Mercedes-AMG revealed the new SL Roadster back in October 2021 with typical AMG styling and a brutal V-8 engine that’s good for 577 horsepower in the SL 63 or 469 horsepower in the SL 55. Since then, we’ve discussed its unique interior, certain things that make it truly unique, and how there will be a new AMG GT Coupe sitting next to it in the AMG stable. What we didn’t know, however, was that there will be a new entry-level version, dubbed the SL 43, but whether or not it will live up to the AMG badge has been called into question.

Rumor: The Mercedes-AMG SL 43 and Four Cylinder Power

According to a report from Mercedes-Benz Passion Blog, AMG is planning to launch an SL 43 that will apparently feature round tailpipes that will be shared with a plug-in hybrid model that will launch down the road. More importantly, though, is that this model will be the entry-level model and it will ditch the V-8 altogether for something half the size: a four-cylinder engine.

According to the report, the four-cylinder engine won’t be the 416-horsepower M139 that’s found in the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and the upcoming C63 PHEV. Instead, AMG will go with the 2.0-liter M254 that’s currently found in the new C300 4Matic.} In that model, it’s good for 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque with a little extra oomph offered by the mild-hybrid setup. In the C-Class, it’s good enough for a 62-mph )100 km/h) sprint in six seconds and a top speed of 150 mph. The Mercedes SL might be more of a grand tourer as opposed to a sports car, but people will expect more from the AMG SL, even in entry-level form.

That’s why Mercedes-AMG is apparently integrating an electric turbo charger like that found in the AMG GT 63 S E Performance. This could also be a precursor for the electric turbo that will launch with the AMG One hypercar and the four-cylinder AMG C63 later this year. Rumor has it that the AMG SL 43 will be good for somewhere in the neighborhood of 385 horsepower, which will represent a 130-pony gain over the base offering in the C300. That’s not bad, but it’s still not as good as it could be – after all, the M139 I mentioned earlier is a beast of a four-banger.

As for that electric turbo, it’s being developed in partnership with Garrett, and it will basically eliminate the concept of turbo drag by unlocking torque early on and ditching the need to wait for the spool up required by traditional exhaust-driven turbos. The next-gen AMG GT Coupe will also benefit from e-turbo for-cylinder in its entry-level from, but the SL 43 will be the first to launch with the technology, maybe even as early as March 2022.

By the way, if you’re still uncertain of the SL having a four-cylinder engine, it’s not the first time such a thing has occurred. Mercedes sold the W121 190 SL in the 1950 and 1960s with a 1.9-liter four-banger that was, essentially, the 300 SL’s straight-six with two cylinders chapped offer. It offered just 120 horsepower, though, so things will be a little different this time around.