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Mercedes-AMG SL 65 Expected To Go Out Of Production In June 2018

Even though the Mercedes-AMG GT R has a lot of suck-squeeze-bang-blow to offer from its dry-sump, twin-turbo V8, the SL 65 calls dibs with more cylinders, more displacement, and more might. The range-topping model of the SL-Class is rated at 630 PS (621 horsepower) and a blacktop-trembling 1,000 Nm (738 pound-feet) of torque, coming courtesy of the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 known as M279.
Mercedes-AMG SL 65 16 photos
Photo: Mercedes-AMG
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Used in all Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach models badged 65 and 650, the M279 is based on the M277 of 2012, with the latter tracing its roots back to the M275 and M285 from 2003. As you can tell, the engine in the SL 65 is a dinosaur, more so if you bear in mind that it features three valves per cylinder instead of four.

In the case of the G-Class, the G65 was discontinued with the Final Edition, leaving the W464 Gelandewagen with two eight-cylinder mills (G 500 and G 63), made possible by the wet-sump version of the AMG-developed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. If it wasn’t obvious, the SL-Class also prepared to bid farewell to the M279 engine.

Mercedes-Benz Passion heard through the grapevine the SL 65 will be discontinued in June 2018, though nobody in Affalterbach could confirm or deny the information. With Mercedes-AMG now focused on eight-, six-, and four-cylinder plants, Maybach and the S-Class will serve as the final applications for the M279.

It’s also worth mentioning that the SL-Class is under pressure from the S-Class Cabriolet and GT Cabriolet, with some people taking the E-Class Cabriolet into consideration as well. If you’re still skeptical about what will happen to the SL 65, don’t forget the SL 600 went the way of the dodo in 2011 with the R230 generation.

On that note, it’s not known if Mercedes-Benz and the AMG division are working on an all-new V12. Hearsay suggests the three-pointed star might be tempted to combine two units of the M256 3.0-liter inline-six to create the rumored V12, but according to AMG chief Tobias Moers, wishful thinking can be considered as the most naive thing to do.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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