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2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
A lot of the criticism I’ve read about the R232 on this forum seems to be of the “It’s not a real SL” variety. My perspective is different. I was never interested in an SL until now.
I’ve only owned two MBs in the past; a ‘91 300E and a ‘92 400E. I had no desire to ever own another until the AMG GT cars came out. I’ve had a crazy sports car thing going on for 29 years now, having owned 8 Ferraris (V8s and V12s), about 7 different 911s, a Lamborghini Diablo, three Astons, a couple of Maseratis, and even a Jaguar F-Type. I honestly thought I’d stick with my 911, the last one I owned being a ‘22 Carrera S Cabriolet.
That car was fun to drive but far from perfect. Age and the diagnosis of a systemic inflammatory disease made it painful to get in and out of the car, so I sold it thinking my sports car days were through. However, I saw some photos and videos of the SLs and lusted after the styling, controversial as it seems to be around here. I decided I wanted an SL55 and found one I could test drive, purchasing it a couple of weeks ago.
The power is fantastic; I suppose the extra hp in the 63 would be nice but far from necessary. I had seen some reviews suggesting the rear wheel steering was excessive but I don’t find that to be so. Steering is excellent if not quite as precise as on the 992. I can’t make up my mind on the ride; some road imperfections seem to be quite jarring even in comfort mode but for the most part I find the suspension well tuned. The transmission is more than up to the task, but I find the multi-clutch setup less engaging and a bit slower than a Porsche PDK.
I think those that complain about the fundamentally different characteristics of the R232 as compared to its predecessors are missing the point. The recent iterations didn’t sell. There is zero chance I would have bought previous generation SLs. The new one offers buyers like me a chance to own a luxury convertible sports car experience that’s a little more mature than its competitors. Personally I think hardtop convertibles are overrated.
The battery issue complained about on this forum is real, if exaggerated. Mercedes is far from alone here. The lithium battery in many 911s requires the same type of attention to use as the SLs; Porsche states they won’t cover warranty claims on those batteries if the car is driven less than 6K miles per year, and replacement batteries are about $3500 MSRP with no aftermarket solutions because Porsche sticks the control module for the battery into the battery itself. Ferrari makes it a bit easier to plug into the charger by putting a magnetic charger connector on the outside of the car.
I’m a sucker for the tech so the iPad sized interface for MBUX doesn’t bother me. There are more adjustments than I’ll ever figure out. What I have played with seems to work well. And the “base” Burmester unit kills. I can’t imagine what the optional upgraded one adds.
In short, this may not be the ultimate car for twisty backroads but that comprises less than 5% of my midwestern driving. Taken as a whole package, it’s a fun, beautiful daily driver. No regrets.
2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
A lot of the criticism I’ve read about the R232 on this forum seems to be of the “It’s not a real SL” variety. My perspective is different. I was never interested in an SL until now.
I’ve only owned two MBs in the past; a ‘91 300E and a ‘92 400E. I had no desire to ever own another until the AMG GT cars came out. I’ve had a crazy sports car thing going on for 29 years now, having owned 8 Ferraris (V8s and V12s), about 7 different 911s, a Lamborghini Diablo, three Astons, a couple of Maseratis, and even a Jaguar F-Type. I honestly thought I’d stick with my 911, the last one I owned being a ‘22 Carrera S Cabriolet.
That car was fun to drive but far from perfect. Age and the diagnosis of a systemic inflammatory disease made it painful to get in and out of the car, so I sold it thinking my sports car days were through. However, I saw some photos and videos of the SLs and lusted after the styling, controversial as it seems to be around here. I decided I wanted an SL55 and found one I could test drive, purchasing it a couple of weeks ago.
The power is fantastic; I suppose the extra hp in the 63 would be nice but far from necessary. I had seen some reviews suggesting the rear wheel steering was excessive but I don’t find that to be so. Steering is excellent if not quite as precise as on the 992. I can’t make up my mind on the ride; some road imperfections seem to be quite jarring even in comfort mode but for the most part I find the suspension well tuned. The transmission is more than up to the task, but I find the multi-clutch setup less engaging and a bit slower than a Porsche PDK.
I think those that complain about the fundamentally different characteristics of the R232 as compared to its predecessors are missing the point. The recent iterations didn’t sell. There is zero chance I would have bought previous generation SLs. The new one offers buyers like me a chance to own a luxury convertible sports car experience that’s a little more mature than its competitors. Personally I think hardtop convertibles are overrated.
