2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Mercedes SL500 Car & Driver review:

Yes. it's expensive. the second priciest of the bunch. and yes. it's the heaviest. and it has a folding top with more complexity and moving parts than a roomful of robots. But a brisk drive down a country road on a sunny day in this particular Silberpfeil can define automotive elegance.

It was agreed that the SL led the field in competence on the open interstates and in the more demanding environs of the two-lanes. Its Active Body Control suspension kept the 4220-pound machine within controllable limits at all times. and the driving environment with the hardtop up or down offered a pleasant combination of comfort and tactile connection with the driving experience.

Two of the five testers wished for more seat-bottom elevation to aid in thigh support. and complaints were registered--as always--about the German fascination with overwrought complexity on basic radio. GPS. and air-conditioning controls.

The sophisticated hardtop on the Mercedes not only raises and lowers almost twice as fast as the one on the Cadillac--it can be done at a stoplight--but also ingeniously folds into a smaller package. stealing far less trunk room. Moreover. the SL provides a useful package shelf behind the seats. As a result. despite being only 0. 8 inch longer than the Cadillac. the Mercedes provides twice as much luggage space with the top down.

Every detail on the SL is beautifully executed. A push of a button in the trunk slightly raises the folded top to provide access to the eight cubic feet of luggage space beneath it. The sun visors slot neatly into the windshield frame when the top is down. unlike the protruding panels on the Jaguar and Cadillac. These are seemingly minor details perhaps. but when one plans to dump nearly 90 grand into a two-place roadster. the small stuff counts.

The Merc's rated 302 horsepower and has plenty of low-range rpm torque. Thanks to the largest engine with the highest peak torque at the lowest rpm. the SL was always responsive and delivered mid-pack performance. Although we are often mesmerized by blinding speed. the fact that the SL500 won this test by a wide margin affirms its broad-spectrum (and our) capabilities.

To be sure. the car is an able performer compared with the competition. but pavement-ripping muscle is not the SL's high card. Rather. its appeal lies in overall balance and attention to detail within the context of its design mission; i. e. . to transport two people and their luggage over long distances with speed. comfort. and elegance in all sorts of weather. And every one of us fell in love with its flamboyantly extravagant styling. This is the car to drive when you want to arrive.

Also published at eBay.com

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