With the SL-Class, Mercedes-Benz has a sporty car in its lineup that combines the decadent luxury of an S-Class with some of the high-performance aspects of the carmaker’s pacier AMG models. Despite its sporty credentials, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, above everything else, is more of a long-distance cruiser than a flat-out racecar. So, if you are interested in buying either the SL450 or the SL550, here are some of its highlights:

Design and interiors
The exterior design of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class includes a long hood and a relatively short rear. The car sits on huge and beautiful 19-inch alloy wheels and has an aggressive-looking exhaust system. The front of the car is dominated by Mercedes-Benz’s huge grille and the LED automatic headlamps with daytime running lights.

One of the downsides of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is its somewhat dated interiors. The dashboard, steering wheel, switchboard, seats, and door columns contain high-quality materials and are beautifully built but have aged. The central infotainment system, surrounded by several buttons for various functions such as phone calls, stereo, and climate control, is a small screen controlled through a central rotary knob. Despite its lack of functionality compared to modern infotainment systems in other cars, the SL-Class’s system is easy to use.

The seats of this two-seater roadster are plush but slightly cramped in terms of legroom and headroom. The boot is also limited in size at 13.5 cubic feet, reducing further to 8.5 cubic feet with the hard top folded down.

Engine and performance
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has two engine options: a bi-turbo V6 petrol engine for the SL450 that produces 362 horsepower, and a bi-turbo V8 petrol engine that provides 449 horsepower to power the roadster. Both models are standard-fitted with a nimble Mercedes-Benz 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission, including paddle shifters behind the steering wheel for quicker shifts. Both cars have an adaptive suspension to stabilize the ride quality over long distances.

The powerful engines allow both variants of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class to zoom through thousands of miles without breaking into a sweat. Keeping with the grand tourer theme, the engine, gearbox, and suspension function smoothly, if not with the speed and urgency of an AMG car. The 0-60 mph times are just under 5 seconds and 4.3 seconds for the SL450 and SL550, respectively.

Handling and ride quality
The electronic steering system in the SL-Class is not very direct and responsive. Therefore, fast cornering in the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class may seem cumbersome. But, as you know, this car is not meant to drift through corners and create donuts in parking lots aggressively. At high cruising speeds, the handling can be described as stable.

On the other hand, the ride is on par with the S-Class or any other flagship luxury saloon. Although you can feel the road surface, the ride is always well damped, and the adaptive suspension irons most undulations on the road with consummate ease. The shape and structure of the seats help too. All in all, the SL-Class roadster can keep its occupants comfortable on long rides.

Features and safety tech
Nearly everything comes standard on both cars, from GPS navigation to Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a Bang & Olufsen audio system, and a Wi-Fi hotspot available for a per-month subscription package deal after a three-month free trial.

In terms of safety, the cars come with Antilock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Airbags, Automated Emergency Braking, Lane-Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Price
The SL450 roadster is priced at $91,995, while the SL550 roadster is priced at $115,695. These prices are dynamic and will increase once you include the optional extras.