Simona Alina
Filed in: amg Mercedes | luxury cars | Mercedes SL-Class | roadster

Mercedes Germany revealed the first image of the SL 65 AMG facelift. It will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 biturbo engine that delivers 612 hp and a peak torque of 1000 NM.

The less powerful version, the SL 63 AMG will be powered by a V8 engine that deliver 525 hp and a peak torque of 630 Nm.

The SL 63 AMG has a fuel emission of 13,9 l/100 km and a CO2 emission of 330 g/km; the SL 65 AMG has a fuel consumption of 15.1 l/100 km and a CO2 emission of 362 g/km.

Source: Internal

Source: SL 65 AMG - first image

Europe has embraced diesel-fueled vehicles and their efficient - if not always clean-burning - ways for decades. While Americans were running around celebrating the 50mpg Prius, Europe was yawning, pointing at its fleet of diesels that easily match or exceed the Prius’ petroleum parsimony. So while it’s not surprising that major manufacturers would look to diesel-powered models to help meet increasingly tough fuel consumption regulations, it is somewhat surprising that its America’s major manufacturers.

Why America has so completely avoided the diesel is something of a mystery - apparently the public doesn’t understand the benefits diesel has to offer. Aside from a few large pickups, Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee is the only diesel model available in the U.S. from a major American manufacturer. It seems the sheer lack of diesels may be part of the problem: although the technology has advanced far from the rattling, foul-smelling soot-spewing contraptions of thirty or forty years ago, America’s exposure to diesel engines since the 1970s has been sparse, at best.

Another part of the reason for the lack of diesel presence in America is California’s emissions standards, which are so strict that almost no diesels can pass. Seven other states have adopted the standards, and that means diesels, at their current emissions levels, would be prohibited from sale in the states most likely to want them - big, populous states with high fuel prices and lots of traffic.

Regardless of the reasons for the dearth of diesels, Detroit’s automakers are hoping that the economic benefit will be enough to sell the American public on diesel power. Saving money on fuel while driving the same size and class of car is an attractive selling point - one which can be made real with a switch to diesel, reports The Detroit News. The small premium in initial price for the more expensive diesel engine would pay for itself in less than four years for a motorist that averages 12,000mi per year. That kind of math is attractive, especially in comparison to the higher hybrid price premium, which can take ten or more years to recoup in fuel costs.

Source: Detroit’s Big 3 looking to diesel for efficiency

For a car maker that prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ BMW spends quite a lot of time making sure passengers also have an excellent experience. Some of BMW’s customers think they’ve gone to far, complaining that even the sport-package equipped version of the current 6-series just isn’t sporty enough. But others think the 6 is just perfectly luxurious. So BMW has decided to take the middle route and appease both camps - the next 6-series, due out in 2010 or 2011, will come in two versions: sport and luxury.

What exactly the difference will be has yet to be revealed, but it will reportedly be a ‘marked’ difference, unlike the current line-up. Whatever BMW ends up doing to make the 6-series home to a truly sporty grand tourer, there’s a good chance the idea could spread throughout the luxury world. Makers like Mercedes and Lexus face similar dilemmas with their line-up and a similar solution would make sense. Audi has already adopted and incorporated this method of design throughout its line, offering its standard A Series, the improved S Series and the totally insane RS Series, all of which are variants of one core line-up.

More details on the new 6-series itself are lacking, but the word on the street is that the new car will be a two-door version of the CS concept shown in Shanghai. The uber-sexy flagship concept speaks volumes about BMW’s future design direction, and even if the CS itself never makes it to production, it’s sure to inspire elements of BMW’s future line-up. You can catch a video of the CS or read up on our coverage of it until BMW graces us with actual details on the upcoming 6-series.

Via Auto Spies

Source: BMW may offer two versions of the next 6-series