The battery issue complained about on this forum is real, if exaggerated. Mercedes is far from alone here. The lithium battery in many 911s requires the same type of attention to use as the SLs; Porsche states they won’t cover warranty claims on those batteries if the car is driven less than 6K miles per year, and replacement batteries are about $3500 MSRP with no aftermarket solutions because Porsche sticks the control module for the battery into the battery itself. Ferrari makes it a bit easier to plug into the charger by putting a magnetic charger connector on the outside of the car.
I’m a sucker for the tech so the iPad sized interface for MBUX doesn’t bother me. There are more adjustments than I’ll ever figure out. What I have played with seems to work well. And the “base” Burmester unit kills. I can’t imagine what the optional upgraded one adds.
In short, this may not be the ultimate car for twisty backroads but that comprises less than 5% of my midwestern driving. Taken as a whole package, it’s a fun, beautiful daily driver. No regrets.
If one pores through the site, you will find many many owners. But few of them follow all the posts and will only jump in and out when there is an issue that they have or that they are interested in. We’ve had quite a number posting for a variety of reasons. Others of us such as I follow most all of the posts to some degree. Perhaps that is because I have had two other AMGs. A GTS and a GTC convertible. So for me, this was the next AMG car available and I was neither put off by nor attracted that it had an SL label on the back or that it had two vestigial seats. Being able to call it a four seater helps with taxes in Europe for the manufacturer. At least from what I am told. And it can also help to a little degree, perhaps in competition with certain Porsche models.
A lot of the criticism I’ve read about the R232 on this forum seems to be of the “It’s not a real SL” variety. My perspective is different. I was never interested in an SL until now.
I’ve only owned two MBs in the past; a ‘91 300E and a ‘92 400E. I had no desire to ever own another until the AMG GT cars came out. I’ve had a crazy sports car thing going on for 29 years now, having owned 8 Ferraris (V8s and V12s), about 7 different 911s, a Lamborghini Diablo, three Astons, a couple of Maseratis, and even a Jaguar F-Type. I honestly thought I’d stick with my 911, the last one I owned being a ‘22 Carrera S Cabriolet.
That car was fun to drive but far from perfect. Age and the diagnosis of a systemic inflammatory disease made it painful to get in and out of the car, so I sold it thinking my sports car days were through. However, I saw some photos and videos of the SLs and lusted after the styling, controversial as it seems to be around here. I decided I wanted an SL55 and found one I could test drive, purchasing it a couple of weeks ago.
The power is fantastic; I suppose the extra hp in the 63 would be nice but far from necessary. I had seen some reviews suggesting the rear wheel steering was excessive but I don’t find that to be so. Steering is excellent if not quite as precise as on the 992. I can’t make up my mind on the ride; some road imperfections seem to be quite jarring even in comfort mode but for the most part I find the suspension well tuned. The transmission is more than up to the task, but I find the multi-clutch setup less engaging and a bit slower than a Porsche PDK.
I think those that complain about the fundamentally different characteristics of the R232 as compared to its predecessors are missing the point. The recent iterations didn’t sell. There is zero chance I would have bought previous generation SLs. The new one offers buyers like me a chance to own a luxury convertible sports car experience that’s a little more mature than it’s competitors. Personally I think hardtop convertibles are overrated.
The battery issue complained about on this forum is real, if exaggerated. Mercedes is far from alone here. The lithium battery in many 911s requires the same type of attention to use as the SLs; Porsche states they won’t cover warranty claims on those batteries if the car is driven less than 6K miles per year, and replacement batteries are about $3500 MSRP with no aftermarket solutions because Porsche sticks the control module for the battery into the battery itself. Ferrari makes it a bit easier to plug into the charger by putting a magnetic charger connector on the outside of the car.
I’m a sucker for the tech so the iPad sized interface for MBUX doesn’t bother me. There are more adjustments than I’ll ever figure out. What I have played with seems to work well. And the “base” Burmester unit kills. I can’t imagine what the optional upgraded one adds.
In short, this may not be the ultimate car for twisty backroads but that comprises less than 5% of my midwestern driving. Taken as a whole package, it’s a fun, beautiful daily driver. No regrets.
Great review, thank you. The ride harshness or not you mention has me intrigued, do you feel it in the seats, steering wheel or both, and did you get the active suspension?
