The Mercedes SL has always been a brilliant car to cruise to the south of France in, a very well made GT. However, it lacked that willingness to behave like a taught sports machine when you wanted hit those complex mountain roads. It has always been a very capable car but for those looking for something more agile, the competition was very good at ticking that box. A new SL steps up to the plate for 2013 and not just some tweaked mid-life refresh either… This is the all-new Mercedes-Benz SL.
Or to be more specific, our test car is the SL63 AMG variant and to those who recognise the cars last three letters we understand why you have just leaned in a little closer. For the readers who don’t let me be very blunt about what this car actually is. The new Mercedes SL weighs 120KG less than the outgoing model, thanks to an aluminium body shell, and is fitted with a 5.5 litre V8 twin-turbocharged engine. This luxurious two seater convertible is then handed to the Germans performance devision, AMG. What they do to this car next is borderline insane. Increasing the boost from the turbos, putting components on a diet and giving onboard systems some extra “go juice” results in a machine that produces 557BHP and 663lb-ft of torque. Those numbers translate into the SL63 AMG achieving a 0-62MPH time of just 4.2 seconds and equipped with our cars performance pack, it won’t stop until it reaches a top speed of 186MPH. Hopefully now we are all reading from the same page when it comes to AMG. Think of them as Mercedes-Benz’ mad scientists.
This SL isn’t exactly what you would call a pretty car in terms of exterior design. From the front its blunt shape does give it presence but the rest of the car doesn’t go out of its way to reveal the potential performance that lay beneath its aluminium skin. The cockpit is a fantastic blend of Mercedes comfort and small sporting details. The seats for example are heavily bolstered to hold you in place but also very padded maintaing high levels of comfort. The console is clearly laid out with every button being stereotypically German in its logical positioning. The high quality black leather upholstery and aluminium detailing of the cabin give the interior a very executive feel and almost makes you completely oblivious to the fact that you are sat in an atomic weapon.
Fire the car up and you are very quickly reminded that this isn’t any ordinary Mercedes-Benz. At low speeds the cars 7 speed gearbox does a good job of selecting gears by itself and manages the transitions seamlessly. The steering is light and with the roof up it is just like driving a coupe. The SL63 manages refinement even better than the car it replaces incorporating new tech such as wiper blades that also clean the windscreen with water as they go. No more getting splashed by the washer jets whilst the roof is down! So, we have established that the new car fills the gap of comfortable convertible very well, but what happens if we take it out of the old cars comfort zone? What happens when you give it a firm prod in the ribs?
Putting your foot to the floor sets free both of those turbos and after just a minuscule delay they unleash every single one of those horse powers in a fashion last recorded as a major event in the bible. You are sucked back into you seat like someone just attached a giant Dyson to your arse. Before you know it you are doing 70, 80, 90 before slamming on the cars astonishingly good carbon ceramic brakes. Plunging into a corner it is immediately possible to tell that this SL is lightyears ahead of the old car in the handling department. It transfers its weight so effortlessly and the responsiveness of its electromechanical steering is sublime, though the trade off is that it lacks feeling. There is no getting away from the fact that this is a big car, but it will merrily dance to what ever jig you choose as it will match your driving capabilities step for step. With ESP off oversteer lunacy arrives in abundance. Just looking at the throttle is enough to kick the back end out, but the beauty of it is that it is just so very manageable due to its wide tyres. Orchestral V8 roar in toe, you can’t help but smile.
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 is a very complete machine in that it will waft up and down whatever coast you choose all day long, yet when you fancy being exuberant that car now has more than just a powerful engine to do the job. It is a quietly styled monster that has some excellent handling virtues.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been at each other throats since the dawn of the wheel. The two prestigious brands are in a self perpetuating battle right across their range. A-Class VS 1 Series, E-Class VS 5 Series, ML VS X5, SLK VS Z4. Each company has a defense for the others offense and today the cars being produced are at such a high level that personal preference is sometimes all that separates them. However, Mercedes has never had an answer to BMW’s M3, a car that has become something of a cult leader amongst petrol heads. Turning to their AMG performance division, the three pointed star now has a machine they would like to share with us.
Well, it damn well knows how to make an entrance! Rumbling, spitting and snarling the C63 AMG Coupe came into focus. Visually it displays its intent from the moment you lay eyes on it, the car just dominates its surroundings. Like a python, the C63 is all muscle with flared arches, bold body lines and that blunt nose. It could never be called an elegant looking machine but my god, it looks purposeful. If we are going to draw comparisons between the M3 and this car all day long then it has to be said that whilst an M3 next to this looks subtle enough to ferry your Mum to the bank, the AMG given half the chance would probably eat her.
