SL55 delivery report - I bought a SL55 AMG (R230)!
I actually took delivery of a Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG last Christmas!
Positioning of SL
There are a number of current Mercedes classes with a cabriolet (convertible) line-up. All can be listed as follows.
- C - class cabriolet
- E - class cabriolet
- S - class cabriolet
- SLC - class
- SL - class
The SL and SLC are called Roadster, but the SL and SLC are only available as convertibles. The SL class is the most luxurious convertible of them all. The first generation W198, second generation W113, third generation R107, fourth generation R129, fifth generation R230 and the current sixth generation R231. The SL I bought this time is an R230 and it is a 2004 model; the R230 is divided into earlier and later generations, the earlier being 2001-2008 and the later being 2008-2011.
R230 SL line-up
Eight SL grades were available at the time: 350, 500, 550, 600, 55 AMG, 63 AMG, 65 AMG and 65 AMG Black Series. However, not all of them existed at the same time. The first half of the year was the 350, 500, 600, 55 AMG and 65 AMG, while the second half was the 350, 550, 600, 63 AMG, 65 AMG and 65 AMG Black Series; the same grade 350 had a different engine between the first and second half, and the 500 and 55 AMG from the first half were no longer available in the second half, Only the 600 and 65 AMG were sold in both the earlier and later years and had exactly the same engine.
SL55 AMG horsepower of 500 PS and 0-100 acceleration of 4.4 seconds.
My SL is a 2004, but it's a very destructive machine at the time, making 500 hp. 55AMG engines come in two types, M113 and M113K, with the supercharged one being the M113K." K" is the German acronym for "Kompressor", which translates directly to "supercharger". In English, it is called a Supercharger, so this name is probably more familiar. The base M113 is a 5.4L V8 SOHC NA (naturally aspirated) engine with 347-367 hp and 510-530 Nm, depending on the model. The M113K, with a supercharger retrofitted to it, has specifications of 476-582 hp and 700-800 Nm.
In the case of the SL55, with an empty weight of 1,970 kg and maximum horsepower of 500 PS @ 6,100rpmと最大トルク700Nm@2,750-4,000rpmで722.6の5速ATのお陰で0-100加速が4.4秒に達する. 100-200 acceleration measured by Dragy was 9.52 seconds.
The fuel consumption is 6.3 km/L in the official Yanase catalogue, but well, it's not that easy to get. If it were a European car, it would be possible to get +2km/L above the catalogue value at high speeds, but no matter how carefully I drove, 6.9km/L was the best I could get.
Nürth time is 8 minutes 6 seconds.
The SL55's Nürth time is 8 minutes 6 seconds, but how fast is it?
| Cars. | Lap Times. | Introduced Years |
| Porsche 911 GT3 (996) | 8:03 | 1999 |
| VW Golf R (Mk VII facelift) | 8:04 | 2017 |
| Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG | 8:04 | 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG (517PS) | 8:06 | 2006 |
It is roughly the same time as the W176 A45 (380 PS): the A45 accelerates from 100-200 in 11.3 seconds, whereas my SL55 (500 PS) is faster, with a measured time of 9.52 seconds. However, in the Nürburgring, the A45 seems to be faster due to its lighter weight. After all, the SL is a luxury car and it is better to enjoy high speed winding at around 200km/h on the Kanetsu and Chuo roads.
Active Body Control 'ABC' suspension.
In case you are wondering, the suspension is equipped with Mercedes-Benz's masterpiece ABC (Active Body Control). When people hear about this type of suspension, they think it is an air suspension, but this is a hydraulic system and uses the same oil as the power steering oil. This system is smarter than the air suspension and reduces roll and pitching so that the centre of gravity is kept in the middle when cornering. The air suspension can only be adjusted in terms of hardness, but the ABC is a very innovative feature, as it is usually soft and only firm in corners.
