Am I getting out of touch, or is the new 2017 SL 63 getting uglier?

[Craiglxviii]

So....if these fashion ducts don't lead anywhere aren't they just adding to form drag? (And they're ugly) Wouldn't they be better of being deleted/ having a cover. Discuss.

They do have some aero benefit, they duct air (on some cars) down to the underside aero covers. On other cars (not just MB) they are a styling cue that styling trends from one model to another within the same brand.

 

[Submariner1]

So....if these fashion ducts don't lead anywhere aren't they just adding to form drag? (And they're ugly) Wouldn't they be better of being deleted/ having a cover. Discuss.

Funny I too wondered if these "buckets" added to drag.
If they were angled down venting at the bottom, I could see they could act as a sort of mini front spoiler.
Or if they vented to cool one of the numerous radiators coolant/oil/ac/abc I could see the point.

Mind you I have no knowledge regarding slipstream technology. I just felt if one opened the window at 100mph and held a bucket out ... it would rip your arm off!
Certainly think it would form a horrible bug trap, in damp balmy evenings when the bugs are bad. But who knows?

 

[s5tuart]

I'm entrenched in the past I'm afraid! In my eyes this is more beautiful than impressive. A "proper" Teutonic design, over-engineered and ruthlessly functional. Most modern cars look to me like they would perish with a decent spray of fly killer!



(And no, I haven't sold it yet! . I don't think I can! )

 

[shine]

Apparently Mercedes Benz spend £10M a DAY on research and development and have the best brains on the planet.
I have to say I like it a lot, but what do I know, it must have been given the OK by the top brass at MB.
As they say, you can please some of the people some of the time...

 

[Mic]

Obviously it is down to the eye of the beholder but to my eye the pre face lift R230 remains the prettiest of the SLs with the exception of the original 300SL either in gullwing or roadster form.

Mic

 

[LostKiwi]

I'm in a bit of a quandry here because we have both an R230 pre-facelift and an early 129.
There is no doubt in my mind that the r129 is the more elegant of the two. The form is uncluttered and almost devoid of 'styling touches'. As above ruthlessly functional but at the same time classy and elegant.
The 230 is the one thats more visually stunning and far more likely to garner a second glance from pedestrians (where the 129 slips past largely unnoticed). The trend since the 230 has definitely been towards evermore attention grabbing looks but there does seem to be a loss of the earlier understated elegance so beautifully crafted into the 129.