For months, engineers...

For months, engineers have been testing heavily disguised versions of the revised luxury roadster. In this week"s mag our picture shows what to expect from the newcomer, which will be officially uncovered at the Geneva Motor Show next March. The influence of the R-Class luxury car on the headlamps is clear, and their angular shape sets the latest SL apart from the current model at the front.

The grille has also been updated with a prominent single horizontal bar, while the three-pointed star badge remains in the centre. At the rear, the shape of the lights and bumper is changed, too. The makeover follows last year"s mechanical revisions, when Mercedes added new engines and adjusted the suspension set-up to keep the SL competitive with the world"s most glamorous luxury cabrios.

It"s not yet known how extensive any interior changes will be, but updates are expected to bring the SL"s cabin in line with Mercedes" newest C and S-Class designs.

While prices for the new car have yet to be decided, no significant rises are expected. Following its unveiling in the spring, the revised drop-top will go on sale in the UK in summer 2008.