SL55 AMG...Reviewed...
08-21-2003, 06:51 PM
#1
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
SL55 AMG...Reviewed...
Man...what I'd give for this machine...Need to ask the boss for a nice raise...
A tad long...but, a nice read if you love the car as much as I do...
===========================
Follow-Up Test: 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55
The Muscle Car Has Evolved
By Karl Brauer
Date posted: 08-21-2003
The future automotive world will likely belong to those companies whose products can "do it all." The successful rise of crossovers like the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne suggests that consumers now expect utility vehicles to be fast and nimble. At the other end of this convergent movement are supercars that offer world-class performance but still provide a comfortable ride and daily-driver functionality.
While the Cayenne and FX45 are obvious crossovers due to their dual-nature functionality, the Mercedes-Benz SL55 could rightly be described as a crossover as well. But rather than combining "carlike" driving characteristics with "trucklike" utility, the SL55 combines supercar performance with luxury car ride qualities and amenities (and throws in a touch of muscle car-era exhaust note for good measure).
Leave the hardtop up, find an open stretch of highway, set the Distronic (or "smart") cruise control at 75 mph and you could be lulled into thinking the car is all about coddling. And we're serious when we say "lulled" because Distronic will generally handle the pedestrian chores of braking and accelerating for you while it maintains a safe (and driver-adjustable) distance between the SL55 and other cars on the highway. This feature is truly amazing in terms of reducing driver fatigue over long distances, but as a $2,950 option, it doesn't come cheap.
Wind, engine and tire noise are also promptly quelled by the car's vaultlike construction, though our test vehicle did emit a constant high-pitched squeak from just behind the seats. There's a small parcel shelf and two retractable straps back there, so it's possible the squeak came from a strap that wasn't fully seated down, though no amount of fiddling could stop the subtle yet annoying noise. Underneath that parcel shelf is a storage compartment on the passenger side and a CD changer on the driver side. In the face of the SL55's impressive list of technological advancements, we find an awkwardly located CD changer (and the CD-based navigation system) to be hopelessly out of place. Ironic that the car can use radar signals to modulate its speed but must be pulled over to the side of the road when it's time to load CDs.
Other high-tech options, including Keyless Go entry (a $1,015 option) and a Motorola V60 phone with voice recognition ($1,995), complement the SL55's many standard luxury features, including 12-way adjustable seats that will massage your backside and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. Keyless Go is a particularly welcome feature in that it removes the need to fumble with a key when unlocking or locking the car, and when starting the engine. (If you like the sound of this feature but can't afford the SL's $100,000 price tag, consider waiting for the all-new 2004 Toyota Prius to hit the market this fall, as it will offer a similar system on a vehicle that costs around $20,000.)
If luxury isn't your sole concern, you can take advantage of the SL55's "other" personality, which is an unexpected blend of high-tech exotic car and old-world muscle car. Just starting the engine is proof that this isn't a typical Mercedes. AMG's version of the SL begins with the standard 5.0-liter V8's aluminum block punched out to 5.5 liters of displacement. Then, an intercooled supercharger is bolted on top of the engine and spins up to 23,000 rpm to increase airflow — airflow that exits through a reworked exhaust system. It all adds up to 493 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 516 pound-feet of torque available from 2,750 to 4,000 rpm (the standard SL500's numbers are 302 peak horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque).
The first thing you notice when firing up the SL55 is how the exhaust burble sounds more like an old-world Chevrolet small-block V8 than a 21st century German luxury car. And this is not a criticism. In fact, it seems the Mercedes engineers have realized that, while they can improve upon 50-year-old drivetrain technology in terms of refinement and efficiency, the street rodders of post-WWII America had the proper engine sounds nailed down before the first SL ever rolled off an assembly line.
Behind the engine sits a five-speed automatic transmission that has been similarly reworked by AMG's performance wizards. While no self-respecting automotive enthusiast is allowed to positively endorse a sports car equipped with an automatic, we can state for the record that the SL55's transmission in no way marred the car's outstanding abilities. If there's any downside to this "slushbox," it comes from the AMG SpeedShift buttons located on the back of the steering wheel spokes. These can be used for shifting the tranny up and down, but if you've driven an SMG-equipped M3, the response time will feel lethargic at best (if you haven't, they'll seem fine). We liked using the buttons to downshift when slowing for a corner on twisty roads, thus giving us some engine braking, but for the most part we left the transmission in its fully automatic "Sport" mode and found it completely capable of picking the right gear under any given circumstance.