2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
Originally Posted by RJC
Great review, thank you. The ride harshness or not you mention has me intrigued, do you feel it in the seats, steering wheel or both, and did you get the active suspension?
The occasional jarring sensation is felt in the seat, not the steering wheel. I have the performance trim, which I believe includes the active ride suspension.
The drivetrain and suspension is a generational leap forward for the AMG GT.
mite the most schizophrenic vehicle I've ever owned and it doesn't seem to know what it is. Seems rushed out.
first Benz. I honestly prefer the r8 I had but the outgoing r8 is about a decade behind on the technology side (inside and mechanical).
I have had many build quality issues. The heater core cover screws were not ever installed on the factory line. Took dealer months to discover and admit that "amgs run hot" was a moronic gaslighting statement. So much plastic and still having vent rattles and creaks that just shouldn't exist on a 200k plus car.
Received mine last august and because they didn't build it to my spec due to supply constraints, they have another en route and are supposed to "make it right" but I'm sure it will come out of my pocket.
I think if the new amg gt had the eqs dash instead of the stupid ipad clone it would be an amazing vehicle.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would want all this high tech in a sports car. Don’t get me wrong, some electronic safety devices are certainly welcomed and a great audio system is enjoyable, but the iPad in the new SL is just going too far, in my opinion, for a top down sporting car. Someone said something about an EQS type “hyperscreen” in an SL or AMG GT. Really? Are we in a car to drive or play video games? I find the touch screen and haptic controls in my S580 to be unintuitive, difficult to use and quite distracting. In a convertible, toss in sun glare and it really gets ugly. For enjoyable, top down driving, I much prefer something with a traditional cockpit, like this XKE Simple, straightforward and functional.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would want all this high tech in a sports car. Don’t get me wrong, some electronic safety devices are certainly welcomed and a great audio system is enjoyable, but the iPad in the new SL is just going too far, in my opinion, for a top down sporting car. Someone said something about an EQS type “hyperscreen” in an SL or AMG GT. Really? Are we in a car to drive or play video games? I find the touch screen and haptic controls in my S580 to be unintuitive, difficult to use and quite distracting. In a convertible, toss in sun glare and it really gets ugly. For enjoyable, top down driving, I much prefer something with a traditional cockpit, like this XKE Simple, straightforward and functional.
For possibly the first time ever, I agree with you, @Streamliner. When it comes to top down fun I would much prefer to be rowing my own gears with my hand on a Nardi wood wheel but obviously that isn't coming from any manufacturer in the last 30 years, much less today.
If anyone plans to live with their rag top on a near daily basis the modern amenities make a lot of sense not to mention the additional safety features added to a car capable of those speeds.
2015 CLS 550 2015 ML 400 Previous 2020 GLB 250 2019 A 220 2005 ML 350 1989 300 E 2001 SL 500
Originally Posted by Streamliner
For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would want all this high tech in a sports car. Don’t get me wrong, some electronic safety devices are certainly welcomed and a great audio system is enjoyable, but the iPad in the new SL is just going too far, in my opinion, for a top down sporting car. Someone said something about an EQS type “hyperscreen” in an SL or AMG GT. Really? Are we in a car to drive or play video games? I find the touch screen and haptic controls in my S580 to be unintuitive, difficult to use and quite distracting. In a convertible, toss in sun glare and it really gets ugly. For enjoyable, top down driving, I much prefer something with a traditional cockpit, like this XKE Simple, straightforward and functional.
Sorry my friend, they call it "the past" for a reason.
2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
Originally Posted by drgek
I can’t make up my mind on the ride; some road imperfections seem to be quite jarring even in comfort mode but for the most part I find the suspension well tuned.
Today I found out, while the car was in for recall/annual services, that the selling dealer (different from the one where I have it serviced) never removed some of the transport plugs which the service adviser tells me may well have been responsible for the jarring over expansion strips. I can't wait to get the car back to find out if that was in fact the cause.
2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
Originally Posted by drgek
Today I found out, while the car was in for recall/annual services, that the selling dealer (different from the one where I have it serviced) never removed some of the transport plugs which the service adviser tells me may well have been responsible for the jarring over expansion strips. I can't wait to get the car back to find out if that was in fact the cause.
After removal of those transport suspension plugs, the ride over the expansion strips that used to bounce me off the seat is DRASTICALLY improved. I always thought there must be something wrong with that...
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
