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Hi all,
Going back and forth. Both are good cars. My impression is the C7 is a sports car, with some touring comforts. The C7 even has ventilated seats now too. The cargo space in the C7 seems a bit more useable. I also noticed a fair amount of road noise on some surfaces - however that could be due to the run flats. The SL550 seems more luxury, with a very potent engine. With the higher torque of the SL550, it may be quicker on passing acceleration vs the C7. I recognize I'm asking in a MB forum, and cost of ownership can be a factor as well. Is the White Arrow edition of the SL550 pretty rare, and desireable?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts -- particularly those who've driven or owned both.
Rick
I recently traded in a 2015 C7 on a 2016 SL550. To put things in context, both cars were purchased as nice day drivers and not for daily use. I found that I didn’t drive the C7 much because it was so small inside and hard to get in and out of. Mine had the magnetic ride control so it actually had a fairly comfortable ride. I really enjoyed the power and handling but unfortunately where I live you couldn’t ever utilize much of either. To me the C7 was much faster than my SL. My C7 was a coupe and I found that removing and storing the top was also a PIA, which was an issue for me because I like open air motoring. At the end of the day I decided an SL550 was a better fit for for me. Your assumption that the C7 is primarily a sports car is correct, but it is a very good sports car. You are also correct about the road noise being higher in the Corvette but I actually prefer the cargo space arrangement of the SL. You really can’t go wrong with either car in my opinion.
I recently traded in a 2015 C7 on a 2016 SL550. To put things in context, both cars were purchased as nice day drivers and not for daily use. I found that I didn’t drive the C7 much because it was so small inside and hard to get in and out of. Mine had the magnetic ride control so it actually had a fairly comfortable ride. I really enjoyed the power and handling but unfortunately where I live you couldn’t ever utilize much of either. To me the C7 was much faster than my SL. My C7 was a coupe and I found that removing and storing the top was also a PIA, which was an issue for me because I like open air motoring. At the end of the day I decided an SL550 was a better fit for for me. Your assumption that the C7 is primarily a sports car is correct, but it is a very good sports car. You are also correct about the road noise being higher in the Corvette but I actually prefer the cargo space arrangement of the SL. You really can’t go wrong with either car in my opinion.
Thanks for the feedback. Of note, I live in Colorado, not far from the mountains. 2 lane roads winding up the hills rock! I noted the SL550 pulls a 0.93 on the lateral skid pad. VERY respectable. How's the body roll when pushing through some twisties.
Like you, I'm looking for a weekend fun car, not a daily. Ever heard of the White Arrow edition?
I don’t find the body roll objectionable but it is definitely more noticeable than in the C7. My SL just has the base suspension, so no ABC which may make a difference. I would prefer a C7 for the type of roads you are describing. I have never heard of the White Arrow Edition so I looked it up. It appears the package includes a lot of options like drivers assistance, soft close doors, and night view. I’ve sure never seen one. It looks like they only sent 400 of them over here.
Loved my C7 coupe that I traded for the SL. Wife hated the Corvette. Lots of road noise and it attracted too much attention. Had lots of cargo space and plenty of power. I miss it a lot but happy wife, happy life. I'm on the list for a C8 but starting to lose interest.
Loved my C7 coupe that I traded for the SL. Wife hated the Corvette. Lots of road noise and it attracted too much attention. Had lots of cargo space and plenty of power. I miss it a lot but happy wife, happy life. I'm on the list for a C8 but starting to lose interest.
Col. Morin brings up a good point - my wife hated my C7 as well but she loves the SL.
I own a 2006 Corvette convertible and a 2014 SL 550. They are both great cars but quite different. The Vette is a true sports car while the SL is more of a luxury touring sports car. It depends on what kind of ride you want.
Loved my C7 coupe that I traded for the SL. Wife hated the Corvette. Lots of road noise and it attracted too much attention. Had lots of cargo space and plenty of power. I miss it a lot but happy wife, happy life. I'm on the list for a C8 but starting to lose interest.
No wife, so...
