The biggest changes to the SL line following the update are to the front of the car. The vehicle now has CLS-style headlamps to complement the new bumper and grille. Meanwhile, the taillights have been augmented with LEDs and a refined shape.
The SL550's engine remains unchanged, with a 5.5-liter V8 delivering 382 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 391 pound-feet of torque between 2,800 and 4,800 rpm. Although, the latest model enjoys a slight bump in fuel economy to 14 city, 22 highway.
Both the improved fuel economy and quick zero-to-60 time of 5.3 seconds can give some thanks to the seven-speed automatic transmission.
The car's steering system has been improved to feature a variable rack ratio, which adjusts in line with the steering angle, increasing sharply as soon as this reaches five degrees. All of which means that, compared to a steering system with a constant ratio, the driver does not have to move the steering wheel as much when cornering.
Mercedes SL 2011