During said canyon runs, the SL55, top up or down, feels as willing as anything in this price range (Porsche 911 Turbo, BMW Z8, Maserati Spyder). It doesn't offer the same level of feedback as the Porsche or Maserati in terms of steering feel, and the car's weight (around 4,200 pounds) puts it at an inherent disadvantage. But the Active Body Control (ABC) technology keeps the weight in check and gives the car a surprisingly nimble demeanor when changing directions quickly.
In our 600-foot slalom testing, we managed an average speed of 62 mph, which doesn't sound that high until you remember the car's curb weight — and price tag. Because of the massive torque coming through the rear tires we had to either leave the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) turned on or treat the gas pedal like an eggshell. Any attempt to accelerate (rather than just maintain a given speed) while navigating the slalom had the rear end swinging wide — not a fun sensation in a $122,000 car. Thankfully, the ESP system effectively manages the SL55's horsepower without neutering engine power or the fun factor; this is one of the few cars we've tested where our best slalom numbers came with the stability control system activated.
The Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC), which is essentially a "brake-by-wire" electronic system, also reels in the SL's weight and adds confidence when driving aggressively. Brake feel and pedal modulation are superb at higher velocities, but the system can feel like an on/off switch at low speeds (which makes sense when you consider the system's "electronic" nature).
As impressive as SBC was on public roads, we were disappointed by its performance at our test facility. Here, under maximum braking, the car's pedal seemed to drop to the floor before any braking action occurred, which didn't exactly build confidence. We're not sure if this pedal behavior was related to Mercedes' BrakeAssist system, which is supposed to activate maximum braking in a panic situation even when the driver doesn't press all the way down on the pedal. Beyond the pedal's feel under maximum braking, we thought the braking distances from 60 mph were merely adequate for such a performance-oriented car. The best distance was 124 feet, which isn't bad for such a heavy car, but considering the numbers Chevy and Dodge get out of their Corvette and Viper (at much lower prices) we think an AMG product with an advanced electronic brake system should do better. Recall that we tested an SL500, also equipped with such a system, that stopped from 60 mph in just 109 feet, so it's possible there was a specific problem with our test vehicle.
No such disappointments to report in terms of forward thrust. With the SL55, it's not just the acceleration but the effortless acceleration that makes it scary fast. The power band starts at idle and never really stops. Full-throttle upshifts occur at 6,100 rpm in first gear and 6,400 rpm in second and third. The tachometer has no redline, but because the automatic upshifts whenever it wants to, even when in automanual mode, there's no chance of overrevving the engine — and no real need for a redline indicator.
Launching the SL from a stop with ESP activated, and the transmission in full auto mode, netted a 13.2-second quarter-mile time at 111 mph; zero to 60 mph took 4.9 seconds. Disabling ESP and carefully applying throttle at the starting line (otherwise the rear tires disappeared in a cloud of smoke) cut the times to 13.0 seconds in the quarter-mile at 111 mph; zero to 60 mph took 4.7 seconds. Once again, the most bizarre aspect of full-throttle runs in the SL55 was the utter lack of drama. Beyond the potential wheelspin when leaving the starting line, and a healthy exhaust roar that was effectively muted with the top and windows raised, the car seemed quite happy to run sub-5.0 second 0-to-60 times all day. The engine's temperature gauge and the drivetrain's overall personality remained unflappable.
For comparison's sake, a 911 Turbo we tested in 2001 ran to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and got through the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds at a familiar-sounding 111 mph. That car cost $114,700 and had to be shifted itself. It also didn't have a retractable hardtop or a navigation system (not that the SL's navigation system is particularly intuitive). Of course, this year Porsche will offer a 911 Turbo Cabriolet with an automatic transmission, so it would appear the demand for sub-5-second 0-to-60 cars, with automatic transmissions and retracting tops, is rising — much to the chagrin of "real car guys" everywhere.
