Very few car marquees have as much resources to build several lines of vehicles for different target markets as Mercedes-Benz does. And that plays a huge part in how the brand remains successful in the premium car segment.

To keep the pace going, Mercedes-Benz has just announced its plans for one of its vehicle lines, the SL. From 2012 onwards, the Mercedes-Benz SL will be wearing carbon fiber reinforced plastics instead of the usual sheet metal. If you’re a fan of the SL, you’ll know that it traces back to one of the most iconic Mercedes-Benz cars in history – the 300SL Gullwing.

‘SL’ stands for ‘Sports Light’. The 300SL Gullwing was originally a race car that had an underpowered 3.0-liter carbureted engine. Upon introduction of a fuel-injected version of the 300SL, it became the fastest production car during its time, a huge hit in America.

Now, after more than half a century, the latest incarnation of the SL promises to live up to its heritage of being a ‘light sportscar’. Mercedes-Benz has entered partnership with the world’s biggest carbon fiber manufacturer, Toray Industries, to make the latest SL lighter than ever. This is one SL you won’t want to miss.