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Mercedes SL Class vs BMW Z4 comparison

Compare performance (816 HP vs 340 HP), boot space and price (112,700 £ vs 43,500 £ ) at a glance. Find out which car is the better choice for you – Mercedes SL Class or BMW Z4?

Mercedes SL Class vs BMW Z4: Key differences

Mercedes SL Class

  • clearly more power
  • considerably quicker 0–100 km/h

BMW Z4

  • substantially cheaper
  • noticeably more efficient
  • somewhat lighter

Here’s where it gets real: The technical differences in detail

SL Class

Costs and Efficiency:

Price and efficiency are key factors when choosing a car – and this is often where the real differences emerge.

BMW Z4 is substantially cheaper – starting at 43,500 £ , while the Mercedes SL Class costs 112,700 £ . That’s a price difference of around 69,247 £.

Fuel consumption also shows a difference: the BMW Z4 uses 6.9 L/100km and is noticeably more efficient than the Mercedes SL Class with 9 L/100km. The difference is about 2.1 L/100km.

Z4

Engine and Performance:

Power, torque and acceleration say a lot about how a car feels on the road. This is where you see which model delivers more driving dynamics.

When it comes to engine power, the Mercedes SL Class offers clearly more power – delivering 816 HP compared to 340 HP. That’s roughly 476 HP more horsepower.

When accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h, the Mercedes SL Class is considerably quicker – completing the sprint in 2.9 s, while the BMW Z4 takes 4.5 s. That’s about 1.6 s quicker.

There’s also a difference in torque: the Mercedes SL Class delivers clearly more torque with 1,420 Nm compared to 500 Nm. That’s about 920 Nm more.

SL Class

Space and Everyday Use:

Beyond pure performance, interior space and usability matter most in daily life. This is where you see which car is more practical and versatile.

Seats: Mercedes SL Class offers more seats – 4 vs 2.

In terms of curb weight, BMW Z4 is somewhat lighter – 1,510 kg compared to 1,810 kg. The difference is around 300 kg.

When it comes to payload, the Mercedes SL Class carries visibly more – 375 kg compared to 235 kg. That’s a difference of about 140 kg.

Who wins the race in the data check?

The Mercedes SL Class is clearly superior overall in the objective data comparison.
This result only shows which model scores more points on paper – not which of the two cars feels right for you.

from £112,700
SL Class

Mercedes SL Class

  • Engine Type : Petrol MHEV, Petrol, Plugin Hybrid
  • Transmission : Automatic
  • Drive Type : Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
  • Power HP : 381 - 816 HP
  • Consumption L/100km : 9 - 13.6 L/100km
  • Electric Range : 12 km
details

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Mercedes SL Class
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Costs and Consumption
View detailed analysis

Engine and Performance
View detailed analysis

Dimensions and Body
View detailed analysis

Mercedes SL Class

The Mercedes SL blends timeless elegance with a cheeky sense of occasion, its retractable roof turning any commute into a small celebratory parade. Behind the wheel it behaves like a grown-up sports car that prefers comfort and presence over headline-grabbing bravado, making it a tempting choice for buyers who want to arrive in style.

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15C1119_120
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Reviews Mercedes SL Class

No reviews yet. Share your experience and help others decide.

BMW Z4

The BMW Z4 is a taut, road-hugging roadster that pairs elegant, low-slung styling with a roof you can drop on a sunny whim, delivering that pure, wind-in-your-hair driving thrill few cars manage to match. It’s an ideal weekend companion for drivers who prefer engagement over practicality — bring good shoes rather than a lot of luggage, and you’ll get a grin every time you turn the wheel.

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P90479448_highRes_bmw-z4-m40i-09-2022
P90479454_highRes_bmw-z4-m40i-09-2022
P90479457_highRes_bmw-z4-m40i-09-2022
P90479470_highRes_bmw-z4-m40i-09-2022
P90479471_highRes_bmw-z4-m40i-09-2022

Reviews BMW Z4

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Mercedes SL Class
BMW Z4

Costs and Consumption
Price
112,700 - 219,300 £
Price
43,500 - 65,300 £
Consumption L/100km
9 - 13.6 L/100km
Consumption L/100km
6.9 - 8.5 L/100km
Consumption kWh/100km
-
Consumption kWh/100km
-
Electric Range
12 km
Electric Range
-
Battery Capacity
-
Battery Capacity
-
co2
206 - 309 g/km
co2
157 - 191 g/km
Fuel tank capacity
-
Fuel tank capacity
-

Dimensions and Body
Body Type
Roadster
Body Type
Roadster
Seats
4
Seats
2
Doors
-
Doors
-
Curb weight
1,810 - 2,195 kg
Curb weight
1,510 - 1,640 kg
Trunk capacity
-
Trunk capacity
281 L
Length
-
Length
-
Width
1,915 mm
Width
1,864 mm
Height
-
Height
-
Max trunk capacity
-
Max trunk capacity
-
Payload
145 - 375 kg
Payload
215 - 235 kg

Engine and Performance
Engine Type
Petrol MHEV, Petrol, Plugin Hybrid
Engine Type
Petrol
Transmission
Automatic
Transmission
Manuel, Automatic
Transmission Detail
Automatic Gearbox
Transmission Detail
Manual Gearbox, Automatic Gearbox
Drive Type
Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Drive Type
Rear-Wheel Drive
Power HP
381 - 816 HP
Power HP
197 - 340 HP
Acceleration 0-100km/h
2.9 - 4.9 s
Acceleration 0-100km/h
4.5 - 6.8 s
Max Speed
-
Max Speed
-
Torque
480 - 1,420 Nm
Torque
320 - 500 Nm
Number of Cylinders
4 - 8
Number of Cylinders
4 - 6
Power kW
280 - 600 kW
Power kW
145 - 250 kW
Engine capacity
1,991 - 3,982 cm3
Engine capacity
1,998 - 2,998 cm3

General
Model Year
2,025
Model Year
2,025 - 2,026
CO2 Efficiency Class
G
CO2 Efficiency Class
F, G
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Brand
BMW
What drive types are available for the Mercedes SL Class?

The Mercedes SL Class is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive or All-Wheel Drive.

DriveDuel uses data analysis and artificial intelligence to evaluate vehicle data and create content. Content is regularly reviewed and improved. The displayed prices are estimates based on German list prices, adjusted to the respective country’s VAT. Country-specific registration taxes are not included. This information is not legally binding.