From our perspective, it's easy to fall for the SL55. If you never put the top down, turn off the ESP or use more than one-third throttle, it will serve you as well as any luxury coupe on the market. If you disable stability control, lower the top and don't mind buying 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza P7s on a regular basis, you can hammer the throttle and think of it as a modern alternative to the Hemi 'Cuda Convertible (a less expensive alternative to a Hemi 'Cuda Convertible in today's market, by the way).
We love the quality of the interior materials, but we hate the fact that you must read 512 pages of ownership manuals to fully utilize the COMAND system (likely retaining only about a quarter of this information after the first run-through). Yet, despite these gripes, you'll be hard-pressed to find another retractable hardtop vehicle that is smart enough to slow down for traffic, fast enough to embarrass Aston Martins and comfortable enough to drive cross-country (with a few heavily trafficked city tours thrown in for good measure since there's no risk of leg fatigue or a fried clutch).
Even at $122,000, this car is a bargain.
A tad long...but, a nice read if you love the car as much as I do...
===========================
Follow-Up Test: 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55
The Muscle Car Has Evolved
By Karl Brauer
Date posted: 08-21-2003
The future automotive world will likely belong to those companies whose products can "do it all." The successful rise of crossovers like the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne suggests that consumers now expect utility vehicles to be fast and nimble. At the other end of this convergent movement are supercars that offer world-class performance but still provide a comfortable ride and daily-driver functionality.
While the Cayenne and FX45 are obvious crossovers due to their dual-nature functionality, the Mercedes-Benz SL55 could rightly be described as a crossover as well. But rather than combining "carlike" driving characteristics with "trucklike" utility, the SL55 combines supercar performance with luxury car ride qualities and amenities (and throws in a touch of muscle car-era exhaust note for good measure).
Leave the hardtop up, find an open stretch of highway, set the Distronic (or "smart") cruise control at 75 mph and you could be lulled into thinking the car is all about coddling. And we're serious when we say "lulled" because Distronic will generally handle the pedestrian chores of braking and accelerating for you while it maintains a safe (and driver-adjustable) distance between the SL55 and other cars on the highway. This feature is truly amazing in terms of reducing driver fatigue over long distances, but as a $2,950 option, it doesn't come cheap.
Wind, engine and tire noise are also promptly quelled by the car's vaultlike construction, though our test vehicle did emit a constant high-pitched squeak from just behind the seats. There's a small parcel shelf and two retractable straps back there, so it's possible the squeak came from a strap that wasn't fully seated down, though no amount of fiddling could stop the subtle yet annoying noise. Underneath that parcel shelf is a storage compartment on the passenger side and a CD changer on the driver side. In the face of the SL55's impressive list of technological advancements, we find an awkwardly located CD changer (and the CD-based navigation system) to be hopelessly out of place. Ironic that the car can use radar signals to modulate its speed but must be pulled over to the side of the road when it's time to load CDs.
Other high-tech options, including Keyless Go entry (a $1,015 option) and a Motorola V60 phone with voice recognition ($1,995), complement the SL55's many standard luxury features, including 12-way adjustable seats that will massage your backside and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. Keyless Go is a particularly welcome feature in that it removes the need to fumble with a key when unlocking or locking the car, and when starting the engine. (If you like the sound of this feature but can't afford the SL's $100,000 price tag, consider waiting for the all-new 2004 Toyota Prius to hit the market this fall, as it will offer a similar system on a vehicle that costs around $20,000.)
If luxury isn't your sole concern, you can take advantage of the SL55's "other" personality, which is an unexpected blend of high-tech exotic car and old-world muscle car. Just starting the engine is proof that this isn't a typical Mercedes. AMG's version of the SL begins with the standard 5.0-liter V8's aluminum block punched out to 5.5 liters of displacement. Then, an intercooled supercharger is bolted on top of the engine and spins up to 23,000 rpm to increase airflow — airflow that exits through a reworked exhaust system. It all adds up to 493 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 516 pound-feet of torque available from 2,750 to 4,000 rpm (the standard SL500's numbers are 302 peak horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque).
