Reviews
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It’s difficult to call a $229,000 car the base model with a clear conscience.
‘Entry-level’ doesn’t quite sit right either. So let’s go with ‘introductory’, as in, the SL400 is the new introductory model to Mercedes-Benz’s flagship roadster range, replacing the SL350.
And with its passing goes the last bastion of Mercedes-Benz naming logic, for the SL350’s 3.5-litre V6 has not been replaced with a 4.0-litre engine, but a 3.0-litre V6 with twin turbochargers.
Obviously, it lacks the outrageous grunt of its AMG-badged siblings, but at 1655kg the all-alloy SL400 is much lighter than you’d think and its 245kW and 480Nm do a fine job of motivating it in most circumstances.
The SL legend was built on six-cylinder powerplants – original 300SL Gullwing, W113 280SL – and this new engine upholds that tradition with heaps of torque, a keenness to rev and a mellifluous V6 howl. Lovely.
So few of these cars will be driven enthusiastically that most owners will probably never encounter it, but SL does stand for ‘Sport Light’, so surely a high level of handling sophistication isn’t asking too much?
The issues don’t end there. While the SL’s primary ride – larger bumps and so on – is suitably wafty, it constantly fidgets over smaller imperfections like a bored toddler. Perhaps the 30-profile tyres of our test car were to blame, but it falls short of the level of comfort you’d expect from a luxury grand tourer.
Bar its excellent new engine, the SL feels like a car nearing the end of its life cycle, which despite being barely three years old, it is. An all-new model is due in late-2016/early-2017, and based on Benz’s recent output, there’s every reason to believe it’ll be a big improvement on the current car.
Then again, if it’s to reclaim its position as king of the luxury hill, it’ll need to be.
3 out of 5 stars
Specs
Engine: 2996cc V6, DOHC, 24v, twin-turbo Power: 245kW @ 5250-6000rpm Torque: 480Nm @ 1600-4000rpm Weight: 1655kg 0-100km/h: 5.2sec (claimed) Price: $229,000
