German automaking pioneer Mercedes-Benz has debuted the genuine Sport-Leicht (Sport-Light) variant of its seventh-generation SL, the Mercedes-AMG SL 43. When Mercedes introduced the all-new SL in 2022, it broke convention by giving it all-wheel-drive, a folding soft-top roof, four-wheel steering, and a pair of high-strung 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engines.

But with all that kit, the AMG SL 55 and AMG SL 63 would tip the scales at about 4,300 lbs. (1,950 kgs), not exactly what you would classify as ?lightweight? despite Mercedes-Benz?s weight-saving efforts to the SL?s bespoke aluminum spaceframe. Mercedes is not yet ready to talk about the newest AMG SL 43?s weight, but it?ll be lighter than its V8-equipped siblings thanks to a compact and hi-tech four-cylinder engine and slimmer underpinnings.
Mercedes M139 Engine: Formula 1 Technology

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL 43 may have a standard four-cylinder engine, but it?s not a run-of-the-mill four-banger. Instead, under the hood is the brand?s M139 engine, the most potent four-cylinder engine in serial production. It has two liters of displacement and an innovative electric-driven turbocharger that kills turbo lag with some creative engineering.

?The electric exhaust gas turbocharger is a fascinating example of the extensive transfer between Formula 1 technology and the development of production vehicles,? said Jochen Hermann, Chief Technical Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. ?The technology increases agility and thus driving ...