Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Facelift Revealed
Suddenly the SL 500 is contender in this pricerange again:
The whole article:
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Facelift
And Porsche now has competition for the "laziest designers in the world" (as J Clarkson think they are), I can honestly not tell the difference from the old one. Although the SL was pretty good looking in the first place...
Quote:
New V6 and V8 engines, as well as an uprated V12 powerplant, deliver assured driving pleasure. Second-generation Active Body Control and the more direct steering make for noticeably sportier handling without compromising the high level of comfort which is one of the hallmarks of the SL. The redesigned front section, new rear light units and new light-alloy wheels reflect the more dynamic character of the revised SL even when it is stationary. New interior appointments as well as painstaking attention to the details of the new materials and colour schemes give the interior an even more luxurious look and feel. Shift paddles on the steering wheel - which form part of the optional 7G-TRONIC Sport package - underline the dynamic character of the enhanced SL-Class.
With an output of 285 kW/388 hp and 530 newtonmetres of torque, the newly developed V8 engine in the SL 500 offers everything that is expected of a powerful sports car. The eight-cylinder unit has a displacement of 5.5 litres and is one of the most powerful engines in its displacement class. The SL 500 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds (predecessor model: 6.2 seconds).
All three engine variants of the SL-Class have newly developed exhaust systems: the particularly stirring and powerful engine note has been specially tuned to enhance the driving experience while still offering exceptional comfort on even the longest trips. Mercedes-Benz equips the V6 and V8 models of the new SL-Class with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission as standard. 7G-TRONIC Sport, which is available as an optional extra, allows shifting to be performed up to 30 percent faster in manual "M" mode; furthermore, this package features steering-wheel shift paddles similar to those used in Formula 1.
The whole article:
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Facelift
And Porsche now has competition for the "laziest designers in the world" (as J Clarkson think they are), I can honestly not tell the difference from the old one. Although the SL was pretty good looking in the first place...
I have not driven an SL65, so I defer to you.
...to be clear, not saying each car felt similar; each is subjectively different; but each car has a net total of subjective pros/cons that seemed close to the other two cars....the comparo was largely prompted by a pal who already owns the 996TTS/65/430 trio and insisted that he decides which car to drive for wkend mtn runs based on his mood that day...that each car has its own special appeal (and weaknesses).... 
