Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

While the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class still makes a lot of sense and possesses the right amount of novelty on the outside, it is the interior cabin of the car which can make you believe that this car is actually growing old and needs substantial changes in terms of layout and equipment. While this is not a dated-looking cabin, the fact that all the other models of Mercedes-Benz have moved up the bars with their latest generation swanky interiors, this one in comparison looks paler.

The best part of the interior cabin is the propeller-like round AC vents on the corners as well as on the center console of the dashboard. Between the AC vents in the center console is placed a small rectangular touchscreen infotainment system, with the trapezoidal lower center console having the old-school looking buttons for the climate control and audio system. The twin pod-like instrument console might not look as exhilarating as the new-generation huge and wide full TFT panel like in other Mercedes Benzs, but it is comprehensive enough to not fall short on any crucial data while on the go.

Despite its age, the Mercedes Benz SL-Class continues to soldier forward with its timeless design, which was updated a couple of years ago, thus bearing some resemblance with the latest crop of other cars from Mercedes-Benz. The car boasts of a sleek stance which is a perfect balance of outright sportiness and understated luxury.

The frontal look of the Mercedes Benz SL-Class has been inspired from the latest generation of sedan-derived coupes, with a broad front grille having a diamond-studded pattern, rounded edges and a long horizontal satin chrome lining running across its width in the middle.

The sweptback headlamps with rounded edges looks much like those of the previous generation Mercedes Benz S-Class, with an eyebrow-shaped daytime running LED and dual-LED projectors in them. The big and sporty air dams present on the corners of the front bumper add some aggression to the frontal design of the Mercedes Benz SL-Class.

The side profile of the Mercedes Benz SL-Class has a couple of interesting design cues which manage to hide the age of the car and give an individualistic appeal to it. These include air fins on the front fender just behind the wheel arch and the nice looking rounded roofline for the hardtop, which flawlessly opens up as and when required, to give an unadulterated open-top motoring experience.

At the back, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class looks very elegant, with wing-shaped large taillamps with sleek LED inserts and the long boot which accommodates the hard top whenever the roof is opened up. 

The Mercedes Benz SL-Class might have aged a bit, but that is not at all evident by its reflexes and driving dynamics. The car comes with air controlled AIRMATIC suspension as well as active body control with curve tilting function, which debuted for the first time in the S-Class saloon. Coupled with the low slung stance of the car which gives it a planted feel around toughest of the corners, the suspension setup keeps both the occupants in utmost comfort.

The Mercedes Benz SL-Class is being offered in the Philippines in two different variants – SL 350 and SL 600, both of which come with a different set of powertrains. The SL 350 has a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, which belts out 305 PS of power and 370 Nm of torque, while the bigger 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine in the SL 600 makes 621 PS of power and a staggering 1000 Nm of torque. Both the variants of the Mercedes Benz SL-Class get a common 7-speed automatic gearbox.

The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has an extensive list of safety features as standard, which comes with front, side, curtain and knee airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, dynamic radar cruise control, automatic high beam, lane departure alert, traction control, vehicle stability control, hill start assist, blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, limited-slip differential, tire pressure monitoring system and front and rear parking sensors with reverse camera.

The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class might be the oldest model in the lineup of the company, but in no way it is underequipped or falls short in terms of the factor of desirability and luxury. It still can turn many heads with its sleek and low slung stance, and the open-top motoring experience it offers adds to the overall experience.