The first thing you notice when firing up the SL55 is how the exhaust burble sounds more like an old-world Chevrolet small-block V8 than a 21st century German luxury car. And this is not a criticism. In fact, it seems the Mercedes engineers have realized that, while they can improve upon 50-year-old drivetrain technology in terms of refinement and efficiency, the street rodders of post-WWII America had the proper engine sounds nailed down before the first SL ever rolled off an assembly line.
Behind the engine sits a five-speed automatic transmission that has been similarly reworked by AMG's performance wizards. While no self-respecting automotive enthusiast is allowed to positively endorse a sports car equipped with an automatic, we can state for the record that the SL55's transmission in no way marred the car's outstanding abilities. If there's any downside to this "slushbox," it comes from the AMG SpeedShift buttons located on the back of the steering wheel spokes. These can be used for shifting the tranny up and down, but if you've driven an SMG-equipped M3, the response time will feel lethargic at best (if you haven't, they'll seem fine). We liked using the buttons to downshift when slowing for a corner on twisty roads, thus giving us some engine braking, but for the most part we left the transmission in its fully automatic "Sport" mode and found it completely capable of picking the right gear under any given circumstance.
During said canyon runs, the SL55, top up or down, feels as willing as anything in this price range (Porsche 911 Turbo, BMW Z8, Maserati Spyder). It doesn't offer the same level of feedback as the Porsche or Maserati in terms of steering feel, and the car's weight (around 4,200 pounds) puts it at an inherent disadvantage. But the Active Body Control (ABC) technology keeps the weight in check and gives the car a surprisingly nimble demeanor when changing directions quickly.
In our 600-foot slalom testing, we managed an average speed of 62 mph, which doesn't sound that high until you remember the car's curb weight — and price tag. Because of the massive torque coming through the rear tires we had to either leave the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) turned on or treat the gas pedal like an eggshell. Any attempt to accelerate (rather than just maintain a given speed) while navigating the slalom had the rear end swinging wide — not a fun sensation in a $122,000 car. Thankfully, the ESP system effectively manages the SL55's horsepower without neutering engine power or the fun factor; this is one of the few cars we've tested where our best slalom numbers came with the stability control system activated.
The Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC), which is essentially a "brake-by-wire" electronic system, also reels in the SL's weight and adds confidence when driving aggressively. Brake feel and pedal modulation are superb at higher velocities, but the system can feel like an on/off switch at low speeds (which makes sense when you consider the system's "electronic" nature).
As impressive as SBC was on public roads, we were disappointed by its performance at our test facility. Here, under maximum braking, the car's pedal seemed to drop to the floor before any braking action occurred, which didn't exactly build confidence. We're not sure if this pedal behavior was related to Mercedes' BrakeAssist system, which is supposed to activate maximum braking in a panic situation even when the driver doesn't press all the way down on the pedal. Beyond the pedal's feel under maximum braking, we thought the braking distances from 60 mph were merely adequate for such a performance-oriented car. The best distance was 124 feet, which isn't bad for such a heavy car, but considering the numbers Chevy and Dodge get out of their Corvette and Viper (at much lower prices) we think an AMG product with an advanced electronic brake system should do better. Recall that we tested an SL500, also equipped with such a system, that stopped from 60 mph in just 109 feet, so it's possible there was a specific problem with our test vehicle.
No such disappointments to report in terms of forward thrust. With the SL55, it's not just the acceleration but the effortless acceleration that makes it scary fast. The power band starts at idle and never really stops. Full-throttle upshifts occur at 6,100 rpm in first gear and 6,400 rpm in second and third. The tachometer has no redline, but because the automatic upshifts whenever it wants to, even when in automanual mode, there's no chance of overrevving the engine — and no real need for a redline indicator.
Launching the SL from a stop with ESP activated, and the transmission in full auto mode, netted a 13.2-second quarter-mile time at 111 mph; zero to 60 mph took 4.9 seconds. Disabling ESP and carefully applying throttle at the starting line (otherwise the rear tires disappeared in a cloud of smoke) cut the times to 13.0 seconds in the quarter-mile at 111 mph; zero to 60 mph took 4.7 seconds. Once again, the most bizarre aspect of full-throttle runs in the SL55 was the utter lack of drama. Beyond the potential wheelspin when leaving the starting line, and a healthy exhaust roar that was effectively muted with the top and windows raised, the car seemed quite happy to run sub-5.0 second 0-to-60 times all day. The engine's temperature gauge and the drivetrain's overall personality remained unflappable.
