Along the sides, the breathing ducts behind the front wheels change from two horizontal to three vertical gills on the 2009 SL550 and SL600, bisected by a chrome horizontal accent piece. The gill design now extends into the front of each door. The line that starts at the bottom of each gill extends into a rising character line that wraps around the car and gives the SL a forward-leaning rake. The SL600 has a V12 logo beneath the gill on each side. At the bottom, the rocker panel design is reworked as well.
The rear design is very similar to that of the previous model. The only notable change is a restyled rear fascia with a ribbed, diffuser-style lower portion.
The SL63 and SL65 come with a unique hood, front fascia with larger cooling intakes, and a black grille. The hood has a noticeable power bulge in the center that replaces the two raised ribs. The bi-xenon headlights have black surrounds and the fog lights have round instead of elliptical shape. On the sides, the AMG models have additional intake ducts just in front of the wheels and the side gills are replaced by E-shaped inserts in matte silver; the SL63 has lettering that says 6.3 AMG, and the SL65 has V12 BITURBO lettering. At the rear, AMG models have a lip spoiler, deeper side sills and a rear fascia that houses a pronounced black rear air diffuser and two pairs of chrome tailpipes.
All SL roadsters have a power retractable hardtop that opens or closes in 16 seconds. Unlike some convertible tops, the SL's does not open or close if the car is in motion, even at low speeds. The available panorama glass top gives an open-air feeling even with the top up. The SL is a beautiful car with the top down and the sleek roof makes it look even better with the top up. Next Page