One other aspect of the C7 is a good stereo. Stock Bose has a sub. Hard to find the B&O optioned SL550s
The white arrow edition would be a 2105 and a couple members on this forum have one if memory serves. They are nice cars but as all special edition Mercedes models were non-configurable, they miss some (to me) important options, one of which is ABC. ABC is a fully active suspension and manages body roll and is height adjustable if needed. One thing to remember is that no special edition increases the resale value of the car. They have a nice interior (minus the black/white steering wheel IMO) but I'd rather look for nicely optioned car instead.
The SL's are the best and most practical top down cars, period. I have no experience with Corvettes but can say that no average C7 could walk our SL. Maybe it feels quicker but performance figures indicate otherwise.
The white arrow edition would be a 2105 and a couple members on this forum have one if memory serves. They are nice cars but as all special edition Mercedes models were non-configurable, they miss some (to me) important options, one of which is ABC. ABC is a fully active suspension and manages body roll and is height adjustable if needed. One thing to remember is that no special edition increases the resale value of the car. They have a nice interior (minus the black/white steering wheel IMO) but I'd rather look for nicely optioned car instead.
The SL's are the best and most practical top down cars, period. I have no experience with Corvettes but can say that no average C7 could walk our SL. Maybe it feels quicker but performance figures indicate otherwise.
Good note on the White Arrow. 0-60 times are similar for the two (albeit slightly faster for the C7). 0-100 times are significantly different by 2 seconds in favor of the C7.
Good note on the White Arrow. 0-60 times are similar for the two (albeit slightly faster for the C7). 0-100 times are significantly different by 2 seconds in favor of the C7.
I could only look at the C7 specs. Our last SL550 (which has more HP and a better 9-speed tranny than the 2015) did 0-60 in under 4.1 seconds (via draggy) so the engine are a bit underrated, something the Germans tend to do. So a regular C7 does 0-100 in just over 7 seconds?
But as others stated, this is a GT cruiser, not a single purpose sports car. If you go for specs, a different car might be in order but the SL is surprisingly quick and can hold its own
A bit off topic: The C8 Corvette properly driven will do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and will likely out handle an SL on a road course. It really is close to a street legal race car. That said, the rear styling IMO is horrendous. I've been on a list for one but am leaning toward removing my name.
The SL IMO is an excellent GT Cruiser with ample luggage space, nice ride, decent audio and comfortable seating. That's why I bought one with a very happy wife.
A bit off topic: The C8 Corvette properly driven will do 0-60 in under 3 seconds and will likely out handle an SL on a road course. It really is close to a street legal race car. That said, the rear styling IMO is horrendous. I've been on a list for one but am leaning toward removing my name.
The SL IMO is an excellent GT Cruiser with ample luggage space, nice ride, decent audio and comfortable seating. That's why I bought one with a very happy wife.
Hmm.. most everything I've read shows a base 2015 C7 (Stingray, non Z51) will out accelerate and hold skid pad better than 2015 SL550 with Sport Package. Do you see actual (not estimated) numbers showing otherwise?
Hmm.. most everything I've read shows a base 2015 C7 (Stingray, non Z51) will out accelerate and hold skid pad better than 2015 SL550 with Sport Package. Do you see actual (not estimated) numbers showing otherwise?
I agree. Even a base C7 would likely out accelerate and out handle any SL, not sure about an AMG SL63.
Hi all,
My impression is the C7 is a sports car, with some touring comforts. The SL550 seems more luxury, with a very potent engine. With the higher torque of the SL550, it may be quicker on passing acceleration vs the C7
I honestly don’t believe that’s a fair comparison.
As you noted, one is a sports car and one is a luxury tourer. I think the C7 and SL63 is a fairer comparison.
The traction control, transmission and suspension programming is quite different from the SL63 vs the SL550.
The SL63 has various settings to modify the traction control & suspension allowing for a “throw it into the corner and stab the throttle & drift out” driving style similar to the Vette’s. Try that in an sl550 and traction control will intervene. It’s more conservative. Look at the SL550 ESP as tuned more for “all weather” driving conditions. Unnoticeable until you push harder than you probably should be. 😀
The SL63 has a much more sport oriented design purpose, much like the corvette. The SL550 is a car you (or your wife) can drive drive daily. Quieter, much more conservative and softer suspension with plenty of torque available at will. All traits I want from this car personally. Especially at this point in my life. The SL550 is a traditional Grand Tourer but don’t expect it to behave like a C7/SL63 under “track like” conditions.
