Expect to see much more of this face.
Any re-style of Mercedes’ most iconic model is never undertaken lightly.
So when, as part of its mid-term facelift, the SL abandons its familiar four-eyed visage in favour of the look you see here, you can bet that the rest of Mercedes’ model range is set to follow suit.
A pair of wide-set, L-shaped headlamps that flank the central air intake now dominate the SL’s front end.
The intake itself is heavily revised, too. The grille has been widened.
There are detailed changes elsewhere, too.
The front bumper is more aggressively styled, as are the side skirts.
And the air vents on the front fenders are now punctuated by “gills”, which recall those on the SL’s grand-daddy, the unforgettable 300SL Roadster of the 1950s.
The rear valance now sports a “diffuser look” (that’s Mercedes’ words, not ours).
All in all, it’s not a bad update.
The front is certainly controversial – it’s not pretty but it’s got a certain brutal aggression, in this writer’s eyes.
But the effect is cohesive and fresh, and the combination of tweaks imparts a new-found edge to the SL280’s looks, which needed a fillip after six years.
The Mercedes now has presence with a capital P.
So what else is new?
Inside, there’s a re-styled instrument cluster, a new steering wheel, trim colours and materials.
Despite this, the cabin still shows its age in some ways.
The steering wheel is a bit thin-rimmed and too large to be truly sporty, and some controls feel a bit old school.
But the switch to open the metal folding roof is so brilliant that it bears special mention.
It’s not a button; it’s a neat curved flap on the centre console behind the gear lever, and its action mimics that of the roof itself.
Lift it to open the roof; push it down to turn the SL280 back into a coupe.
It’s typical Mercedes thinking, and exhibits the same sort of logic that brought us the seat-shaped electric seat controls.
Under that long, slightly reshaped bonnet, there are updates as well.
The SL350 now delivers 316bhp from its 3.5-litre V6 engine (an impressive 44bhp increase).
Impressively, it’s also 4 percent less thirsty than its predecessor.
The big bruiser engines in the SL’s line-up remain unchanged.
But of particular interest locally will be a new base model – the SL280 featured here – that comes equipped, confusingly, with the 3-litre, 231bhp V6 from the S300 saloon.
It’s a fine engine – smooth and keen, with good low-end torque and a linear power delivery.
But its efforts are somewhat blunted by the SL280’s 1815kg kerb weight, which is nearly as much as the much larger S-Class’.
The century sprint is still completed in a brisk 7.8 seconds, but the SL280’s mid-range pick-up merely feels sprightly rather than downright fast.
The 7-speed automatic in the SL280 is an unobtrusive unit that slurs its changes seamlessly.
Ultimately, however, it seems to be tuned more for wafting than for hard charging.
And it lacks the hair-trigger immediacy and response of the latest dual-clutch gearboxes that are starting to proliferate.
(On the SL350, the gearbox comes with an electronic “double-declutch” function, which blips the throttle on downchanges.)
Take the SL280 around some bends and it copes well.
V6 remains smooth even with the 1.8 tonnes it has to shift.
It feels big, partly because of that long, long nose which seems to arrive at the corner a couple of seconds before you do, and partly because you’re always aware, whether cornering or braking, that the SL280 isn’t a light car.
The steering needs a bit more feel and weight but, nevertheless, it’s very fluid and linear.
The car always feels secure and planted, and outright grip levels are very high.
The SL280 never feels like it was designed to tackle Sepang, but it will hustle if you insist.
But when it is doing what it was designed for, it’s peerless.
Put the top down – the work of a moment, thanks to a beautifully engineered roof mechanism which raises or lowers the roof in a mere 16 seconds – and the SL280 is in its element.
For starters, it looks even better with the roof off.
Just as with every SL model in Mercedes’ history, the latest SL just looks so effortlessly stylish as a convertible. It’s the car’s natural state.
The fact that the SL was designed from the outset as a convertible is obvious from the way it just works so well as one, without any compromises.
On the move, there’s very little wind buffeting, and even less when you raise the mesh wind deflector behind the seats.
There’s an unruffled imperiousness about the way the SL280 goes about its stuff, whether it’s punting hard or just wafting about.
In fact, the way the SL280 rides is representative of the car as a whole.
Nothing about the car jars or grates.
There’s an innate cohesiveness, an overwhelming sense of engineering and build integrity.
The SL280 isn’t downright sporty, nor does it pretend to be.
Maybe that’s an essential part of SL DNA – it doesn’t try too hard; it’s just effortlessly stylish.
And it, therefore, makes the occupants look good, too.
Even the coffee shop uncle would look like a prince in one.
The detailed revisions that Mercedes has made to this car are certainly welcome.
But, more importantly, what remains unchanged is the fact that the SL is just a very, very cool car to drive and own.
2009 MERCEDES-BENZ SL280 3.0 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type V6, 24-valves
Capacity 2996cc
Bore x stroke 88mm x 82.1mm
Compression ratio 11.3:1
Max power 231hp at 6000rpm
Max torque 300Nm at 2500-5000rpm
Power to weight 127.3hp per tonne
Gearbox 7-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Rear
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 7.8 seconds
Top speed 250km/h
Consumption 10.6km/L (combined)
SUSPENSION
Front Four-link, coil springs
Rear Multi-link, coil springs
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
Size 255/45 R17
SAFETY
Airbags 8
Traction aids ABS, ESC
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4562mm
Width 1820mm
Height 1317mm
Wheelbase 2560mm
Kerb weight 1815kg
Turning circle 11.04m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $349,888
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Iconic style statement, engineering integrity and build quality, ride comfort
– Steering could be sharper and sportier, gearbox could be sharper and sportier, more power would be nice
