Photo: Mercedes-Benz
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550
While the 300 SL of the 1950s was unquestioningly a sports car and the seed of the now 60-year-old SL line, some would argue that in later years the SL roadster drifted away from its sport car roots. Over time, the SL roadster became more luxurious and feature laden and along with that heavier and perhaps less “sporty.” However, the all-new 2013 roadster heralds a return to the ancestral sporting roots of the SL.
At the heart of this reborn SL is a new aluminum body, which is not only 300-lbs lighter than its predecessor, but also 20% torsionally more rigid. This combination of weight reduction and increased stiffness translates into a vehicle that is far more nimble and quick than any SL roadster in recent memory.
However, overall performance is a combination of lightness and power, and in the latter department Mercedes-Benz has also raised the bar over previous iterations of the SL. Under the hood, the new SL550 features a 4.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 that boots out 429-hp and a neck-snapping 516-lb-ft of torque. With all this power in a now lighter shell the SL550 rockets from 0-60 mph in a remarkable 4.5-seconds. And if that isn’t enough grunt for you the AMG-prepared SL63 offers a 5.5-liter engine that sports up to 557-hp with 664-lb-ft of torque. With performance numbers like these, the SL roadster has clearly reclaimed its sports car heritage, but surely that has come at the cost of the many luxuries that the SL accumulated over the years? Hardly.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the new SL roadster is the fact that it is absolutely brimming with luxuries and technology and has managed these performance improvements at the same time. The SL still retains one of the slickest, automatic retractable hard tops in the industry. With the touch of a button, the seamless, panoramic hardtop disappears completely into the trunk in under 20 seconds. When up, the glass-roofed hard top belies the fact that it is a convertible, and features electrically activated glass in the roof panel that magically darkens or lightens with the touch of a button.
While the SL is loaded with a host of advanced driver aids and technology (Attention Assist, active head restraints, electronic stability control, electronic ride height control, adaptive braking, adaptive high beams, automatic roll-over bars, Parktronic with active parking assist, etc.), one of the most impressive features found inside the cabin are the seats. While exceedingly supportive and comfortable—as one would expect—they are as adjustable and feature-packed as any we’ve ever seen. Covered in supple, sun-reflecting leather, these seats feature not only every conceivable direction of adjustment, but also forced air cooling/heating, active massage, and Mercedes’ “AIRSCARVE,” which blows warm air on the occupant’s neck from a recessed port under the headrest. But the crowning touch of these space-age seats is Mercedes’ optional Active Body Control system, which responds to cornering g-loads by actively inflating the side and leg bolsters on the opposing side of the seat to better support the occupants during cornering!
Of course the SL includes all the other features one would expect from a modern high-end automobile: satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, paddleshifting and multi-zone temperature control. But the ultimate question is how does it all work as an ensemble? What is it like to drive?
Amazingly, the new SL shares many of the core driving qualities described in this month’s test drive of the Le Mans-winning 300 SL that started this whole line of cars, 60 years ago. Like its racing predecessor, the new SL550 is remarkably smooth and docile in average day-to-day driving. With an electronically adjustable suspension and transmission, the 550SL is quite happy to toddle through rush hour traffic in smooth, comfortable style, as one would expect any Mercedes-Benz sedan to do. But switch the controls over to “sport mode” or bury your foot into the accelerator pedal between lights and the SL550 leaps across the tarmac with a ferocity that borders on “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
Power flow from the new twin-turbo V-8 is smooth throughout the rev range, without a trace of turbo lag, while the 7-speed automatic transmission is able to transfer that power to the rear wheels in such an effective manner that few will choose to use the manual paddle shifters—other than to occasionally listen to the engine growl on over-rev.
Once out on an open, twisty road, the new SL550 comes alive with a nimble, “lightness” that is reminiscent of its forebear that won the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. The SL’s precise handling can be made even more remarkable with M-B’s optional active damping system, which utilizes computer-controlled, hydraulic actuators on each wheel, instead of anti-sway bars, to limit weight transfer and body roll. With this optional system in place, the SL550 can cut the amount of body roll during cornering by as much as 68%.
Usually, when one buys a true sports car, there are sacrifices to be made, speed and performance inevitably come at the cost of luxury, day-to-day useability, or both. Yet, after 60 years of careful evolution and refinement, Mercedes-Benz has managed to build a car that, without caveats, blends all the best of both worlds, into a sports car that can truly be driven and enjoyed everyday. When compared with current offerings from a number of traditional, high-end sports car manufacturers, the SL550’s base price of $105,500 makes it one of the best, all-around values, in this category.
