Future mercedes convertibles

[DaveyF]

It is and this one is expected three times that. Keep you eye on Pebble Beach!

Three times that...WOW! I really question IF any car is really worth that kind of money...no take that back, when you have just made $100M in the last 24 hours...what's adding a nice shiny red 250GTO to your collection.

Unfortunately, I am certain that the 250 GTO will sit in someone's garage, or on the museum floor and never be driven...or enjoyed the way Enzo originally intended. Unlike the magnificent painting; like you correct pointed out, these
vehicles wear in a way that really is unfortunate. I know this, as I happen to own a vehicle that benefits greatly from been driven...even though my insurance company hates the idea.

 

[Bruce B]

DRIVE THE DAMN CAR!

For the first year of so, my AMG was a garage queen on a battery tender... only to be driven on a sunny day, which in the PNW is not that many. Over the past year, I have found myself driving it 2-3 times a week. You know something?? It seems to behave better! Little things, like shifting, controls, even the infotainment center, seem to work better now. Before, I'd have to press buttons a couple of times or wait for the gears to change when using the paddle shifters.

Yes.... DRIVE THE DAMN CAR!!!

 

[Priaptor]

For the first year of so, my AMG was a garage queen on a battery tender... only to be driven on a sunny day, which in the PNW is not that many. Over the past year, I have found myself driving it 2-3 times a week. You know something?? It seems to behave better! Little things, like shifting, controls, even the infotainment center, seem to work better now. Before, I'd have to press buttons a couple of times or wait for the gears to change when using the paddle shifters.

Yes.... DRIVE THE DAMN CAR!!!

Just from a philosophical perspective and the perspective of my job, life is too short to worry about a car, or most possessions for that matter.

As you have learned and experienced, a car is built to be driven not coveted.

Enjoy and congrats on having an amazing car.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Steve, it is very interesting that you started this thread.

I actually approach it from a slightly different perspective. I do not care for the look of the AMG GT. I personally just don’t care for the big shark mouth front grill, which apparently is getting increasingly popular with Mercedes and Lexus.

I am not a big fan of Mercedes models in general, but I just happen to love, love, love the characteristics of the SL. For me the SL is small on the outside but large on the inside. If you check specifications you might be surprised to learn that the SL has more legroom than the front seats of most of the Mercedes sedans!

The SL as a large two-seat convertible with a retractable hardtop literally is a unique vehicle. No one else makes a car with this exact design brief. (Okay, I think one of the newer Ferrari models may be a large two-seater with a retractable hardtop, but I cannot consider that a daily driver for reliable, high mileage use.)

As far as I know the SL is the largest two-seat convertible in the world. Many convertibles are 2+2, but I don’t care about the rear seats, and the 2+2 results in reduced legroom for the front seats.

It is not that I have such long legs, obviously, but I like space. I have never cared for the genre of smaller two seat convertibles (Audi TT, Audi R8, BMW Z4, Porsche Boxster, MB SLK, Jaguar F, etc.). I find all of them annoyingly small and cramped on the inside, whereas the two seats in the SL feel like the front half of a large sedan.

For a relatively small car on the outside it swallows a serious amount of luggage. The trunk accepts my giant 29” full-size suitcase on wheels. And you can stow two small to mid-size suitcases behind the seats.

Finally, I love the retractable hardtop. I just find there to be too much wind noise in a soft top convertible to be used as a daily driver in which I am almost constantly on the bluetooth telephone. Yes, the retractable hardtop makes the car heavier, but in cost/benefit analysis terms I love the solid weatherproof seal, the noise isolation from the outside and the physical security of a steel roof.

I bought my SL550, named Gunther, new in 2008. My personal dilemma/annoyance is that the next generation 2020 or 2021 SL is going to be a 2+2 soft-top — exactly what I don’t like and I don’t want!

And just to make it worse I really don’t think the current SL body style with its gills and sharper angles and body panels is as pretty as the smoother, simpler body style of Gunther and of your high-power SL.

I think the other contender for big, comfy convertibles might be the Bentley Continental GTC.
My dad loves his, his lady even more so . I'm attempting to persuade him to give it to her and replace with the latest, Mercedes engined Aston Martin Vanquish

 

[Ron Resnick]

I think the other contender for big, comfy convertibles might be the Bentley Continental GTC.
My dad loves his, his lady even more so . I'm attempting to persuade him to give it to her and replace with the latest, Mercedes engined Aston Martin Vanquish

But isn’t the Bentley a soft-top?

 

[infinitely baffled]

It is, aye

 

[Steve williams]

I've done some further digging and found that the end of the RHT is in 2021

Here are some images of the 2019 SL63 which shows the new rounded lines of the rear of the car

https://www.motor1.com/photo/1501968/2019-mercedes-sl-spy-photo/

 

[DaveyF]

I've done some further digging and found that the end of the RHT is in 2021

Here are some images of the 2019 SL63 which shows the new rounded lines of the rear of the car

https://www.motor1.com/photo/1501968/2019-mercedes-sl-spy-photo/

Steve, that doesn't look right??/ That car is obviously a coupe....and I'm pretty sure all SL's are open cars. Could be the next S class coupe.

 

[Steve williams]

There were a ton of photos in there so there are pix of a coupe as well as the SL BUT the purpose of my post was to show that it seems it will be like the old 450 SLC of years gone by with a row of seats in the back with a soft top starting in 2021