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Cars > Mercedes > Mercedes Benz SL550 2013

 By Ketan Patel View Comments

Image Copyright: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 Review

The sixth generation Mercedes Benz SL-Class will be available for purchase in the US starting May this year, and we've figured out it's a good time to take a look at what the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 has to offer compared to its competition as well as its predecessors.

First and foremost, the German manufacturer stated that the 2013 SL will be true to its SL badge. In case you're wondering, "SL" actually stands for "Super Light" although in the past it was translated as "Sport Lightweight". Nevertheless the previous SL-Class models were anything but "sport lightweight" and with the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 the manufacturer plans to change that and actually deliver a lighter two door convertible.

In case you want some numbers, the new SL550 weights roughly 3950 pounds, 275 pounds less than the previous SL550 despite the fact that the new model is 2.2 inches wider, 2 inches longer, has a more rigid structure and offers greater safety. The lightness of the new SL550 comes mainly from the fact that all its body panels are now built from aluminum.

When it comes to the engine, the German manufacturer made some changes here as well and ditched the 382 horsepower 5.5 liter V8 in favor of a more powerful yet economical 4.6 liter V8 engine that produces 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. To help fuel efficiency the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 benefits from start-stop technology and as far as the transmission goes, the new 4.6 liter V8 has been coupled with the seven-speed automatic gearbox found on the ongoing SL550 model.

Overall, the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 is able to go from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds, a significant 0.8 seconds increase compared to the previous SL550 model.

On the interior the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 manages to make a bigger impact than the previous SL-Class and it's more spacious as well. Optional extras include the Air-Scarf system which blows heated air at your neck, (a feature very appreciated in modern convertibles), Active Parking assist, Active Lane Keeping and Blind Spot assist, ambient lighting offering a selection of three colors, an AMG cosmetic Sport package, Bang & Olufsen audio system, Illuminated door sills, Keyless-Go, Back-up camera, Electrically operated draught-stop, Speed limit assist (which you'll probably need considering The SL550's performances), Glass roof with selectable transparency and Magic Sky Control.

As far as pricing goes, the Mercedes Benz SL550 2013 has an EST price of $100,000 and will have to go against the Jaguar XK Convertible 2012 which costs roughly $90,000, and the $85,550 BMW 6-Series Convertible.

Mercedes Benz SL550 2013

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