Almost 70 years since the launch of the first Mercedes Benz SL300, the SL's latest eighth-generation is entering the home straight of its development. Mercedes-AMG engineers are test driving on a particular, closed-off proving ground in snowy Sweden. And even though a large proportion of the development work on the Roadster, configured as a 2+2-seater, took place in digital form, a certain amount of analogue development driving is still essential. The final tuning is of the fully variable all-wheel-drive system 4MATIC+, now offered for the first time in the SL, and it is vital to test in extreme winter conditions.
The redesigned fabric roof, too, has to prove itself in the harsh conditions that prevail near the Arctic Circle. The handling dynamics of this iconic Roadster, set to make its debut later this year, will shortly be undergoing final refinement - on the north loop of the Nürburgring, amongst other places.
The Nürburgring is well known for being the most challenging racing circuit globally; specialists from Mercedes-AMG will be ensuring that this latest interpretation of the SL draws even more than ever on its sporting roots.
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