Mercedes-Benz SL500 2013 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $304,500
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): N/A
Crash rating: N/A
Fuel: 98 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 9.4
CO2 emissions (g/km): 218
Also consider: Aston Martin Vantage Convertible (from $274,698 - $305,323); BMW 6 Series Convertible (from $194,300 - $247,800); Maserati GranCabrio (from $328,000 - $338,000)

The Mercedes-Benz SL’s lineage is one of lauded, thoroughbred models. Over the years, the car has been sired by some of the biggest names on Stuttgart’s staff, while its on-track heritage is equally distinguished with the essence of the Nordschleife Nurbugring, Le Mans and Carrera Panamericana coursing through its veins.

The original SL was even crowned sports car of the century.

So just how does the latest sixth-generation SL stack-up?

Firstly, it’s lighter having shaved up to 140kg (depending on variant) from the weight of the previous model. The body is more rigid and the technology better integrated. It feels right. There’s little to bug or annoy leaving the driver only to enjoy the elegant, albeit Teutonic mélange of sport and luxury on offer.

Most of the features are familiar to the previous SL, and indeed to models elsewhere in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio. But there are some new tricks. There’s Merc’s new Magic Vision control, a wiper/washer that aims washer fluid along the blade as it travels across the windscreen. It sounds like a logical idea, but wasn’t up to the task of removing tough Aussie bugs with guts of Araldite.

Then there’s the boot’s clever double-take aperture which lifts the lid and folded hardtop in one motion for ease of loading. The boot can be opened remotely or by Mercedes’ One Step Access system whereby you wave your foot under the bumper to open the boot (as long as the proximity key is in range, of course). Great when your arms are full of Gucci bags, I guess.

Behind the front seats there’s enough room for a small handbag (or handbag dog), while the doors, console and glovebox provide ample oddment storage.

The cockpit is familiar, comfortable and very well equipped (seriously, we could spend the whole review listing the car’s features). All the mod-cons are housed in lashings of leather, aluminium and padded plastics. The controls are in keeping with Merc’s tried and true formula, and would be instantly operable by anyone au fait with the MB range.

The folding hardtop does its thing in 14 seconds (or 20 seconds to go back on) revealing a slender two-seat convertible. The automated windblocker and four panes of glass coalesce to provide an astounding aggregate of shelter from the elements. With AIRSCARF all but eliminating the draft from your neck and the seat heaters on, you’re not only warm but able to conduct a conversation without raising your voice. It’s that good.

The audio system can be heard, too, without turning up the volume. The Harmon Kardon audio system caters for most forms of auxiliary sound (CD, Bluetooth, USB, AUX, SD) and features a 7.0-inch colour TFT screen. We’re keen to point out, however, that the system is a little tinny when referenced to the price of the car, and if it was our choice, we’d spend $11,825 more and option the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system from the SL 65 AMG.

But what of the drive?

The SL 500’s 4663cc bi-turbo BlueDIRECT V8 outputs 320kW at 5250rpm and a neck-stretching 700Nm from 1800-3500rpm. The engine produces 20kW more in SL than it does in any other current model, and is endowed with enough horsepower to propel the 1785kg coupe from 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.

Married to Mercedes’ 7G-Tronic plus automatic transmission, the SL offers three settings to match your driving mood, Comfort, Sport and Manual (assisted by steering-wheel mounted paddle shifts). Combined with ECO idle stop-start functionality, the SL can consume as little as 9.4L/100km on the combined cycle and 13.0L/100km around town. On test, we managed 14.6L/100km.

It’s hard to help yourself, really. The engine and exhaust combine to deliver an intoxicating deep-toned thrum under acceleration, crowned by just a hint of flutter through the turbochargers’ intercooler as you lift the throttle.

Big brakes haul the SL flatly to rest and provide a level of pedal feel and modulation ideally suited to not only precision cornering, but those nice comfortable stops the other-half expects when dawdling around town.

The Direct Steer electromechanical steering alters swiftly with road speed and provides a tangible feel over the front wheels. That said, small corrections and on-centre feel is a bit ‘digital’, and ultimately lacks the linearity of a hydraulic arrangement.

Finally, it’s the big Benz’s adjustable suspension that impressed us most – at least around town. The compliance here is adequate for the ‘luxury’ stake-claim while still offering enough defence against understeer and rigidity of form to provide impressive cornering grip. Sure, it’s not as plush as, say the CLS (nor will it worry real sports cars in the twisty stuff) but it seems well resolved for the SL's target market.

Thus with its rich mix of amenity, style and comfort the new SL is indeed a worthy progeny to the nameplate. It’s a pricey number indeed, but one that commands the attention it seeks… And there’s not too many Mercs left that can lay claim to that.

Read more on the new Mercedes-Benz SL-Class:

- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class International Launch
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Local Launch
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Video
- Timeless - 60 Years of Mercedes-Benz SL (video)

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