Owner Manual PDF

For 60 years the two letters "SL" have had a mystical resonance among automotive enthusiasts. They stand for powerful sportiness, exciting design, effortlessly superior style, technical innovations and the ultimate in engineering artistry. The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class inherited these genes from its forefather, designed as a racing car. In 1952 it came to the international race tracks, saw and conquered. It was from this car that Mercedes-Benz derived the first series-production model in 1954, the legendary 300 SL gullwing. And ever since, Mercedes-Benz has been setting the bar high in the luxury sports car segment with the SL over five model generations.

The unique combination of systematic sportiness, refined luxury and yet unrestricted suitability for everyday use at the same time is what makes the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class the dream car it is - and it is also what lies behind its success where sales are concerned. The SL was always ahead of its time technically - even when it was rolling off the production line for 18 years at a time, as was the case with the SL bearing the internal code R107 (from 1971 to 1989). Over 650,000 SL vehicles have left the production halls in Sindelfingen and Bremen since 1954, and from the last model generation alone - which celebrated its premiere in 2001 - nearly 170,000 specimens found their way into the hearts of the enthusiasts amongst fans of high-calibre sports cars.

The new generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class now being presented is the sixth to follow the 1952 racing car. In the unique tradition of the SL it is entering its era as an athlete, refined aesthete and innovative trendsetter with an extraordinarily high utility value. Mercedes-Benz is initially offering the new SL with two engines - as the SL350 with a V6 engine and as the SL500 with a V8. The new BlueDIRECT engines have an output of 225 kW (306 hp) in the SL350 and 320 kW (435 hp) in the SL500 (a 12-percent increase over the predecessor).

Moreover, the new Mercedes-Benz SL-Class breathes new life into the meaning of the famous abbreviation "SL" - super-light - through systematic weight reduction. For the first time ever, Mercedes-Benz is implementing an all-aluminium bodyshell in series production. The newly developed vehicle weights approximately 110 kilograms less than a comparable bodyshell made of sheet steel. Nevertheless it is even more rigid - and safer - than its predecessor. Mercedes-Benz has achieved this through a systematic intelligent material mix of aluminium alloys and aluminium components which are tailor-made for the respective requirements, combined with just a few portions of high-strength steel and magnesium.

Although the new SL is even more comfortable and has more safety devices on board than its predecessor and therefore does actually sacrifice some of the weight saved through the aluminium bodyshell, the scales show some astonishing figures: the new SL500 (1785 kg) weighs around 125 kilograms less than its predecessor. On balance, the SL350 (1685 kg) is even 140 kilograms lighter - all thanks to a host of other intelligent enhanced details to reduce weight, which Mercedes-Benz has also implemented in the new SL in addition to the aluminium bodyshell.

And these measurement results do not just impress as figures on the page; they are very much perceptible and tangible in practice, too. The resulting increase in longitudinal and lateral dynamics facilitates superb performance with a decided passion for cornering. The greater track width at both the front (+ 38 mm) and rear (+ 77 mm) axle serves the handling which is at once sporty and agile and keeps the car under safe control. Drivers will find the new Mercedes-Benz SL-Class even more agile than its predecessor - sheer pleasure for those of a sporty orientation.

There are two suspension variants from which to choose. The SL is supplied as standard with semi-active adjustable damping (lowered by ten millimetres in the AMG sports package). The active suspension system ABC (Active Body Control) is available as an optional extra. Unique the world over, it has been enhanced especially for the new SL.

In keeping with the Mercedes-Benz tradition, the new SL couples its sharpened athletic profile and agile nimbleness with a luxurious ambience. Its high-quality equipment and appointments contribute to the exquisite motoring pleasure that can be experienced every kilometre of the way. Fine materials, finished with great attention to detail, shape its style and character. The levels of comfort here - unique in the segment of luxury sports cars - blend with high everyday practicality, for the new SL shines with top marks where open-top motoring, suspension comfort and comfort on long journeys are

concerned - plus its exemplarily low background noise, which is comparable with that of a saloon. This all adds up to the fact that this vehicle is a Gran Turismo in the very best sense of the word.

Articles Source : Netcarshow