It’s important to note there is NO wrong choice here, just what YOU personally expect from a car….
And of course, you could always put your SL550 in “Dyno Mode” and unleash the true beast. 😈
Last edited by crconsulting; 12-05-2021 at 05:41 PM.
Seems like we are going off topic here. My point was that the SL550 is surprisingly quick and the few encounters with regular C7’s were easy.
Neither could beat the other. Just regular guys stepping on the gas, not a serious race from a dig or rolling.
So skidpad, etc is not relevant IMO.
Our M8 easy dispatches a C8 but then there is a Plaid that easily beats either. There is always a quicker car somewhere…
The point is that the SL, as a package, is the better convertible. It’s a coupe with a view with the top up and a convertible with the least wind buffeting anywhere with a button press. Heated, massaged and dynamic seats with a heater in your neck.
and the car has great storage for a top down car.
This really extends the top down experience depending on where you live.
I’m back and forth on C7 vs SL550. What prompted you to move from the C7 to an SL? After having both, what do you like more about the SL?
Above quote is from the other thread but I moved it here.
The answer to the first part of the question has simply to do with the fact that the C7’s time was up. No, I’m not referring to a lease or payment period but rather that my motto is “too many cars, too little time”. 😂. My wife, bless her heart, is ok with me buying “new” cars regularly with the only caveat being that for every car that I acquire, one of the others has to go; in other words I cannot increase the size of my collection beyond the 4 that fit in the garage. I had originally been looking for a 991 or 992 Porsche or an Aston of some variety, but then this SL63 at a local dealer caught my eye. Went to test drive it and an SL550 that they also had in stock and the rest is history. My first (but not last*) Mercedes.
As others have already pointed out, the cars are not particularly comparable. What I really like about the SL is it’s “dynamic range”, which is that I can drive it in a perfectly leisurely and sedate fashion, or I can get my performance jollies, or both in the same outing; not to mention the fact that it can switch between closed coupe and open air motoring effortlessly. Driven sedately, the SL can merge into the background traffic (at least in Houston, where it sometimes seems like every second car is a Mercedes), but it never fails to impress people I take for a drive. The Corvette (at least mine, lol) was “in your face”. Enjoyable too for sure, but got tiring occasionally.
Other impressions:
- I fit a lot better in the SL; something to do with being “generously proportioned” I’m sure.
- My SL63 feels stronger than the C7; it was only a short test but I recall that the SL550 seemed on par or a bit weaker.
- As a prop to the C7, it was 100% bulletproof in the 4 years that I had it. NOTHING other than oil changes and 1 replacement tire set. Too early to tell with the SL, but I don’t think it will be the same, even if the R231 is deemed more reliable than other MBs.
- The ABC is nice in the SL but I did have the magnetorheological shocks in the C7 that were great as well, and a lot less complex. The ABC is capable of more tricks (like raising and lowering) but at the price of significant cost compared to the Corvette system.
In summary, I had a good time with my Corvette but I have no regrets whatsoever trading it for the SL63. I suspect that might be the case even with an SL550, but I’m not certain.
A bit of a digression. The SL63 (as the Corvette before it) is my daily driver. I also have 3 other (older) toys in the garage. I was so impressed with the R231 SL that when it was time to replace one of the other toys, I opted to find a R129 SL to add to the fleet. This thing just showed up the weekend before Thanksgiving. 1998 SL500, 40.5k miles. It’s flat out awesome for a 23 year old beast. I look forward to a few years of enjoyable ownership. Who knows, I might just become an ongoing fan of the Mercedes marque!
Apples and oranges. I consider my 17 Corvette Grand Sport to be a scaplel, and the 19 SL450 more like a steak knife.
I am surprised how quick the V6 is and how buttoned down the suspension is in Sport modes, but the additional 100+/- hp and lb. ft. of torque and less weight, and the incredible brakes sets the Corvette (an 8 speed automatic) apart from the SL. Comfort, noise level and ride-wise, the MB wins hands down, and build quality of the Corvette pales in comparison (but better than my previous C6 Grand Sport).
If I could only keep one, it would be the SL450 because I really like the luxury appointments, the ride, and the convertible option.
12-05-2021, 09:07 AM
