New 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL gets back to a focus on performance
The all-new 2022 AMG SL will only available as an AMG model this time around.
It tends to be a big deal in the automotive world when it happens.
Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new SL model, keeping a decades-long streak going.
The all-new 2022 AMG SL goes in a bit of a different direction, with a small rear seat to broaden its appeal. It also gets back to a focus on performance, only available as an AMG model this time around.
Those legendary SL roots date back to the early 1950s, when Mercedes built a car to prove the company's might on the race track - the one known as the Gullwing.
"Mercedes-Benz after the war pretty much was in ruins, and to get back to its roots, it had a great reputation as a leader in racing, and the company saw it as an important element to the rebirth of the brand," said Michael Kunz with Mercedes-Benz.
After that first one got the ball rolling, the SL timeline continued on, with the cars built as roadsters. Each one was iconic for its time period and, of course, each one exclusive and expensive.
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Once the racing pedigree had been established, SLs evolved into luxurious grand touring cars, and soon became a favorite of those in Hollywood. In fact, the last car that Walt Disney owned was an SL.
Disney's actual car was used in his studio's film "That Darn Cat!" shortly after he bought it. The Disney family still owns it to this day.
Hollywood became synonymous with the SL, both as the personal cars of actors and producers and on the screen. From "American Gigolo" to "Dallas," an SL implied style and success.
The new SL will arrive next year in a world overrun with SUVs. This iconic car will likely always be a part of the company's portfolio given its history.
"You don't even have to be a car person. You know that's an SL, and it's almost an expectation of the brand, really," said Kunz.
Correction: An earlier version of this story described the vehicle as a 2023 model. This has been corrected to 2022.
