As I eased my foot off the throttle, revs dropped and the sonorous exhaust note morphed into a beautiful mess of pops and crackles that filled my eardrums unfiltered, as the roof was down. I broke into a momentary smile just as I turned the steering and stepped on the gas, accelerated hard and exited the corner only to smile again. Any petrolhead would agree – convertibles are one of the most desirable forms of the automobile. And driving a fast one with the roof down is one of the purest forms of motoring nirvana. Especially when it’s something as iconic as the Mercedes-AMG SL 55.
The SL is one of the most popular names the world over as far as V8 engine-powered convertible sportscars go and Mercedes-Benz has just launched the latest generation of the SL in India. And the scenario I described above is one of the many moments that enlivened my Sunday morning on the outskirts of Pune. The rain gods had just taken a coffee break, giving me the opportunity to head out for one myself in the SL 55, with the top down.
I wasn’t to miss any opportunities to put the roof down (and my right foot too!) and that morning it felt as if someone up there was helping. All this, while the SL sounded like one of the almighty was clearing its throat when I’d fired it up at home that morning.
Mercedes-Benz has only launched the SL 55 here and not the full-blown SL 63, but the seventh generation SL you see here is perhaps the most special one yet. As a nameplate the SL is 70 years old and the seventh generation here has been developed entirely by the boffins at Affalterbach. The new SL thus follows a long lineage of cars with a distinct ability to make petrolheads go weak in the knees. There’s a lot more about it that makes it extra special though. Like the fact that it sees the return of the soft top roof after 20 years. And that’s besides its drop-dead gorgeous design.
There’s a sense of sultriness to the sharp-looking headlamps, Panamericana grille and long hood that lead to the rear set cabin. It’s a classic SL recipe and admittedly, I couldn’t decide whether the car looks better from the sides with the roof open or shut! Either way, the retractable spoiler adds oodles of charm. The SL 55 also looks like a large feline waiting to pounce, given the hunkered-down stance. Then there are the 20-inch alloy wheels with their ‘rings’ that aid aerodynamics and look very good. My favourite angle to look at the SL 55 though has to be from the rear. Besides the retractable spoiler, you also cannot miss the allure of the wide haunches housing the sharply styled tail lamps, rear diffusers and quad exhausts. There’s a sense of athleticism to the new SL but tipping the scales at 1.9 tonnes it isn’t exactly lightweight. That said, the soft roof has helped it shed 21kg over its predecessor, which you can open or close at up to 60kmph, via the touchscreen, though I’ll get to that later.
I also like the interiors, though the cabin is a rather tight space. This is conveyed visually by the dashboard design and sharply angled front windscreen. The mix of brushed metal on the cool-looking aircraft turbine-styled vents and leather all around lend the cabin a touch of classiness. My favourite bits though are the AMG steering, the large paddle shifters behind it and of course, the multi-function rotary switches on the steering, as they really convey the car’s sporty intentions. It’s also hard to ignore the 11.9-inch touchscreen that uses an electric motor to let you change its angle for glare-free viewing, especially when the roof is down. The screen is your gateway to pretty much all controls including the roof like I said, though focusing on the screen on the go to ensure you’re ‘touching’ in the right spot to open or shut the roof can be challenging. The infotainment screen also houses a digital recreation of the classic IWC watch. The new 12.3-inch instrument cluster display looks sharp too and allows you to choose from seven themes, while ambient lighting adds to the cabin’s charm.
You also get a 360-degree camera and AMG Performance seats that are firm and not very comfortable for long drives. The seats are heated and integrate the ‘Air Scarf’ that blows warm air onto your neck. The SL is meant to seat four but even seating kids at the back will be a challenge given the lack of legroom. Space, or rather the lack of it in the boot is not surprising, especially with the space saver tyre, because well, who buys a two-door convertible for luggage space, right? Our test car also came with a 17-speaker Burmester sound system that is an expensive option costing nearly ₹ 8 lakh! However, with a turbocharged V8 engine and quad exhausts playing their symphony, would you really opt for it?
The SL 55 also gets the full-fat, 4.0-litre V8 with twin turbochargers that puts out 476PS and 700Nm and sounds like an AMG should. There’s a nice burble at idle but take off and it’s quick to change to a symphony that’s hard to match by any audio system, irrespective of how well it can synthesise sounds from its speakers. Claimed 0-100kmph time is a scant 3.9 seconds, despite the car’s weight! There’s a likeable feel to the way the performance is sent to all four wheels – 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive is standard with a rear bias – and you can truly feel the acceleration. Sport or Sport+ modes are the ones to enjoy the V8 rumble best, as they open up the exhaust baffles to liberate more decibels and also sharpen responses from the throttle and gearbox. That said, emission restrictions have muted the aural delight that AMGs have always known to be. The nine-speed automatic gearbox is quick to respond, though it doesn’t let you downshift too aggressively.
Mention a V8-engined convertible and you’d expect the suspension to be super stiff, but the good news is the SL 55 does not really threaten to break your back, especially in Comfort mode. It soaks up undulations with relative ease and the ground clearance also allows it to go over most speed breakers without contact. But this is a sportscar and an AMG at that, so maybe I shouldn’t really talk about comfort. I should tell you about the handling, because the SL’s handling really makes you smile, besides the V8 engine of course. The car uses all-wheel steering and the rear wheels can turn up to 2.5 degrees to aid handling around corners, besides shortening the turning radius. The steering feels a tad heavy, but I like the weighted feel and responsiveness. The fat, 255-section front and 285-section rear tyres offer tonnes of grip, though I would have liked more bite from the brakes. Overall it is a driver’s delight and certainly lives up to the AMG logo on its hood.
This car is priced at Rs 2.35 crore ex-showroom which is a lot of money for a car that’s strictly a two-seater and is probably going to be the second or third set of wheels in a garage full of luxury cars. But can you put a price on desirability? Especially when talking about a V8 engine-powered sportscar that’s been developed by the guys at AMG, and can drop its top? I don’t think so!
