MotorMouths

Fast, elegant, swimming in technical comforts and refinements, the SL is a world-class piece of machinery. It would be nice if the outside reflected the soulful beauties inside.

In the sports car world, the SL has always been a bit of an anomaly. You own an SL to project a sense of well-being and being well off. But as a true-blue sports car, it falls short. Don’t expect a supreme road carver — it would ruffle your coiffed hair.

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 is quick — as is its signature retractable hardtop — yet it shines as a luxurious touring roadster. But it isn’t cheap, and the lack of basic standard features certainly annoys.

Extravagant in performance, appointments and price, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a worthy icon, even if it’s aging and about to be redesigned.

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is more powerful and efficient, and the lighter weight makes it sportier. The SL550 isn’t a full-on sports car, though. It’s a more relaxed grand tourer that offers very capable handling, but is also tame in traffic.

It’s hard to find fault with a solidly built, comprehensively equipped luxury convertible such as the SL. With plenty of space inside, the car provides a welcome sense of privilege along with a palpable impression of mechanical sophistication.

Constantly improving, the sporty Mercedes-Benz SL hardtop convertible offers the best of all worlds and feels at home anywhere from the office to the racetrack to the country club and back, sometimes all in the same day.

The SL550 is a brilliant automobile. It costs a pretty penny, but cars like the SL550 Roadster are all about a feeling, not a value, and this Roadster feels like it’s worth it.

A sports car it most certainly is not, but if you need to cover huge amounts of ground quickly, comfortably, safely, and in grand style, the SL remains a remarkably comfortable and capable, if not rewarding, grand tourer in a class of one.

With the 2013 SL, we’re back to added muscles, broader shoulders and a more forceful face. Needless to say, the SL is comfortable with the top up, but the surprise is how cozy it is with the top down.

The SL550 earns its price tag. Top down on a sunny day, it feels like a rich man’s Miata: top up, carving through stop-and-go traffic, it’s as luxurious as an S-class. Add in superior build quality and a hewn-from-a-block solidity, and it remains the gold standard in this class.

Effortless performance, proper luxury and trend-setting technology make the new 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class as iconic as its predecessors