AT BROOKLANDS, Mercedes-Benz has gathered everything from an original 300SL Gullwing through to the latest 2023 AMG models. Is there really a common thread connecting 70 years of SLs? Only one way to find out.
I start the day in the SL43, the current entry-level model. The ‘43’ equates to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo with an F1-inspired mild-hybrid drivetrain and nine-speed auto. It’ll do the numbers, with 0-62mph in 4.9sec and a top speed of 171mph, though it feels a little subdued. Perhaps it’s the lack of aural drama you get compared with the six-and eight-cylinder AMGs of recent years: this is
