After a whirlwind of press and public exposure, the new Mercedes-Benz SL-Class lineup is finally available at dealerships. The full line, from base to AMG models will receive power and appearance updates, small price rises and several new safety and comfort features to bring new value to the roadster range.

Starting at $223,000 for the SL 350 and ranging right up against the half-million dollar mark with the $468,000 SL 65 AMG, Mercedes’s latest crop of super-roadsters is targeted to set the standard for high-specification luxury and open-top performance.

Powerful engines yield serious performance
The convertibles are powered by a range of engines including the 386kW, 630Nm naturally-aspirated 6.3 litre V8 found in the SL 63 AMG and the staggeringly powerful twin-turbo 6.0 litre V12 from the SL 65 AMG that produces 450kW from 4,800rpm to 5,100rpm and 1,000Nm torque from 2,00rpm to 4,000rpm. Even just off idle, at 1,500rpm, the SL 65 AMG is producing 570Nm torque.

Those sort of numbers should hold the SL-Class in good stead against its competition, which should mainly come from BMW's 6-series, Porsche's 911 Cabriolet range, Maserati's upcoming GranTurismo convertible - due in 2010, and Aston Martin's V8 Vantage Roadster and DB9 Volante. None of the rival cars can match the sheer brute force of the SL 65 AMG's twin-turbo V12, but all offer similar performance and luxury at similar prices.

A new direct-steer system is also fitted to the full range, offering speed-sensitive power steering to result in what Mercedes hopes is a suitably sporty yet controllable and comfortable feel at the wheel. Low-speed handling is improved by increasing the power assist, ensuring parking and similar manoeuvres are completed with minimal effort. Once speed increases, the power assist decreases, yielding superior road-feel while maintaining light effort. Steering angle is also taken into account, quickening the ratio as the wheel turns further, effectively reducing the amount of steering input required when in a sharp turn.

Luxury appointment and appearance
Mercedes has tried to strike a balance of sportiness and comfort in the SL range, and on paper at least, the job seems well-done. Leather seating and three-spoke steering wheel ensure the feel drivers have come to expect from high-end automobilia, while careful redesigns of the centre console and trim pieces add a sporty flourish to complement the under-bonnet power. In true race-car fashion, upon ignition the needles throughout the instrument cluster swing from their rest state through a full sweep of their range and back again.

Fully customisable interior features include a wide range of colours and materials to choose from. Two types of leather and five different aluminium or fine-wood trims can be matched with five colour combinations. The new natural beige/black colour scheme and the new wood trim elements in pale burr walnut with a high-sheen finish give a look not previously seen in the SL-Class.

At the top of the SL range sits the SL 600, and Mercedes has taken steps to ensure its occupants know the car is even more special than its stable mates. Nappa leather upholstery and trim elements combine with burr walnut wood for a classic appearance. Emblems on the seat backrests, on the centre steering wheel spoke and on the door sills attest to the car’s V12 powerplant.

From outside, the SL 600 is identifiable by a set of unique 18-inch alloy wheels, matte-silver louvers, side air vents and the trapezoidal tailpipes at the rear.

Safety and comfort features also at the forefront
But power is not all Mercedes-Benz offers in its SL-Class. Cutting-edge safety technology and exquisite accommodations are part of the package as well.

Standards like anti-lock brakes (ABS) and brake-assist are expected on even entry-level cars these days, but Mercedes-Benz keeps adding to the feature list with auto-dimming mirrors to reduce glare at night, anti-theft alarm system and an automatically extending roll-bar system to protect the occupants in the case of a rollover. Electronic stability programme (ESP), front and side head and thorax airbags for both occupants, seat-belt pre-tensioners and tyre-pressure warning system also work together to keep both driver and vehicle safe. All are equipped as standard.

Mercedes-Benz also includes its Parktronic park-assist system to aid in fitting the roadsters into whatever spot is available without scratches or endless readjustment. 

Lighting can be exceptionally important in promoting on-road safety, and Mercedes has thought ahead, engineering a system of active lighting that adjusts the car’s exterior lighting to whatever is called for by the ambient conditions, including the ability to turn the headlights around bends, extending visibility by up to 25 metres to ensure safety when travelling winding roads at night. A similar feature operates below 40km/h when indicating or turning, ensuring the driver has ample illumination to perform the current manoeuvre.

A system dubbed AIRSCARF claims to extend the open-air season SL-Class owners enjoy so much by providing neck-level heating to keep the chill at bay as the winter months draw near. The system uses the head restraint system to distribute the carefully warmed air, ensconcing both driver and passenger with scarves of air. Three different levels of heating can be chosen individually by each occupant via a control knob in the door liner.

‘Infotainment’ system brings multimedia to the centre console
The COMAND APS system, standard to many Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has received special modifications for the SL-Class update, including a hard drive-based nation-wide navigation system. An integrated six-disc CD/DVD changer and Music Register allows up to 1,000 MP3 or WMA tracks to be taken along for the ride. The ‘Gracenote’ database enables automatic recognition and display of the music’s track and artist information on the SL’s screen.

Also included is the LINGUATRONIC package, which allows the passengers to control the navigation, telephone and audio systems with voice commands alone. Mercedes thinks this is a huge improvement over touch-based input systems that required drivers or passengers to spell out every little command manually.

New to the SL lineup is the ability to attach iPods, USB thumb drives or other multi-media storage devices directly to the COMAND system via a universal media interface in the centre console. All models in the range come standard with this feature, which allows full control of the iPod or other music device through the touch-screen and steering-wheel mounted controls.

The full range’s pricing is listed below. Changes from the previous year's pricing are listed in parentheses. A gallery of the standard Mercedes SL-Class cars can be found here.

Mercedes Benz SL AMG gallery

*pricing does not include dealer delivery or statutory charges 

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