New from Mercedes-Merc SL 500

Introduction

The SL has always appealed for its ability to blend sports car with GT in a beautifully finished package. The 5.5-litre V8-equipped SL 500 is a mainstay in the range, with power aplenty to give it serious performance when you need it, without asking too much of the chassis. Refreshed at the beginning of this year, the new SL will be around for a few years yet, but it's beginning to feel its age.

What are its rivals?

The SL is one of those unusual cars that covers a huge breadth of possible rivals. More so when you consider the wide engine range you can choose from - the AMG SL 65, for instance, with its twin-turbocharged V12 engine, has Ferrari 599 GTB pace and a price not far off the Modena car's. In SL 500 guise tested here it costs a few pounds shy of £78,000, which is Porsche 911 Cabriolet money. Jaguar's XK and BMW's 6 Series - in either drop-top or coupé guise - are also possible alternatives, the SL's folding hardtop meaning it'll appeal to both sets of buyers. Maserati's GranTurismo is another potential - if slightly leftfield - choice in this marketplace.

How does it drive?

The numbers say that the SL 500 will reach 62mph in just 5.4 seconds. That's mightily quick, though it doesn't feel that rapid from standstill. The 5.5-litre engine delivers its best in the mid-range, peak torque being delivered from 2,800 to 4,800rpm. Leave the seven-speed automatic in Comfort mode and you'll be lamenting its slovenly response and lack of urgency to kick-down, but put it into Sport or take over control yourself and the SL 500 reveals a wickedly fast side.

Fitted with the Mercedes ABC (Active Body Control) suspension the SL can do a half-decent impression of a sports car, but ultimately its responses and feedback are too lacking to really involve like some of its rivals do.

What's impressive?

The SL does a phenomenal job of covering all bases. It's an accomplished cruiser, a cool coupé and a smart roadster too - the folding hardtop mechanism is something you'll never tire of watching. It's a great looking car as well, the facelift that we weren't entirely sold on earlier in the year having grown on us. The stylists have done a good job at freshening up the SL's looks and there's a real hint of the classic Pagoda SL to the front now. There's technology aplenty inside too, the SL always among the first models to feature Mercedes' latest equipment. It's comfortable, easy to drive and there's a huge boot as well - even roof down the SL manages to swallow a decent amount of luggage.

What's not?

Good as the SL is at being everything for everyone there's no denying that it falls slightly short as a driver's car. There's precious little feedback from any of the controls, meaning you're left guessing how much or how little grip there is. Usually there's plenty, but in the wet the SL would be a handful if it weren't for its electronic safety nets.

The ride quality isn't quite as good as it could be either, which is not helped by the optional 19-inch wheels and tyres fitted to our car (18-inch wheels are standard). The fascia inside feels tired as well, the air conditioning controls fiddly and the satnav system has some very funny ideas about how to get places quickly - an aftermarket TomTom or the likes is far better. Good as the recent facelift Mercedes gave the SL is, the big roadster is beginning to feel a bit old.

Should I buy one?

You're either an SL kind of person or not. We love its roundedness here and its crushing competence across the board and it looks fantastic too. It is and always has been a very impressive demonstration of Mercedes' finest qualities. As a machine to lust after we're not so sure; it just doesn't get our juices flowing like more sporting rivals do. It's not cheap either, especially if you start picking desirable and expensive options. A Porsche 911, BMW 6 Series or Jaguar XK will deliver a more intimate driving experience, but the SL remains a very desirable choice - despite its advancing years