Mercedes-Benz SL500 2002 Review

As throwaway statistics go, it's a ripper. Mercedes-Benz claims the SL55 AMG roadster is the fastest accelerating production car from 0-300km/h. Lamborghinis? Nope. Porsches? Nein. Ferraris? Niente. HSVs? Don't bother...

Right, let's test the claim... Anyone got a spare runway?

Flights of fantasy aside, the fifth generation SL roadster is the pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz road-going fleet. And while we're in no position to discredit the 0-300km/h claim, it only applies to the SL55 roadster, tweaked by Benz specialists AMG and priced in the rarified air above $350,000.

The Australian SL range will consist of four models, namely the SL350, SL500, SL600 and topped by the SL55AMG. All feature the SL's seductive new lines and powerful profile which Mercedes-Benz says "bridges the gap between the history of the SL and its future."

"With an eye to the future and a nose for its glorious past, the design of the new SL aims to capture the spirit of emotion and practicality, dynamics and elegance."

SL500: Launched in July 2002, the SL500 is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine which produces 225kW of power at 5600repm and 460 Newton-metres of torque from 2700rpm. It can accelerate from rest to 100km/h in a claimed 6.3 seconds, has an AS 2877 fuel economy rating of 14.0l/100km and is priced at $289,474.

SL55AMG: The pinnacle of the SL-class is due around October 2002, its supercharged 5.4-litre V8 engine with 368kW and 700Nm propelling the hyper roadster from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds. Price is not for the faint hearted, at $359,474 it's the second most expensive convertible in Australia behind the Ferrari F360 F1 Spider.

SL600: With its 5.8-litre V12 engine and 270kW / 530Nm, the SL600 should fly from rest to 100km/h in around 6.1 seconds. The luxury flagship of the SL range, the SL600 will come with every imaginable luxury, and feature unrivalled equipment levels. Expect a price tag of close to $400,000 when it lands mid-2003.

SL350: The cheapest of the SL roadster range, it'll be powered by a new generation 3.7-litre V6 with an estimated 180kiloWatts of power and, while no price is available, we reckon it'll land around $200,000 when deliveries begin late in 2003.

Mercedes-Benz's fifth generation SL roadster is a strict two seater, ditching the poor excuse for rear seats on the previous model which ran for 12 years. The new one, which is expected to be replaced in 10 years, debuts an astounding array of high-techery and innovation. The most obvious is the vario-roof first debuted on the SLK Roadster, which transforms the SL from hard-topped coupe to convertible sun-lover in 16 seconds, thus offering the driver the best of both worlds. A glass vario-roof is a $5895 option.

The SL-class is the world's first production model with brake-by-wire technology, which replaces the mechanical linkage between the pedal and the brakes with electronic communication. The advantages of this system, claims Mercedes-Benz, are quicker emergency response, faster brake pressure build-up and the system's ability to anticipate driver needs.

This doesn't mean it'll bring you coffee before you ask, rather the system will analyse a dramatic 'step-off' from the throttle as an emergency situation and take up the slack on the brakes in anticipation of driver needs. Mercedes-Benz claims this system has the potential to reduce stopping distances by as much as 3 percent - or around 1.5m from 100km/h.

Brake-by-wire is the second installment in the 'by-wire' series, following on from fly-by-wire which replaced the throttle linkages with electrickery. Industry experts tip steering to be the next mechanical linkage to go, though we reckon such an intrinsic and tactile driver interface will be hard to replace with electronically transmitted ones and zeros.

The SL's braking system is further enhanced by electronic brake assist, which maximises braking pressure, and Sensontronic Brake Control (SBC), which Mercedes-Benz says varies braking force on each 17in wheel for more stable mid-corner braking. SBC is also claimed to improve car control in adverse grip conditions like wet or gravelly roads.

Top-shelf brakes are a must, especially when you become familiar with the fire-breathing V8 nestled under the lightweight aluminium bonnet. Perhaps a tad underdone off the mark, the 5.0-litre, quad-cam V8 really hits its stride around 2800rpm, rushing eagerly to the redline, and changing gears seamlessly and without fluster.

The V8's sweet exhaust note contains just a hint of aggression, adding to the sporting feel without intruding on cabin ambience. That guttural V8 rumble is the perfect aural accompaniment as the horizon rushes towards you, bearing down like a bull on the charge.

Perhaps the most significant addition to the new SL-class roadster is its Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system which arguably transforms the 1845kg heavyweight slugger into a prize fighter with the athletic grace of Nureyev.

ABC uses a complex system of sensors and high-pressure hydraulics to adapt the damping of the car body to the driving conditions. In other words, it reduces bodyroll by stiffening the dampers under the most stress. Cornering left the right hand damper rates will be beefed up, braking hard the front dampers will be boosted, etc.