Yet, opening the doors reveals a lavish interior with all of the refinement you would expect from any other Mercedes-Benz. It seats four in the finest of leather with the two occupants up front being treated to brilliantly supportive body hugging seats. It would appear that this brute has a soft heart hidden within its angry outer shell… There is adequate space for adults in the back, granted you wouldn’t want to spend hours back there, but for a coupe of this caliber it is pretty good. It even has generously sized boot meaning that this car can been seen from the get-go as more than just a weekend toy.
Driving around at low speeds is a genuinely calming experience with the suspension soaking up the bumps well and the 7 speed automatic gearbox managing menial cog swapping. From within the cabin the engine is barely audible. That is until you step on the noisy peddle… Immediately the AMG tuned naturally aspirated 6.2 litre engine makes itself known! This cars vocal chords teamed artillery grade exhausts produces a sound that penetrates your chest and resinates with your brain. There is no false piping of noise through speakers in this car, oh no, it just grabs your eardrums and blasts them with a symphony of 480BHP. Stealing pistons and a lightweight crankshaft from its bigger brother, the SLS, this performance pack equipped Coupe provides an experience that is more than just a desirable soundtrack.
Opening the taps and turning the car up to maximum attack surges it towards the horizon with no hesitation what so ever. The pick-up is immediate and absolutely intoxicating. 0-62MPH is completed in just 4.4 seconds and it will go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155MPH. Throwing the Merc into a corner brings nothing but a smile to your face. The steering is direct and provides good levels of feedback to the driver. It is very competent when the road gets twisty and thanks to those ceramic-carbon brakes, its stopping power is impressive. I do wish there was a manual option for this car and though the 7 speed box does a fine job, its manual mode could respond a bit faster. Turning ESP off and twitching the throttle will induce a power slide that is almost pantomime in nature. It is epic fun but those tyres do cost £310 each, nevertheless, it will provide a situation where you can remind yourself what it was like to be six years old again.
At around £63,000 this car with all of the toys is not cheap, but that does not mean it isn’t good value. It is a car with many different characters, a Jekyll and Hyde if you will. On the one hand it is a fabulously refined car that offers all and more of what you expect to live with day to day, but also it is a weapon of mass destruction and more than capable of giving you one of the best motoring experiences of your life. It really does tick all of the boxes, but should you buy one over an M3? I suspect a BMW M3 would be a little fast round a racetrack, but there is no getting away from the fact that the C63 AMG Coupe is just more fun to drive. Whilst the M3 is deeply satisfying on the move, this cars split personally will have you chuckling to yourself every time you fire up that beastly 6.2 litre engine.
The definition of an icon reads as follows: “A representation of an object of great attention and devotion, an idol.” If that is the case the Mercedes-Benz 300sl is most defiantly an icon of the automotive industry, it not only brought innovations in its manufacture but also gave the world the most incredible method of entering and exiting a car. The converted gullwing doors were first seen on this car in 1954 and captured the imagination of millions. The 300sl could achieve 150MPH and cost more than the average house when launched, doesn’t sound too different from supercars today. However that was 56 years ago and the world has changed immensely, cars can now reach over 250MPH, airbags are standard and the gullwing doors remain killed off by health and safety. Well that last statement was true up until now…
This is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the natural successor to the 300sl. The SLS also replaces the much loved Mercedes SLR McLaren and so has a lot to prove to the world. Mercedes have developed this car to echo its legendary forefather yet also be bold enough to fit in the modern-day. The authoritative stance of the SLS is one that provokes the association of speed with its bullet like shape, short rear end and bulging bonnet. And yes, there is no greater moment of satisfaction when you open those fabled doors for the first time. From within the cockpit the aluminium slashers are clearly visible on the sculpted bonnet that stretches off into the horizon; just enough to remind you that despite high levels of comfort you are not in any old SL. In fact the entire interior is what you would come to expect of any Mercedes-Benz but garnished with features such as a race inspired wheel, body hugging seats and glowing starter button. Each of these features hinting at this cars savage performance that lays dormant.
Under the bonnet is a 6.3 litre, 571BHP V8 that will launch the car from standing to 62MPH in just 3.7 seconds. All the power is sent through the rear wheels and as a result the SLS has a deployable spoiler to increase down force. The V8 tower of power is shifted as far back as the laws of physics allow for a 47/53 weight distribution, something that should give this car the balance of a certain mid-engine competitor from Italy. The car left to roam free will achieve 197MPH and with economy at 21MPG you could argue it’s got some “green” credentials, but then you would be laughed at.
