from the last model generation alone – which celebrated its premiere in 2001 – nearly 170,000 specimens found their way into the hearts of the enthusiasts amongst fans of high-calibre sports cars.
The new generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL now being presented is the sixth to follow the 1952 racing car. In the unique tradition of the SL it is entering its era as an athlete, refined aesthete and innovative trendsetter with an extraordinarily high utility value. Mercedes-Benz is initially offering the new SL with two engines – as the SL 350 with a V6 engine and as the SL 500 with a V8. The new BlueDIRECT engines have an output of 225 kW (306 hp) in the SL 350 and 320 kW (435 hp) in the SL 500 (a 12-percent increase over the predecessor).
Moreover, the new SL breathes new life into the meaning of the famous abbreviation “SL” – super-light – through systematic weight reduction. For the first time ever, Mercedes-Benz is implementing an all-aluminium bodyshell in series production. The newly developed vehicle weights approximately 110 kilograms less than a comparable bodyshell made of sheet steel. Nevertheless it is even more rigid – and safer – than its predecessor. Mercedes-Benz has achieved this through a systematic intelligent material mix of aluminium alloys and aluminium components which are tailor-made for the respective requirements, combined with just a few portions of high-strength steel and magnesium.
Although the new SL is even more comfortable and has more safety devices on board than its predecessor and therefore does actually sacrifice some of the weight saved through the aluminium bodyshell, the scales show some astonishing figures: the new SL 500 (1785 kg) weighs around 125 kilograms less than its predecessor. On balance, the SL 350 (1685 kg) is even 140 kilograms lighter – all thanks to a host of other intelligent enhanced details to reduce weight, which Mercedes-Benz has also implemented in the new SL in addition to the aluminium bodyshell.
And these measurement results do not just impress as figures on the page; they are very much perceptible and tangible in practice, too. The resulting increase in longitudinal and lateral dynamics facilitates superb performance with a decided passion for cornering. The greater track width at both the front (+ 38 mm) and rear (+ 77 mm) axle serves the handling which is at once sporty and agile and keeps the car under safe control. Drivers will find the new SL even more agile than its predecessor – sheer pleasure for those of a sporty orientation.
There are two suspension variants from which to choose. The SL is supplied as standard with semi-active adjustable damping (lowered by ten millimetres in the AMG sports package). The active suspension system ABC (Active Body Control) is available as an optional extra. Unique the world over, it has been enhanced especially for the new SL.
In keeping with the Mercedes-Benz tradition, the new SL couples its sharpened athletic profile and agile nimbleness with a luxurious ambience. Its high-quality equipment and appointments contribute to the exquisite motoring pleasure that can be experienced every kilometre of the way. Fine materials, finished with great attention to detail, shape its style and character. The levels of comfort here – unique in the segment of luxury sports cars – blend with high everyday practicality, for the new SL shines with top marks where open-top motoring, suspension comfort and comfort on long journeys are concerned – plus its exemplarily low background noise, which is comparable with that of a saloon. This all adds up to the fact that this vehicle is a Gran Turismo in the very best sense of the word.
The safest and the most sparing
Thanks to the crash-optimised aluminium structure, standard-fit PRE-SAFE® and assistance systems on the same high level as the S-Class, the SL is the world’s safest roadster.
What’s more, it is the most frugal one in its class. The SL 350 consumes 6.9 litres over 100 kilometres, which is virtually 30 percent less than its predecessor (CO2 159 g/km). The SL 500, too, posts a persuasive set of efficiency figures: 9.1 litres per 100 kilometres (minus 22%) correspond to 212g/km CO2.
The design, meanwhile, displays all the classic proportions so characteristic of the SL. Right from the first glance the masculine-looking roadster with a broad tail end is immediately identifiable as a member of the current family of sports cars from Mercedes-Benz. It emphasises its autonomy through a multitude of details created with loving care.
The sixth generation of the SL also offers a vario-roof that can be retracted into the boot using an electrohydraulic mechanism to save space, converting the SL into a roadster or a coupé, depending on the driver’s wishes and the weather. Unlike its predecessor, three versions are available for the new SL: painted, with a glass roof or with the unique panoramic vario-roof featuring MAGIC SKY CONTROL. The transparent roof switches to light or dark at the push of a button. When light it is virtually transparent, offering an open-air experience even in cold weather. In its dark state the roof provides welcome shade and prevents the interior from heating up in bright sunlight.
