Mercedes-AMG will soften the SL and reposition it as a traditional open-top grand tourer in a move to more clearly distinguish the car from its hard-top GT sibling.
The changes will arrive as part of a facelift for the seventh-generation car next year and work is already well advanced, a source has told Autocar.
The SL and GT share a platform, chassis, drivetrains, electrical architecture and other key components.
Mercedes-AMG's decision to put more clear air between the two models comes after what one high-ranking insider described as an "overwhelmingly positive reaction to the comfort-focused Maybach SL (pictured below), which was launched last year.
The mid-life revisions to the SL go beyond chassis tuning and pure dynamic differences, though. They also encompass a new range of engines, driven in large part by the upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations.
The most significant change is the discontinuation of the existing SL 43. Its 375bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is set to be dropped. In its place, Mercedes-AMG will introduce a revised version of its 3.0-litre inline turbocharged six-cylinder engine recently launched in the GLC 53. It is planned to power a new SL 53 model, producing around 449bhp.
Further revisions are in store for V8-powered models. Both the SL 55 and SL 63 will switch from cross-plane crankshafts to a flat-plane design – as is used by the updated S-Class in its range-topping S580 guise. The change is driven by emissions and allows Mercedes to meet Euro 7 limits without a drastic cut in power output.
The SL 55 is expected to deliver around 537bhp, while the SL 63 will climb to nearly 650bhp-up from the 577bhp of the existing model. Topping the range will be the SL 680 Maybach, which is set to adopt the 63's V8 in a milder state of tune, at around 612bhp.
All models will be mild hybrids, with a starter-generator mounted ahead of Mercedes' nine-speed automatic gearbox. It remains to be seen whether AMG will continue with the SL 63 SE Performance and its petrol-electric plug-in hybrid system. Insiders have suggested it could axed.
As part of the facelift, the SL will receive an exterior makeover. Revisions include new-look front and rear lights with the star-shaped graphics of other recent Mercedes models, among other more subtle tweaks. Inside, the SL will adopt Mercedes' latest MB.OS operating system, a new display and a different steering wheel.
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