Mercedes is sneaking around like the cat that ate the canary, but its dinner has consisted of swallowing up the V12-powered SL-Class. The 2012 SL65 AMG is joining the other quietly discontinued model - the SL600 - in order for Mercedes to focus on developing the new generation SL-Class set to be released in 2013.
Mercedes hasn’t officially announced why they are phasing out their top of the line SL model, but it may have something to do with the SLS AMG and its similar power output. The SL65 AMG produces 604 HP to the SLS AMG’s 571 HP, but the SLS AMG is also 900 lbs lighter than the SL65 AMG. The lighter weight allows the SLS AMG to be more agile and provide better performance.
Dupont Registry is also saying that Mercedes may be slowly eliminating their V12-powered models to make room for their new 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. This engine fits right into the whole "go green" phenomenon with a fuel efficiency improvement of about 25% when compared to the brand’s 6.3-liter V-8.
Either way, the market has lost two of Mercedes’ big guns and so far, they don’t seem to be too upset about it. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
