Mercedes Benz is not going to sully the SL’s bloodline by offering hybrid or diesel variants of the car.
That’s a relief to be honest because these days they even offer luxury saloon such as the S-Class, or sports cars such as the SLK, with small diesel engines. The SL however is safe for now.
And in spite of the reports that suggested Mercedes is going to ditch all V12s for good, the 2013 Mercedes SL is going to get it. In fact the engine lineup for the car will be the same as before consisting of V6, V8 and V12s. The V6 is for the entry-level SL350, but the new 430 hp V8 is not the only 8-cylinder unit to be placed under the SL’s sleek bonnet.
Next year there will be a new SL55 AMG – the badge is revived now that the SL63 is gone – powered by the 5.5 liter AMG twin-turbo V8. Same goes for the V12 which will be offered in the SL600, and with a bit of adjustments, in the SL65 AMG.
Of course, it’s not like Mercedes has totally forgot about environmental considerations. The V8s and V12s will almost certainly benefit from their new cylinder shut-off system first introduced in the 2012 SLK55 AMG. Plus, the new SL with its all-aluminum body is fairly light, and that also helps with the economy.
via: MBpassion
