Mercedes drop SL65 – the end of the Mercedes V12?

It’s being reported that Mercedes has dropped the SL65 and the SL600 from its range ahead of the all new 2012 SL. The end of the V12 for Mercedes?

We haven’t exactly had a glut of stories on the Merceds SL of late. In fact the last story appears to have been a spy shot of the 2012 SL back at the end of 2010. But that’s because the current SL is far from cutting edge and no longer the halo of the Mercedes range. It just seems to have been left to plod on seemingly unloved by Mercedes.

But now we do have some news as Mercedes gear up for the launch of the 2012 SL – Mercedes appears to be dropping the V12 from the SL65 and SL600.

Reports doing the rounds today are claiming that both V12 cars, the SL65 AMG and the ‘Mr Smooth’ SL600, have been erased from the Mercedes range. Which does add up.

It adds up because Mercedes has been quietly losing the V12 for some time – and singularly failing to utilise it where it would once have been deemed the only sensible option. Such as in the Mercedes SLS.

If Mercedes had built the SLS just a few years earlier we’re sure it would have had a V12. Just like the SL65 Black Series. Although that of course started life with a 612bhp V12, it managed to wring a very interesting 650bhp in the Black – getting on for 100 horses more than the SLS.

So the Eco-Mentalists look like they’ve managed to send the Mercedes V12 the same route as the BMW V10 – consigned to the history books.

Mercedes seem to be shuffling the V12 out of the current SL in preparation for the all new 2012 Mercedes SL, which we assume going to have to make do without the creamy V12s that have been on offer in the SL for nearly 20 years.

Which is all rather sad.