With two innovations, the new SL remains true to its tradition as technological trendsetter:
- MAGIC VISION CONTROL is a new intelligent, high-efficiency windscreen wiper/washer system. Its system of channels supplies water to the windscreen just in front of the laser-cut wiper blade lip. As a result, when spraying, there are no gushes of water on the windscreen to disrupt visibility, and yet the windscreen is kept clean.
- Also unique, the Frontbass system uses the free spaces in the aluminium structures in front of the footwell for housing the bass loudspeakers. As a result, the new SL features clear, crisp bass sounds that facilitate a concert hall ambience even with the top down.
Both innovations are part of the extensive standard equipment of the new SL.
Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC has been the leading technology in all-wheel drive for decades. Mercedes-Benz drivers the world over value its sure-footed agility on all manner of terrain and in no less than 21 4MATIC vehicles across ten different model ranges in the U.S. (almost 50 vehicles worldwide). While the 4MATIC name immediately points to Mercedes-Benz icons such as the G-Class and SUV pioneers like the M-Class, it also has a side of great elegance and athleticism. Look no further than the gorgeous and potent CLS550 4MATIC or the sporty and graceful C350 Coupe 4MATIC and E350 Coupe 4MATIC. At the top end of the range, there is now also supreme road holding combined with outstanding fuel economy in the S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC.
Roads can be dry or wet, covered in snow, mud or even black ice. You can face side winds, hydroplaning, not to mention treacherous hills, dirt tracks or steep mountain passes fraught with tight serpentines, pot holes and uneven surfaces. As it turns out, there is a drive system that takes all of this in its stride - 4MATIC all-wheel drive from Mercedes-Benz. The electronically-controlled system displays an impressive level of traction on all manner of terrain, raises active safety and offers an outstanding degree of driveline refinement.
Mercedes-Benz all-wheel drive technology has been tackling adverse road conditions throughout the world for more than 100 years, with the fourth generation of 4MATIC technology leading the way since it was launched in 1985. One million vehicles equipped with 4MATIC have been sold to-date in the U.S. (two million worldwide), making it one of the world's most trusted all-wheel drive systems.
More than half of that total volume is attributable to Mercedes-Benz customers in the U.S., who have opted for 4MATIC technology in vehicles spanning the full breadth of the model lineup, ranging from sedans and stations wagons, through the entire range of class-leading SUVs to the stunning CL550 4MATIC. And now, the 2012MY lineup includes no less than four beautiful and exciting additions to the 4MATIC range - the S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC, CLS550 4MATIC, E350 Coupe 4MATIC , and the C350 Coupe 4MATIC.
The CLS550 4MATIC and S350 BlueTEC are already on sale at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers, and the others will be available to customers in April. Prices start at $44,370 for the C350 Coupe 4MATIC, at $53,675 for the E350 Coupe 4MATIC, at $74,675 for the CLS550 4MATIC and at $93,425 for the S350 BlueTEC.
Three new all-wheel drive coupes
Since Mercedes-Benz brought its first 4MATIC model to the U.S. in 1989, American drivers have been increasingly drawn to the handling and safety benefits of all-wheel drive. Entry into the world of Mercedes-Benz all-wheel drive coupes now begins with the C350 Coupe 4MATIC. This best-selling premium mid-size coupe comes with a host of outstanding features, including best-in-class safety and comfort equipment levels with up to nine airbags, active head restraints, automatic climate control and alloy rims, as well as the seven-speed automatic transmission. State-of-the-art driver assistance systems include Attention Assist, a HOLD feature for the Adaptive Brake system. Optional equipment includes Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Parktronic with parking guidance system.
Like its rear-wheel drive sibling, the C350 Coupe 4MATIC is powered by a 3.5 liter V6 generating 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is uncompromised by the addition of 4MATIC and remains at an impressive 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.
Moving into the full-size segment, the E350 4MATIC Sedan and Wagon are now joined by the E350 Coupe 4MATIC, bringing an additional injection of refined sporting character to one of Mercedes-Benz's biggest selling models in the U.S. Like the C350 Coupe 4MATIC, the E350 Coupe 4MATIC is powered by the 3.5-liter V6 engine and offers exactly the same fuel consumption as the E350 Coupe at 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.
