The sixth generation of one of the world’s most iconic cars celebrates its world premiere today at Detroit Motor Show 2012.

As it’s the case with all Merc SLs the new generation shares little with the one it replaces in terms of aesthetics. We didn’t like the new SL when we first laid eyes on it — to be brutally honest we hated it a bit – but it’s the kind of design that’ll grow on you much quicker than you’d expect. It’s certainly grown on us.

We’re starting to see some sort of strange beauty in those big eyes of the SL, which frankly make the car look like a startled bambi.

The new generation Mercedes SL is made almost entirely out of aluminum, and that means it’s about 140kg lighter than the previous model, which was always mocked for its chubbiness. This Sl though is light on its feet, and with a range of upgraded engines it’s sure to offer a much nicer driving experience.

The new V8 engine in the SL500 (Sl550 in America) makes 435 hp and 700 Nm of torque, which is astonishing for a naturally aspirated engine, especially as it is 22 percent more fuel efficient. The good old 3.5 liter V6 is tweaked too, and offers 306 hp and 370 Nm of torque. Both engine variants come with a standard-fit ECO start/stop function. The 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, which has been optimised in relation to fuel consumption and comfort, also contributes to the exemplary, low fuel consumption.

2013 Mercedes SL comes with some new clever tech as well, chief among which are the Magic View Control, which is basically a new type pf windscreen wiper with washer nozzles located on the blade, so the passengers won’t get showered when the top is down, and the front bass system which puts subwoofers of the audio system in the footwells. Apparently that makes a big difference in the overall sound experience.

We are impatiently waiting for the AMG versions of this car, not just to see how they look, but also to find out what kind of weapons-grade engine AMG has come up with this time.