2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Silver/Charcoal Hardtop Convertible

The Mercedes SL is a sinuous, sensuous roadster with dramatic styling and a major-league price tag.Slide into the cockpit, belt up, press the button on the console and, 16 seconds later, its retractable power steel roof changes it from the open-air fun of a convertible to the quiet comfort of a luxury coupe.

The SL is packed with every bit of automotive technology that Mercedes has perfected over the past dozen years, and that's a lot of technology.It does everything well, with the single exception of hauling cargo.Whether the folding steel top is up or down, there simply isn't much luggage space in the trunk of the SL, although the rear compartment behind the bucket seats will hold a good amount of stuff.

We've driven various SL models at Hockenheim (a race track in Germany), at Road America (a road racing circuit in Wisconson), at Milan Dragway in Michigan, and for hundreds of road miles, and we are continually amazed at its graceful high-speed behavior.

The SL500 ($88,500) has more standard equipment than just about any other two-seater in the world today.The SL500's 5.0-liter V8 engine develops 302 horsepower.2004 models come with a completely new electronically controlled, magnesium-housing 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic transmission, the world's first, with closer ratios for quicker acceleration, instantaneous downshifting and higher fuel economy.

The Mercedes SL is surely one of the most beautiful cars in the world.From the jutting chin of its front bumper to the four-eyed headlamps to the traditional front fender air intakes to the shoulders over the rear tires to the five-spoke alloy wheels, the SL is not only the new style leader for Mercedes-Benz, but the new style leader for the entire segment.

Mercedes says the new SL simultaneously pays homage to its legendary great grandfathers while offering a new interpretation of excitement.Now almost 50 years in production, it is an automotive icon.It dates back to the 1954-55 300SL Gullwing Coupe.The last generation of SLs ran from 1989 to 2002.

The air inlets in the front fenders were inspired by the original 300SL.The narrow, wing-like chrome gills are reminiscent of the first SL Roadsters and are echoed in the hood.The four-eye headlamp pattern has the two lamps on each side melding into one another.They represent the latest in lighting technology with a circular Fresnel lens that concentrates the light emitted by the standard xenon headlamps.From the side, the rising beltline contributes to the car's rake.At the rear, the triangular taillights use 27 LED bulbs designed to illuminate more quickly.

The interior design of the Mercedes-Benz SL is different from the CL coupes and very different from the Mercedes sedans.

Two large round instrument pods carry the primary instruments, using smart, colorful purple graphics shared by no other Mercedes-Benz.The instrument panel and center console are well organized and feature the Mercedes COMAND screen that operates the sound system, navigation system, and telephone, with redundant controls on the new steering wheel.Below center, just ahead of the shifter, are the ventilation controls, similar in style to the twin round controls used in the M-Class SUVs.

The leather-covered seats that come with the car are superbly comfortable for grand touring, but if you need more and want more, Mercedes offers both dynamic multi-contour seats that give a continuous massage, or seats with active seat ventilation.The standard seats are larger and more sumptuous than those in previous SL models because there is more room in the cockpit, with more room to adjust the seat for tall drivers and more room to rake the seat back.That's because the automatic folding steel top design doesn't take up as much room as the old fabric convertible top.Behind the bucket seats are twin lockable storage compartments in place of the ridiculously small jump seats in the old car.The seats will adjust to anyone between the fifth and 95th percentile in body type.

With the steel top up, the SL turns into a coupe as quiet as a bank at midnight, allowing the occupants to relax and cover ground while the new 10-speaker sound system (with separate 100-watt amplified subwoofer) bathes the interior in sound.With the top stowed, a 16-second process, the sound system compensates automatically for the increased road noise.Mercedes worked long and hard to ensure that with the top down and the side windows down, you can still hold a normal conversation with your traveling partner even at very high road speeds.

Passive safety features include front and side head-and-thorax airbags as well as knee airbags.A rollover protection bar automatically snaps up to protect you if the top is down.

DRIVING IMPRESSION

To drive a Mercedes SL is to experience a level of driving performance and technical sophistication found in few other cars at any price.Best of all, this sophistication can be enjoyed without having to consult the owner's manual.Just put it in Drive and let the systems work their magic.

The V8 engine in the SL500 is strong, smooth and quiet.Acceleration performance is rapid for a 4000-pound car with 300 horsepower, but not breathtaking.The SL500 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.1 seconds.That’s quick, but not as quick as a Porsche 911 Carrera or Chevrolet Corvette.The SL500’s 5.0-liter V8 engine develops 302 horsepower.Peak torque of 339 pounds-feet is available from 2700 to 4250 rpm, and 295 pounds feet is on tap from just 2000 rpm.That flexibility is designed to give it quick response at all engine speeds.

Automatic Body Control lets the SL corner with authority, even though the tires are smaller than those on a 911, Corvette, or Viper.A Sport switch lets the driver limit body roll even further, eliminating 90 percent of it, while still delivering a silky smooth, quiet ride.

The SL roadster is packed with electronic wizardry that works amazingly well: electronic throttle control, antilock braking with electronic brake force distribution, electronic traction control and electronic stability control.These systems have been added to other Mercedes-Benz products in recent years, but the SL breaks new ground in the form of the world's first fully electronic braking system.If it didn't do anything else well, and it most certainly does, the SL would have to go down in history for this development alone.

The SL's electronic braking system runs on very high pressure, but the pedal feels normal no matter how hard you stop, and the ABC suspension won't let the car take a nosedive.Drive on any mix of tarmac, gravel, mud, water, ice or snow and the onboard systems keep the car on the straight and narrow with very little driver input.After five or six hours of fast driving on challenging roads, this car will make you feel like one of the masters of the universe.It's that good.It doesn't have the gut-level appeal of a Viper, Corvette, or Porsche, but the SL is far more comfortable and luxurious than any of them.

While the pedal feels perfectly normal under all braking applications, the system works quicker and faster than ordinary hydraulic braking systems and can proportion braking effort to each of the four tires depending on traction and yaw conditions, working hand-in-hand with the ABS, traction and stability systems as well as the standard active suspension system which Mercedes calls Automatic Body Control (ABC).These electronic features mean that this SL will corner and brake faster and harder and flatter than any previous SL while providing a huge envelope of protection against driver error and changing traction conditions.

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a superb high-performance sports car that takes the place of what was previously considered a sporty car, and there's a big difference between sports and sporty.

The 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL models are technological masterpieces dressed up as slick German roadsters.They are an affirmation of the company's dedication to maximum performance and a 50th anniversary present to the fortunate few who can afford one.

The SL models have little competition in their price class other than the Jaguar XKR roadster and Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet.Assuming you can live with the small trunk, the SL is an outstanding car.It's beautiful to behold and a joy to drive.
MODEL ORiginal MRSP

Mercedes-Benz SL500 ($88,500);

Bremen, Germany.