For comparison's sake, a 911 Turbo we tested in 2001 ran to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and got through the quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds at a familiar-sounding 111 mph. That car cost $114,700 and had to be shifted itself. It also didn't have a retractable hardtop or a navigation system (not that the SL's navigation system is particularly intuitive). Of course, this year Porsche will offer a 911 Turbo Cabriolet with an automatic transmission, so it would appear the demand for sub-5-second 0-to-60 cars, with automatic transmissions and retracting tops, is rising — much to the chagrin of "real car guys" everywhere.
From our perspective, it's easy to fall for the SL55. If you never put the top down, turn off the ESP or use more than one-third throttle, it will serve you as well as any luxury coupe on the market. If you disable stability control, lower the top and don't mind buying 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza P7s on a regular basis, you can hammer the throttle and think of it as a modern alternative to the Hemi 'Cuda Convertible (a less expensive alternative to a Hemi 'Cuda Convertible in today's market, by the way).
We love the quality of the interior materials, but we hate the fact that you must read 512 pages of ownership manuals to fully utilize the COMAND system (likely retaining only about a quarter of this information after the first run-through). Yet, despite these gripes, you'll be hard-pressed to find another retractable hardtop vehicle that is smart enough to slow down for traffic, fast enough to embarrass Aston Martins and comfortable enough to drive cross-country (with a few heavily trafficked city tours thrown in for good measure since there's no risk of leg fatigue or a fried clutch).
Even at $122,000, this car is a bargain.
08-21-2003, 11:19 PM
#4
Safety Car
Originally posted by ApocalypseCL
nice car hate those rims on it though but ive seen better ones and i dont like the fact that mercedes doesnt make real manuals for it!
nice car hate those rims on it though but ive seen better ones and i dont like the fact that mercedes doesnt make real manuals for it!
08-22-2003, 08:46 AM
#5
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Best car that's semi-attainable out in the market right now IMHO that you do not need to mortgage your arm and kidneys for...
08-22-2003, 11:01 AM
#6
Burn some dust here
Originally posted by ApocalypseCL
nice car hate those rims on it though but ive seen better ones and i dont like the fact that mercedes doesnt make real manuals for it!
nice car hate those rims on it though but ive seen better ones and i dont like the fact that mercedes doesnt make real manuals for it!
This article is very good. The flaws it points out are some of the same ones that I feel are wrong with car, although distronic is a damn joke and will cause someone an accident (or heartattack) sooner or later. I dont think they have the time right on 0-60. The 1/4 feels right but the 0-60 is about 1/2 a second off.
08-23-2003, 10:10 PM
#7
We dont love these hoes
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that car is nuts, what i wouldnt give for it, there are a few around here, a black one with red interior and chrome rims, its fucking beautiful, another black one with quad tail pipes that lives near me and a white one, that car is pretty much as fast as a 575 maranello, insane!
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08-24-2003, 11:36 PM
#9
Safety Car
if it was manual it wouldnt be comfortable as an everyday driver....its just too much power for the long-ass trips mb wants its customers to be able to have
08-25-2003, 09:53 AM
#12
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Originally posted by unsure
ok guys
sl600 vs. sl55
which one would u take and why? (i wish we all had this dilemma in real life lol)
ok guys
sl600 vs. sl55
which one would u take and why? (i wish we all had this dilemma in real life lol)
For me, I'd even "downgrade" to the SL500! Nope...beggars can't be choosers!
08-25-2003, 01:25 PM
#13
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Originally posted by unsure
ok guys
sl600 vs. sl55
which one would u take and why? (i wish we all had this dilemma in real life lol)
ok guys
sl600 vs. sl55
which one would u take and why? (i wish we all had this dilemma in real life lol)
They are both awesome though.
My oldman had the choice of both and ordered the SL55.
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