Also brimming with the latest driver assistance systems such as Attention Assist, the E350 Coupe 4MATIC adds Agility Control suspension to its standard equipment list, alongside PRE-SAFE®. Matched with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, this exceptional technology package delivers supreme handling and leading-edge safety even in the most extreme conditions
The third and final addition to the range of 4MATIC coupes is the stunning and superbly athletic CLS550 4MATIC. With 402 hp pumping from its 4.6-liter V8 engine and 443 lb-ft of torque, the formidably dynamic character of this ground-breaking four-door coupe is now even more impressive.
On the U.S. market since summer 2011, the new 4MATIC CLS variant is complemented by an extensive array of standard equipment and driver assistance systems, including PRE-SAFE, ABS anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist, ATTENTION ASSIST, traction control and the ESP electronic stability control.
In the S-Class range, Mercedes-Benz offers U.S. customers the perfect combination of luxury refinement, astonishing fuel economy and, now, even more tenacious road holding. Last summer, Mercedes-Benz brought its first diesel-powered S-Class to the U.S. since the 1996 model year. Powered by a 3.0-liter V6 clean diesel with 240 hp and an astonishing 455 lb-ft of torque, it has an estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg city / 31 mpg highway.
4MATIC - gripping driveline technology
The 1985 Frankfurt Auto Show - on the Mercedes-Benz stand a new driveline concept kicks up a bit of a stir. Dubbed 4MATIC, the technology - comprising automatic differential lock, traction control and all-wheel drive - is controlled electro-hydraulically and promptly turns all other 4x4 concepts firmly on their heads. The state-of-the-art concept went on to make its market debut in 1987 in the great granddaddy of the current E-Class.
Mercedes-Benz optimizes its 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, now in its fourth generation, in accordance with application. In its purely road-going vehicles, the C, E, S and CL and CLS-Class, the version used is set up for best possible performance. The system's compact design delivers a weight benefit of between 99 and 154 pounds, allowing for little to no fuel economy change and the passenger space remains unchanged from that of a rear-wheel drive version. In the GLK compact SUV, the system is also equipped with additional electronics for off-road driving. The M and GL-Class offer a 4MATIC that not only delivers safe and refined on-road performance, but also incorporates first-class off-road technology. The base version of this 4MATIC also provides the R-Class with excellent drive. In the big daddy of off-road vehicles, the G-Class, the permanent all-wheel drive is also set up to master the toughest off-road terrain. As you might expect, every single 4MATIC variant boasts extremely refined road manners and excellent handling, while providing a significant boost to active safety. Add to that good fuel economy, which comes about as the result of low weight and friction-optimized design.
In the C, E, S, CL, CLS and GLK Class, 4MATIC offers the ideal pre-conditions for delivering power to the road. The system's mechanical core splits the drive at a ratio of 45 to 55 percent between the front and rear axles and has a multi-plate lock in the central diff with a base locking force of 37 lb-ft . This fundamental concept enables a high degree of traction, with the rearward transfer of dynamic axle load under acceleration used to deliver more driving force to the road. The multi-plate diff lock can also vary the front to rear load distribution up to 30:70 in either direction when faced with the challenges presented by a slippery road surface. This means that intervention of the ESP®, 4ETS and ASR electronic control systems comes at the last possible moment, enabling the maximum amount of engine power to be converted to forward drive.
The M-Class and GL-Class are the vehicles that define the premium SUV segment and 4MATIC is the system that defines their superb handling both on and off the road. In both models, drive is split 50:50 between the front and rear axles. Sturdy prop shafts transfer power to the front and rear axle gear sets, while a bevel gear differential absorbs the rotational speed difference between the axles. ESP® and 4ETS also play their part in maintaining outstanding stability. 4ETS controls the distribution of driving force via brief braking inputs, using information from the ABS wheel sensors. If these rev sensors indicate that one or more wheels are losing grip, their brakes are applied automatically. The driving force to the wheels with good traction is consequently increased in proportion with the braking force applied to the slipping wheels, thus maintaining forward drive on loose or slippery surfaces.
