Photo Gallery: The Majestic 2017 SL450 Roadster
The Mercedes-Benz SL has been at the top of the luxury gran touring roadster segment for decades, and although this particular model has always targeted mature buyers, the 2017 SL450 is indeed very young at heart.
I recently had the pleasure to spend a 79-degree, sunny, and breezy afternoon cruising around Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin in the SL450. I first jumped into this majestic looking roadster with many reservations, as the 2017 SL doesn’t ooze as much pizzazz as some of Mercedes’ other convertibles. Funny enough, as I was tossed the keys, I was told this was the “entry level” and “most affordable” SL Mercedes offering. A few hours later I decided to glance at the window sticker: a staggering $101,935 dollars.
I dropped the top at the push of a button (18 seconds) only to realize that I no longer had to step out of the car, open the trunk, and operate the trunk partition. This new SL does all of that automatically. Once on the road, the SL proved once again why it’s the S-Class equivalent of convertibles — smooth, powerful, majestic.
Step on the throttle and feel the surge of torque from the biturbo V6 push you back against the executive nappa leather seats, while the 9-speed GTronic transmission works its magic running through the gears like a trickster flips a quarter through his knuckles. Shall you opt for the Sport or Sport + driving mode, the transmission will hold a gear through the turns and shout a loud BAAARHLL out the exhaust pipes on downshifts.
My time with the SL450 certainly wasn’t long enough, but it was enough to renew my liking for this rather majestic, expensive, but well-worth-the-money status symbol.
