2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550

For me, there’s nothing more cathartic than cruising my favorite roads with the top down on a beautiful summer day.  And doing it in the all-new SL550, well; it just doesn’t get any better than this.

There are a lot of expensive roadsters on the market today but none that carries the prestige and quintessence of luxury convertible motoring quite like the SL.  With 60 years of iconic heritage behind it, this is Mercedes in its most recognizable form.  There are few cars that meld elegance and power in quite the way this one does.  Which brings us to this 6^th generation model – longer and wider but weighing 200 pounds less thanks to a new aluminum body and powered by a new twin-turbo V8 which produces more power and better fuel economy than before, the SL550 feels more alive than ever. Its dynamic range is magnificent – going from a super serene top-down cruiser to a shove you into your seat beast with the thrust of 516 pound feet of torque in an instant.  Some cars flaunt great numbers but don’t really feel that fast but this SL rockets to 60mph in 4.5-seconds and it feels even faster.  The 7-speed auto with sport mode and paddle shifters is the perfect match to this 4.6-liter, 429-horse motor quickly, smoothly and precisely delivering its power to the rear wheels with great haste.

Seeing as how you’re already spending over $106,000 without any options, I would highly recommend tacking on Active Body Control.  Every Benz I’ve ever driven with this active suspension has amazed me and this one is no different.

The Active Body Control system is pure automotive voodoo.  The ease and flatness with which the SL corners is spooky.

Using a sophisticated mélange of hydraulics, electronics and mechanical parts, ABC laughs in the face of body roll while simultaneously providing a sumptuous ride quality.  There isn’t a car I’ve driven that gives you both of these qualities better than this.  Equipped with a sport setting, ABC costs over $4,000.

You won’t find this Mocha Black paint or gorgeous light brown leather interior with bamboo trim on the usual order menu.  The dealer will be glad to show you these and other exclusive designo options for a price – in this case totaling $8,300.

Get a load of this.  The glass roof panel has something Mercedes calls Magic Sky Control which at the touch of a button goes from letting the sun in to putting the shades on.

The entire top goes down by holding a lever and the SL includes a clever feature in the trunk which automatically retracts the glass top for easy access to your cargo.  There’s also quite a bit of storage space behind the seats so weekend getaways can be accomplished without worry.

A new ECO Stop-Start System turns the engine off at a stop to save fuel and all told this SL550 improves on the previous model by 15%, rated at 17mpg city/25mpg highway.

Its striking new design, adaptable personality and far reaching performance create a car that’s hard to beat.  My tester, with the addition of the AMG Sport Wheel Package with high performance tires, driver assistance and premium packages and the other aforementioned goodies totals $131,745.  To quote Ferris: “It is so choice.  If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”