On the road the Mercedes SLS is very refined, not just for a supercar but in general. Cabin noise at road speeds is minimal and with the interior as luxurious and comfortable as any other SL it makes for a perfect GT car. But you don’t want to read about how good the air-conditioning is or it’s silky smooth ride do you? You want to know what it was like when we opened the cadge of the beast and set it free on a damp track…
Let me begin by saying that this car has the best soundtrack I have heard all year! Its throaty V8 bellow rages around the cabin as soon as you open the throttle filling the surrounding area with the sound of horsepower. The handling of this machine is immense as every input into the steering results in an immediate response composed of swift agile movements. With the track greasy I was prepared for all that power to just spin the wheels, make smoke and stick me in a hedge. Instead the cars massive grip levels kept it stuck to the track. That said if you tickle the throttle around a corner in the right way the rear is always ready to play. Heading down the main straight at full throttle pins you to your seat dislodging all of your internal organs, but using the SLSAMG’s carbon ceramic breaks soon relocates them from being held against your spine to being mashed between your ribs.
Words can hardly describe how good this car is and I urge each and every one of you to experience this for yourself. The doors may be more of a novelty than a convenience but it is all part of the theatrics of owning a car such as this. At £153,000 it is cheaper than the Ferrari 458 by a considerable amount, and you know as advanced as the Ferrari is I would always take the keys to this. Why? Because in the 458 though it is capable of all the fantastic figures it boasts and in truth probably out run the SLS on a track, you always feel like a passenger. Whereas in the Merc you’re on the front line, it is you making the car dance, you playing the V8 orchestra and you hitting that apex.
Here at Inside Lane we seem to spend an awful lot of time reviewing cars that attempt to set your hair on fire, and well that’s mainly because they appeal to the group of six year-olds we have working in the office. But what happens when you’re finished with setting the M25 ablaze and you just want to waft home? In an attempt to quell the current overdose of supercar syndrome I have been sent to review a car that you might actually consider buying.
So you want to cruse home without worrying about the doors falling off or the radiator imploding? Ok, we’re looking for a German car. You want room for five and a good level of luxury? Now it’s narrowed down to a Mercedes-Benz and the only choice left to make is if you want to look like an accountant or a Bond villain? Yeah nobody likes there bank manager so you chose Goldfinger every time, and the concluding result of your choices is the new Mercedes E-Class E350 CDI.
This newly redesigned model has that look of importance about it as wherever the car goes it demands the respect of those aroundit. Mr ASBO is going to think twice before keying this in fear that odd-job emerges and feels the need to remove the teenagers head. Another touch that has been around since the dawn of the E-Class is that suspended badge that acts as the crosshairs to your V6 rifle. Oh you should see how the pensioners in their Fiesta’s cower as you approach at a junction. Overall the cars aesthetic appearance has a clear presence yet maintains a very German composure.
Inside the E350 it’s the usual Mercedes-Benz “everything is just a touch of a button” approach and just as you would expect everything is laid out in a logical configuration, some could describe it as dull but when it’s been a long day at work you will be grateful that it was designed by the Germans and not the Italians. The seats are near faultless giving fantastic lower back support, something that a long distance machine such as this needs to have in order for you not to disintegrate before reaching your destination. In the rear quarters there is ample leg room and a good amount of space for those of us who are abnormally tall. The E-class’ swooping bodyline is also reflected in the rear windows as they sit at a parallel to it, a nice design feature to break up what would normally be a rectangle of blandness. Though the cabin is well furnished, our test car wasn’t the top of the range model and as a result didn’t feel quite as thoroughly peasant proofed as others.
On the road the diesel V6 can get the car from 0-62MPH in 6.8 seconds but let’s not forget that acceleration wasn’t in this cars design brief. Instead of savagely getting up to speed it moves forwards on an invisible bubble of energy that ushers it forwards. Don’t misinterpret what I’m trying to say, throttle response is sharp and it is more than capable of sitting at its 155MPH top speed but it does all of this in a civilised manner. The suspension is also something to be admired as it effortlessly irons our unwanted bumps in the road yet also manages to prevent the car from sloshing from side to side around corners. The safety of this new E-Class is no a worry as it has a five star rating and more airbags than a bubble wrap factory.
This E350 CDI is a wonderfully purposeful machine that ticks all the correct boxes in order to be both functional and pleasant to live with. Dependant on what model you select it’s rather good value as ours cost just over £36,000 and it wasn’t exactly bare minimalist, but as always it’s the options list on a Mercedes-Benz that will be the death of you.
You see Inside Lane can do sensible reviews! Now where did the keys to the Ferrari 458 go?
It is said that the AH-64A Apache attack helicopter is one of the world’s most efficient killing machines. This flying widow maker carries 16 of the world’s most deadly laser guided missile as well as being armed with a barrage of rockets and a 30mm cannon that can fire at a rate of over 17 rounds per second. Just one of these hovering assassins can identify and destroy 36 enemy targets simultaneously, and this is all before the unfortunate pray even has the chance to acknowledge that it’s in danger. The Apache is unrivalled in its accuracy of inducing death, well that was until the SL Black arrived!
