A few months ago Mercedes-Benz announced the launch of a new variant of the SL-Class powered by a brand-new twin-turbo V6 engine, called SL 400. We never got to have a good look at it though, which is a shame, because this version comes as standard with the AMG sport pack, and to be honest it is the best looking R231 SL you can get.

In fact, Mercedes SL 400 could well be the best variant of the car. There is the V8 version and there is the enticing AMG models, yes, but they cost more and they tend to guzzle fuel like there is no tomorrow. The SL 400 looks good, has reasonable efficiency, and it provides good performance. It is the best compromise.

The magnificent engine powering the Mercedes SL 400 is a 4.0 liter twin-turbo V6 unit with 245 kW (333 hp) and 480 Nm of torque. That is very nearly what you get from a V8, but the fuel consumption is on the par with that of a small engine: 7.3 liter/100 km or 32 mpg.

In terms of performance, SL 400 can accelerate form 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 250 km/h. That is fast by any standard.

Photos via AutoWP