Less bodyroll means sharper steering reflexes and loads more driver enjoyment on serpentine coastal roads, or twisty mountain passes. A flatter front to rear stance provides more stability under intense acceleration and also during hard braking, making the SL500 feel significantly lighter and more nimble than its 2-tonne kerb weight (with 2 people onboard) would suggest.

Without ABC, the SL500 would not be worthy of the SL moniker, which Mercedes-Benz says stands for Sporty and Light. Without ABC the SL500 would be a straight-line cruiser which shouldn't be taken over winding roads without a steady supply of sea sickness tablets.

Leather covers most of the interior, including the surprisingly supportive, electrically adjustable sports seats. Woodgrain is conspicuous by its absence, usually a given in luxury cars. This time the dash is finished in a high quality, double stitched leather with chrome highlights - though woodgrain is available.

The SL interior manages to group what would be an overwhelming array of buttons and controls into a clean, function layout. Everything from telephone controls, seat adjustments and driving aids fall quickly and subconsciously to hand. The only control we didn't like was the five speed automatic's tiptronic action, which operates on a left-right plane instead of the conventional fore-aft plane. Still, it would take but a few days to acclimatise.

New 'head-thorax' airbags in the doors and automatically deploying rear roll bar improve the SL's class-leading safety, along with new two-stage front airbag deployment.

We're not even going to attempt to detail all the features of the new SL, like the Distronic intelligent cruise control, or the high-intensity Bi-Xenon headlights, or even the Linguatronic voice command system. A top-end luxury car like this one from Mercedes-Benz justifies its exorbitant price by pandering to the owner's every need. Equipment levels, safety features, luxury items, the devil's in the details, which is why people will pay close to $300k for one.

Without an obvious rival to compare to the SL500, the success or failure of this car can only be judged against its predecessor. And while the price may have gone up 2.4 percent, Mercedes-Benz claims the new SL is actually 6.3 percent better value, resulting in a net gain of 3.9 percent. Doesn't sound like much, but we're talking about nearly $12,000 on a $290,000 car.

The new SL is a polished performer delivering strong sporting credentials and top-shelf cruising flair. Its distinctive styling is a real head turner, backed up by a sublime V8 engine and inch perfect chassis control. Mercedes-Benz's typical attention to detail and unrivalled build quality ensures it'll stay that way for years to come.

TESTING BENZ'S SEVEN SPEED AUTOMATIC GEARBOX
All right, the addition of a seven-speed automatic gearbox may seem like a borderline excuse to grab another seven days in the $290k Mercedes-Benz SL500 roadster, but we're only human. And the SL500 is one of the greatest cars we've driven, both for the way it drives and the way it makes you feel.

As indulgences go, the SL500 is the granddaddy of them all.

But back to the spurious reason behind our second stint in heaven -- the seven speed automatic gearbox. A minimum of six forward ratios in luxury automatics has been the standard for a few years now, ever since BMW delighted with the seamless shifting ZF 6-speeder in the 2001 7 Series.

Since then a number of companies have followed suit, including Benz's rivals Jaguar and Audi. But Mercedes-Benz, stoic to the end, chose to go one better, quietly developing a gearbox that would again return them to the top of the pecking order.

Seven gears; where does it end? Will we be driving 12 speed autos in the future? Surely there comes a point where the development costs outweigh the perceived advantages. There must also come a time where CVT continuously variable transmissions -- once touted as the next big thing -- either put up or bugger off.

In this instance, the seven ratios cover a similar spread to the old five-speeder, which should mean quicker acceleration and better fuel economy. Mercedes-Benz's own internal testing supports these claims, suggesting fuel savings of up to 0.6 litres over 100km, and - in the SL500 - 0.3sec quicker from rest to 100km/h.

Another significant step forward for Benz with the 7G-Tronic is the gearbox's ability to shift up or down through multiple gears. For example, when slowing from fifth for a second gear corner, the previous five-speed would stop at each ratio on the way down. This new box is capable of skipping fourth and third, delivering just one barely perceptible cog swap instead of three.

Our judging criterion for this gearbox is simple; is it invisible? Good technology quickly slips under the driver's radar, merging seamlessly with the driving experience almost to the point you forget it's there.

The Mercedes-Benz 7G-Tronic does just that. It sets new benchmarks for quick, unruffled shifting that's barely perceptible, if only by the drop in engine revs. The only clue to the seven ratios beneath is the gear counter in the instrument binnacle.

Going from five to seven is a major step up for Benz, and we'll see it in almost all products from here in. It's already in the SL roadster and S-class sedan range, and it's also destined for the second generation SLK roadster, to be launched in 2004.