» Get the best price on a new Mercedes-Benz SL Images of Mercedes-Benz's heavily facelifted SL have leaked onto the Internet, well in advance of the car's official debut.
The tin-topped roadster is scheduled to be unveiled at March's Geneva motor show, and it goes on sale in Europe in April.
The images reveal the SL's revamped front end, which ditches the existing model's conjoined round headlights in favour of an elongated cluster that bears some resemblance to the CLS's lights.
Also new is the single-bar grille with mesh insert, and it's adorned by an XXL three-pointed-star emblem.
The reprofiled bonnet gains a pair of 'powerdomes' that hark back to the 1954 300 SL, and the updated convertible's fender vents are also inspired by its half-century-old ancestor.
However, while much attention has been focused on the SL's face, the car's flanks and derriere are largely as before.
The only changes to the rear appear to be the LED tail-lights and mini-diffuser, through which exit a pair of elongated tailpipes (at least in the case of the SL 350 pictured here). The hardcore AMG variants are likely to gain quad exhaust outlets and a small decklid spoiler.
Mechanical upgrades across the range include a new variable-ratio, speed-sensitive steering system, as per the updated SLK (more here). The key advantage of variable-ratio steering is that it reduces the amount of wheel twirling required in tight car parks.
The updated SL range kicks off with the SL280, which is powered by the same 170kW/300Nm 3.0-litre V6 offered in the new C-Class. This variant is claimed to dispatch the 0-60mph (0-96km/h) dash in 7.8sec -- decent, but not earth-shattering.
The big gainer is the SL 350, as its 3.5-litre V6 has been upgraded to crank out 232kW, which represents a sizeable 32kW hike over its predecessor.
The new SL range is topped by the AMG-fettled SL 65 and SL 63. The SL65 derives propulsion from a 450kW twin-turbo V12, while the SL 63 scores Merc's new hand-built 386kW 6.2-litre V8.
The current R230 series SL debuted internationally in 2001, which means it's now almost seven years old, but Mercedes has traditionally favoured a longish lifecycle for its flagship roadster.
Going on past form, we're not likely to see an all-new replacement until 2010 or so. Local SL sales have dipped appreciably of late. The model found just 104 buyers in 2007, compared with 150 the year before.
» Get the best price on a new Mercedes-Benz SL
To comment on this article click here