German Car Zone

Is it going into production or was it merely showing how far diesel technology had come on?

The SL420 CDI bluetech should most likely go in production..but that will not happen this year

Good question. Usually when Mercedes labels a concept "Vision" it is headed for production. That little SLK320 with the tri-turbo V6 (286hp) was also tagged "Vision" so we'll see.

M

From what I've heard, there will be NO SL diesel in production. People at Mercedes think that the SL should only have V8 petrol engines as putting a diesel would somehow dilute the SL's image.

Theres already a 300 series SL. How much more can the image be diluted...

You're talking about the SL350?

M

Maybe 5 years ago putting in a diesel would have diluted the image, but these new diesels from all the German manufacturers are not just brilliant diesel engines, but brilliant IC engines regardless. Good power and masses of torque (allowing for explosive in gear acceleration), combined with fuel consumption that allows great touring range - something that a lot of people even if they do not care about car economy need to realise. They are just about as smooth and quiet as were petrol engines of the late 1990s early 2000s.

Let's just wait until Audi wins Le Mans with a diesel...

You say that Bozzor, but the thing is, especially in a cabrio that you can hear the engine, and no matter what diesel it is, it doesn't sound good! If I had the money to buy an SL, then I would have enough moneyto run it, so what is the point in a diesel in a car like this. Lets face it, a lot of people like posing in their SLs, and that may include reving your engine. You can't do that in a diesel!

The sound is probably the one remaining issue, but is it such a big one that it outweighs in gear acceleration and excellent touring range?

And BMW has gone to greta efforts to ensure it's diesels do not sound like diesels, with some success - though maybe not enough for many.

I would imagine that there is a real niche for a diesel SL, maybe as high as 20% of total sales.

My neighbour has a W220 S320 CDI and when he starts it up to go to work in the mornings, you don't really hear it. When he comes home from work with the engine all warm, you don't hear it. The S-Class has sound deadening materials around the engine bay and they apparently work. Diesel clatter with an SL400 CDI shouldn't be an issue.

The issue at hand is PERCEPTION. A diesel SL may not sound as appealing today, but in a few years, you'll probably have people begging for it. Diesel is on a rise. Audi, BMW and MB and the French and Italians have excellent diesels. Their popularity is not only gaining because they are efficient, but because they're now actually FUN TO DRIVE. Still, a diesel engine in a car like the SL is as of now a bit "iffy". Give it time, and I am sure it'll be a smash hit when the time is right.