FIRST DRIVE | Four-pot Mercedes-AMG SL 43 fails to stir the soul

The year was 2013 and Mercedes-Benz was hosting a privileged group of journalists at Kyalami circuit. This was before its new owner took custodianship and the iconic facility was looking a bit rough around the edges.

But as always, the gravitas of being on such hallowed grounds was something to be appreciated. More considering the line-up before us. How lucky we were: an event solely for the purpose of getting reacquainted with the more sporting wares of the Mercedes-Benz range, suffixed by the AMG acronym.

It was a celebration of the glorious 6,208cc M156 motor and related V8 ilk. From the C 63 to the CLS 63; we queued for a few thunderous laps. There was also a surprise: seat time in the SLS AMG launched a few years before, an instant classic, with its gullwing doors cementing the link between it and its motorsport pedigreed forebear.

Not every day a person gets to experience an SLS AMG. Predictably, my expectations were met by the occasion. Forget the practicalities of a cramped cabin, limited outward visibility and needlessly long bonnet: the sound, pace and soul of the beast was fascinating. It was worthy of its place as a Mercedes-Benz AMG halo car.

Fast-forward to 2023 and we are at the refurbished Kyalami, resplendent with its freshly-painted buildings and chicanes as well as asphalt pristine enough to sleep on. And the new two-door contender taking its place at the top of the Mercedes-AMG pile is a little different. Say hello to the reinvented SL. While the SL of the generation before it evolved into a large grand tourer, this expression appears to want to rekindle the more compact, sporting flavour of the original 190 SL. The 190 SL roadster took cues from the 300 SL, but in a trimmed down, open air package with a modest four-cylinder.

Truly a full circle moment for the latest SL 43 powered by a four-cylinder engine. The motor delivers outputs that would have been unimaginable in the time of the 190 SL. The M139 turbocharged, 2.0l petrol engine is familiar from the A 35 and A 45, as well as the C 43 and incoming new C 63.

Mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) technology includes a 48V battery and belt-driven starter-generator. The SL 43 serves up 280kW and 480Nm, while the starter-generator can deliver an additional 10kW/150Nm for short boosts. Using the launch control function, the SL 43 gets to 100km/h from standstill in a rather expedient 4.9 seconds.

We look forward to testing those credentials when the model arrives for a lengthier evaluation period. This is a brief account of our two-lap interaction. Peeling back the top takes 15 seconds, operated electronically at speeds up to 60km/h. The padded fabric ceiling remained firmly in place for our brief dynamic evaluation.

Squeezing into the snug cabin, my eyes passed over the 11.9-inch central display, which can be adjusted electronically to avoid glare driving topless. My focus is on getting into the zone for track driving, but other details catch my eye, such as the two turbine-inspired air conditioning ventilation nozzles. In front of me is a 12.9-inch digital instrument cluster.

Easing out of the pits, the four-cylinder emits its familiar buzz. Tipping the steering-mounted mode selector into Sport+ mode, the acoustics get deeper, as I lean onto the power pedal with more conviction. Dab of brakes before the first left-hander at Kyalami, the SL 43 turns in confidently. The steering is assuredly weighted and through the subsequent right sweep, the tautness of the chassis makes its impression.

Suspension componentry boasts the appropriate level of sophistication. This is the first production Mercedes-AMG to incorporate a multilink front axle with five links arranged entirely within the rim. A five-link set-up serves at the rear axle; the shock absorbers are aluminium, as are the steering knuckles.

The nine-speed, multiclutch transmission is sharp-witted and intuitive left to its own devices. Chasing the A45 pace car ahead at a fair rate of knots, we tuck into Leeukop and hustle down the Mineshaft. So far the rear-drive SL 43 has not shown even a slight propensity for waywardness: its backside is firmly planted.

Grippy, poised and precise, the SL 43 is a refined driving tool with sufficient punch — that is my first impression. From an emotional perspective, however, the four-cylinder fails to stir the soul.

Coasting into the pits, getting out of the SL 43, my mind goes back to that day in 2013, emerging from the SLS, hot-faced and grinning. The SL 43 is priced from R2,316,546.

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