No One Is Buying the Mercedes-Benz SL

Like most automakers in 2024, Mercedes-Benz finished the year with positive sales growth in the United States. The German automaker moved 324,528 vehicles last year, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2023. As you might expect, SUVs were the dominant force in the lineup while coupes and sedans largely slid. Unfortunately, none slid harder than the SL, which tumbled 56 percent.

That translates to just 1,608 sales for the entire year. By comparison, the GLE-Class—Mercedes’ best-selling vehicle—sold nearly as many units each week, on average. Ford sold more F-Series trucks every single day.

Of course, the SL was always a niche vehicle. Debuting in 2021, the current-generation roadster isn’t hurting for looks or power, especially with the launch of the SL 63 S E Performance hybrid. We had a go in the 805-horsepower ragtop earlier this year, and it’s supremely fast while still being surprisingly comfortable. It’s also supremely expensive, with prices starting over $200,000. An SL 43 Roadster is a bit more reasonable at $112,000, but it’s still a luxurious indulgence.

One might be tempted to say all niche performance cars are taking a sales hit, but that’s not entirely true. Looking at Mercedes-Benz sales data, the AMG GT had an excellent year. Its sales are up 77 percent, with 3,491 vehicles sold. Admittedly, the GT line includes two-door and four-door variants, so it’s not exactly a fair comparison. But it’s still a pricey performance car that’s doing well, even in this market.

“I am extremely proud to close out 2024 by celebrating our best-ever retail month in December and reporting strong sales momentum sustained from Q3 throughout the final quarter of 2024,” said Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dimitris Psillakis. “This represents an outstanding result that directly reflects the resilience and hard work of our teams and the exceptional overall appeal of our brand and highly desirable product range. Our Top-End segment sales continued to dominate, setting new benchmarks with record-breaking Mercedes-AMG sales and an all-time high for sales of the iconic G-Class.”