- After first revealing the Mercedes-AMG SL43 last year, the German brand has now decided to bring the four-cylinder variant of its grand tourer to the United States.
- The SL43 uses the same innovative setup as the AMG C43 sedan, with an electric motor integrated into the turbocharger, reducing lag.
- The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL43 will cost $111,050 when it goes on sale this summer.
The Mercedes-AMG SL43 debuted for Europe last year, sporting a 375-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electrical assistance and technology borrowed from Formula 1 racing. At the time, Mercedes was still weighing whether it would bring the SL43 stateside, but now the German automaker has confirmed that the SL43 will reach the American market as a 2023 model, with sales set to kick off this summer.
The SL43 serves as the entry-level model for the SL lineup, with four fewer cylinders under the hood than its V-8-powered SL55 and SL63 siblings. Although the SL43 can’t match the potent outputs of the V-8 models, the M139 inline-four—the same engine found in the CLA45 and GLA45 AMG—still churns out an impressive 354 pound-feet of torque to go along with the 375 ponies.
The SL43 makes that power in an unusual way. The turbocharger strapped to the 2.0-liter engine includes an electric motor along with the usual exhaust-gas plumbing. The motor—a 1.6-inch-wide unit slotted onto the shaft between the turbine and compressor wheel—can spin the compressor wheel before the exhaust gases do. This promises to minimize turbo lag, and the e-motor can also maintain boost pressure under braking or when the car is coasting so the turbo is always ready to go when the driver gets back on the throttle. The Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team uses the same technology in its turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 hybrid race cars, and the C43 AMG sedan that debuted last spring features the same powertrain with an extra 27 horsepower.
The 48-volt belt-driven starter-generator that powers the turbocharger’s e-motor can also provide an extra 13 horsepower in brief spurts. Mercedes says this jolt of power occurs at lower rpm and doesn’t increase the overall 375-hp peak output. The 48-volt tech also allows the start-stop system to work more smoothly and can regenerate energy under deceleration.
The longitudinally mounted engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that uses AMG’s usual wet clutch pack instead of a torque converter. Mercedes claims the rear-wheel-drive SL43 will hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and will max out at an electronically limited 170 mph.
The visual changes for the SL43 are minimal, with simpler styling for the front and rear bumpers and round tailpipes instead of the squared-off outlets on the eight-cylinder SLs. The standard wheels are 19 inches, but the SL43 can also be ordered with 20- or 21-inch wheels. The opulent cabin is unchanged for the entry-level model, and power-adjustable heated and cooled nappa leather seats come standard. The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL43 will start at $111,050, undercutting the V-8 SL55 by nearly $30,000.
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Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
