Next Mercedes-Benz SL could go AMG-only

Khodrocar - Mercedes-Benz has big changes in store for the SL. AMG is handling the development of the next-generation model to ensure it morphs into a sportier, more focused roadster than it is today. That's just the tip of the iceberg, though.

As part of the make-over, the SL will lose its bulky retractable hard top and go back to a cloth soft top. The widespread use of aluminum will help keep weight in check, while the front-mid-engined model will gain handling-enhancing features like active stabilizer bars, rear-wheel steering, and an available air suspension. Sounds a lot like the GT, right?

AMG thought so, too, so it decided to give the SL two rear seats, Automobile Magazine reports. The transformation from a two- to a four-seater requires extending the wheelbase, which partially explains why Mercedes will offer rear-wheel steering.

Decision-makers are debating whether to bother with a Mercedes-Benz-branded model. Every SL variant could wear an AMG emblem, according to sources from within the company. The line-up will include, initially, four models called SL43, SL53, SL63, and SL73, respectively. 

All of them will be electrified. The SL43 will use a 3.0-liter straight-six rated at 435 horsepower thanks to a 48-volt electrical system. The 53 and 63 will each get an evolution of AMG's 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 that will make 522 horsepower in the first model and 612 in the second. They'll rely on a 48-volt system, too.

Note the absence of a V12; odds are it's not coming back after Mercedes puts the current model to rest. Instead, the range-topping SL73 will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain made up of the aforementioned V8 and a 204-horsepower electric motor. Together, the two power sources will make 800 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. 

We're taking all of this with a grain of salt. Though usually well informed, Automobile Magazine doesn't name its source. Official information about the next-generation SL remains scarce. We'll have to be patient to learn more because the roadster isn't scheduled to go on sale until 2021.