For the toughest conditions
Ongoing model revisions have kept G-Class technology up to the minute for more than 30 years and, to this day, guarantee an outstanding drive system. Back in 1979, when it made its debut, the original G-Class was equipped with a selectable all-wheel drive system that operated with absolutely no electronic intervention, as per the technology of the day. The first major model revision came in 1990, bringing with it permanent 4x4. Since 2001, the G-Class has been equipped with additional electronic control systems. The combination of permanent all-wheel drive with the 4ETS traction system, ESP®, three locking differentials and low-range gearing gives the Mercedes-Benz G-Class a unique synthesis of high-performance dynamics and all-wheel drive systems that is absolutely unique in the world.
Tested to the limits
The set up of dynamic systems like 4MATIC all-wheel drive is one of the biggest challenges in a vehicle's development phase. Active safety, comfort and drivability under all possible (and impossible) conditions depend heavily on this development work. This is why test engineers select the world's toughest environments in order to push new models in the prototype phase to the very limits of their physical capabilities. It is the only way to ensure that the production versions function reliably over a lengthy lifecycle - regardless of operating and environmental conditions.
As a result, they undergo test driving under extreme desert conditions in the searing heat of the Namibian Desert, as well as calibration and test drives in the mind-numbing sub-zero temperatures north of the Arctic Circle. An ongoing comparison between "fire & ice" ensures that the information gathered in each environment can't have a negative impact on the other. Optimization is carried out in a similar manner in other areas of conflict with tools such as the "climb & speed" development program for off-road vehicles. In suspension testing on a race track, a new SUV might prove itself to be stable and safe at high speeds. But does it also display Mercedes refinement on the ride and comfort test circuit? Is the set up right for clambering around off-road? During the test phase, development engineers put several million kilometers onto a new model at locations all over the world. These practical tests are complemented by extensive calibration programs using a wide variety of test beds and detailed simulation programs. In the early stages of development, prior to practical testing, experts test up to 1,000 different vehicle variants using virtual techniques covering around 220,000 digital driving maneuvers.
More than a century of 4x4 development
The leading expertise of Mercedes engineers in the development of pioneering all-wheel drive concepts did not come about by accident. Mercedes-Benz 4x4 history starts as far back as 1903, since when the guiding principle has been - if you want to make better and safer headway under tough conditions, all-wheel drive is the best technology.
The all-wheel drive breakthrough came in 1907. Engineer Paul Daimler, the son of Gottlieb Daimler, had been working on this drive technology since 1903. It was for this reason that he was selected to lead the team that built the first all-wheel drive passenger car with an internal combustion engine, commissioned by the German Colonial Office. It was a real monster that took shape in the Daimler workshop in Berlin-Marienfelde. The all-wheel drive automobile was based on a commercial vehicle chassis, had a wheelbase of 157 inches and a track of 56 inches. With an overall length of around 193 inches and standing almost nine feet high, the vehicle weighed in at around 3.6 tons. Dubbed the "Dernburg", it had permanent all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering to make the monstrous machine more maneuverable.
Alongside a number of six-wheeled passenger vehicles with four driven rear wheels (6x4 drive principle), the 30s saw the birth of the G5. By the standards of the day, the 4x4 vehicle was state-of-the-art. It had all-wheel drive and an advanced five-speed transmission. To make it more maneuverable on rough terrain, it was equipped with manually-activated four-wheel steering. Several of these vehicles were put into service by the German mountain rescue service, with some of them still in use well after the Second World War.
The modern history of Mercedes-Benz all-wheel drive vehicles undoubtedly began in 1979 with the arrival of the G-Model. At its market launch in early 1979, there were four engine options available with output ranging from 72 hp to 150 hp, as either cabriolet or station wagon with a short or long wheelbase. 1989 saw a significant development - alongside the redesigned original with the internal reference "Series 461", which subsequently became the highly capable base model for utility applications, Mercedes launched the range dubbed "Series 463". With new, permanent all-wheel drive, ABS, limited-slip differential on the front and rear axles, as well as a 100 percent locking center diff, it made a very clear technical statement. Since 2001, the G-Class has also been equipped with pioneering stability, traction and brake control systems ESP®, 4ETS and brake assist. The G-Class résumé is positively teeming with superlatives. It has won the Paris-Dakar Rally, serves as Papal transportation, wins consumer awards left right and center and formed the gene pool for the entire Mercedes-Benz SUV family line. And that's not all - with its model life of 30 years plus, the "G" is far and away the longest-serving model range in Mercedes-Benz history.
Credits: Mercedes-Benz USA
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
