By: IOL Motoring Staff
Zwartkops, Pretoria - Mercedes-Benz obviously knows a thing or two about the coming spring season that we don't, as it releases two new model ranges in one hit - all convertibles!
Stuttgart has staged an automotive Moulin Rouge, as the new SLC - the successor to the SLK so beloved of Hollywood wives and their hairdressers - and the muscular, all-aluminium SL (suitably revised and restyled for 2016) go magnificently topless in one roadster rush.
The compact SLC - renamed to reflect its close relationship to the C-Class - gets a new front end, with an extended, steeply raked diamond-mesh grille and front apron, and intelligent LED lighting, while the interior goes upmarket with new aluminum trim elements featuring a carbon-fibre finish, and a stylish new instrument cluster.
The SLC is available in South Africa with a choice of two engines, starting with the SLC 200's 1991cc turbo-petrol four, tuned for 135kW at 5500 revs and 300Nm from 1200-4000rpm. 0-100 is quoted at seven seconds flat and top speed at 240km/h.
The SLC 300 has the same engine, but mapped for a more authoritative 180kW at the same 5500 revs and 370Nm from 1300-4000rpm. Hustling to a hundred takes just 5.8 seconds; V-max is 250km/h.
Leader of the pack
Leading the SLC pack is the Mercedes-AMG SLC 43, armed with a three-litre biturbo petrol V6 for which Affalterbach claims 270kW from 5500-6000rpm 520Nm from 2000-4200rpm. It'll hit a hundred in 4.7 seconds and top out at an electronically limited 250km/h.
The SLC 200 comes with a six-speed manual gearbox; a 9G-Tronic auto is an option on the 200, standard on the 300 and 43. With it comes Dynamic Select, offering a choice of Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Eco and Individual modes, re-calibrating throttle response, shift points and steering feel at your request. It's optional on the SLC 200 with auto transmission, standard on the 300 and 43.
The SLC 43 can also be ordered with the Dynamic Handling package, with a 10mm lower ride height, sports steering and tunable adaptive damping. Driver aids include active brake assist, with autonomous braking for emergencies, optional lane tracking and blind sport assist, and optional 'intelligent' LED lighting.
The Comand Online system with its larger 18cm display now offers unlimited internet access (in conjunction with a suitable smartphone) when the car's standing still, and access to Mercedes-Benz Apps on the move.
Serious muscles
The big brother of Mercedes' roadster range, the SL series, also gets the longer, more steeply raked front treatment, complete with deeper, diamond-mesh grille, two power-bulges on the bonnet and standard-issue intelligent LED lighting in wraparound housings.
The range starts with the SL 400, its three-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 tuned in this application for 270kW from 5500-6000 revs and 500Nm between 2000 and 4200rpm - that's 25kW and 20Nm more than the previous version. 0-100 is quoted at 3.9 seconds, terminal velocity at 250km/h.
The SL 500's 4663cc turbopetrol V8 chimes with a quoted 335kW at 550 revs and 700Nm from 1800-3500rpm, good enough for a 0-100 getaway in 4.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.
Transmission in each case is via a 9G-Tronic nine-speed auto 'box.
Big numbers
But the really big numbers come from Affalterbach, as usual: the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 has a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 that's good for 430kW at 5500 revs and 900Nm from 2250-3750rpm, with an AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission to take it from 0-100 in 4.1 seconds and on to 250km/h (or 300 if you order the optional Driver's package)
Then there's the super-smooth twin-turbo six-litre V12 SL 65, delivering a claimed 463kW at 5500 revs and 1000Nm from 2300-4300rpm to the rear wheels via an AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic transmission. 0-100 is disposed of in four seconds flat, top speed is either 250 or 300km/h depending on the package you order.
A mechanical rear-axle differential lock is standard on the SL 63 and SL 65, reducing slip on the inside wheel when cornering, without using the braking system and thus allowing you to accelerate out of corners earlier.
The SL 63 comes 10-spoke 19 inch alloys wearing 255/35 front and 285/30 rear tyres; the SL 65 has ceramic polished, forged-alloy rims with 255/35 R19 front and 285/30 R20 rear tyres.
Active Body Control
Optional across the range, this has a new Curve function that makes anti-roll bars obsolete by stiffening the preload on the outside dampers, while reducing the ride height on the inside to tilt the body up to 2.65 degrees into the corner.
Choose from Comfort, Curve, Sport, Sport+ and Individual settings; at higher speeds it automatically, while at the press of a button ride height can be raised by up to 50mm for driving on gravel roads.
The interior follows classic barchetta (little boat) design cues; the upper sweep of the dashboard lines up with the fully padded door beltlines, while the two-tube instrument cluster combines traditional round dials for speed and revs with a modern colour display for dynamic driving data.
The three-spoked magnesium-framed sports steering wheel has a flattened bottom section and no less than 12 satellite controls for navigation, audio, telephony and voice entry.
Driver aids
Active brake assist with autonomous emergency braking is standard, as are parking sensors and automatic parking in both parallel and perpendicular bays.
LED lighting across the range includes a cornering light function, camera-based active lighting, a traffic circle function and enhanced fog-light function.
Optional high beam assist lets you leave the lights on high beam - a camera pinpoints oncoming traffic or traffic ahead of you and masks out just those LED projectors that would dazzle them whilwe giving you full lighting everywhere else.
A comprehensive driving assistance package is standard on the AMG models, optional on the SL 400 and SL 500, including distance pilot and steering pilot, using a stereo camera maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front and stay in the centre of the lane, a cross-traffic warning function, pedestrian detection and blind spot monitoring.
But wait, there shoukld have been more!
Mercedes-Benz had every intention of launching the all-new S-Class four-seater cabriolet in the same topless extravaganza, but the cars were delayed by homologation issues, so MBSA doesn’t actually know at this stage when they will be released for sale in South Africa. As a sneak preview, however, you’ll find the model line-up and prices for when they are, at the bottom of the price panel below.
Prices
SLC 200 - R680 600
SLC 300 - R753 400
SLC 43 AMG - R988 000
SL 400 - R1 435 100
SL 500 - R1 767 900
SL 63 AMG - R2 454 300
SL 65 AMG - R3 119 900
S 500 Cabriolet - R2 299 900
S 63 AMG Cabriolet - R2 899 900
S 65 AMG Cabriolet - R3 499 900
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