Next generation Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster begins pre-production testing

These images of heavily camouflaged, pre-production SL Roadsters were taken at the Mercedes-Benz testing compound in southern Germany.

It's understood the new model will be known as the SL Roadster, having been designed exclusively as a soft-top, two-seater convertible.

The first prototypes were spied in January 2020 with an electrified powertrain of some sort, suspected to be a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.

The forthcoming SL Roadster will be based on the same platform as the Mercedes-AMG GT, and is expected to be lighter and more agile than recent preceding generations.

In order to keep some distance from the AMG GT range, the new SL will likely borrow engines from the new S-Class range, to be revealed next week.