You see in a deep dark basement within Mercedes-Benz there is a room that contains the AMG engineers. These people are responsible for making existing models deliver the most adrenalin prompting experience on the road. But within that basement is a cage and within that cage are the crazy engineers that have become rabid with the addiction of creating road going missiles. These lethal weapons are known as the black series and each one is deadlier than the last. So now you can see why the engineers are kept in a cage, but they have been let lose again and the Apache had better get used to looking over its shoulder as the Mercedes-Benz SL65 Black Series is on the prowl.
I have been reviewing cars for quite some time now and never have I feared the machine that it was my duty to test. But this was different; being left alone with the SL Black immediately raises the hairs on the back of your neck and begins the natural process of fight or flight. The car just has a solidified aggression about it; everything from the bulging wheel arches to the gaping nostrils on the bonnet immediately intimidates every living thing within 30 feet. Its metallic paint that changes from dark silver in the light to a stealth grey in the shadows is the perfect reflection of how this machine behaves. It’s not just the exterior posterities that provoke sweaty palms, it’s the knowledge of what currently laid dormant under the beast’s skin. 661 of the most powerful horses are produced by a perfectly engineered 6.0 litre V12 that has not one, but two turbo’s. The swollen bodywork is not there for display either as it has been formed purely to cater for the cars larger track and tyres that are wider than the Isle of Man. 738lbft of torque is readily available to aid the 5 speed gearbox, that can complete a change in 250 milliseconds, deliver the unrelenting power through the rear wheels. Completing my lap of the car my eyes are drawn to the artillery of exhaust pipes and that bare carbon fibre diffuser that doesn’t even attempt to mask the cars performance credentials.
Once inside the belly of the beast you are instantly swamped in a sea of carbon fibre and military grade dials. In total the carbon-trickery reduced the cars weight by 250KG over the standard SL making this not only almighty in power, but also fat fighter’s slimmer of the month. The meaty steering wheel is the ultimate in masculinity behind the wheel and with those aluminium paddles attached it leaves you in no doubt that you are in the cockpit of one of the most powerful cars in existence. Other enhancements over the standard car include adjustable suspension, industrial strength breaks and a deployable spoiler to maximise down force.
Ok, time to lift the lid on Pandora ’s Box and potentially erase humanity from existence. The SL Black explodes into life with thecomposure of a lion tearing at a zebra corpse, each tickle of the throttle sending a barrage of V12 noise reverberating through anything in its path. Once this axe murdering brute is in motion you had best be holding onto your internal organs because they will literally become impaled to your spine. 0-60MPH can be achieved in 3.9 seconds whilst crushing your brain into the back of your skull. This car truly is a force to be reckoned with as even its own on-board computer systems can’t cope with its sheer power! The cars grip is biblical as you dive into corners at a pace you know will result in a crash. However with the electronic aids not only fighting your ever-growing addiction to push the car harder, but also the physical demands of the situation, things such as the ABS continuously stab at the breaks making it not an entirely enjoyable experience. So your only other choice is to turn the cars computer brain off, this doesn’t end well… If you are not 100% awake it will kill you, if you are distracted for a split second it will kill you, and if you underestimate this cars ability to make you crap yourself it will not only kill but also impale your dead body to the nearest tree. Turning everything off is like jumping from a warzone on the Xbox to the front line in Afghanistan, it all becomes less fun and much more dangerous. The result of this is that you drive it at half capacity to ensure you don’t end up in a river. The SL Black becomes one of the biggest wastes in automotive history as you no longer have the bravery to push it any further.
When one of these sets you back £250,000 the last thing you want is to live in fear of what it can do and let me be blunt, unless you drive in Formula One you are never going to turn off the electronic shackles that bind this car to the road. Yes that price tag may buy you a car more powerful than an SLR McLaren and membership to an exclusive club of 350, but the price also buys you the world’s most expensive garage ornament.
The Mercedes ML is often the car of choice for mums ferrying their privately tutored children to school and back. With its executive yet functional look I can see why they choose this over the Ford Focus sensible people drive. As a result the four wheel drive system never sees the rough stuff and thus leaves us wondering whether it’s even capable of mounting the curb.
To quench the thrust for an answer I decided to road test the ML at Mercedes UK HQ in Brooklands. A brief overview shows our test model to be the 3.2 Litre CDI, and so as far as the engine is concerned it has potential. The interior is doused in the latest Mercedes electronic toys including sim-card reader for when mum’s need to call the school to notify them that they are stuck in traffic. Of course the on board computer deals with all the electro-wizardry of the suspension and ABS, and also indicates that the car, at least in design, was intended to venture off the beaten track.
Onwards with the road test! On tarmac the ML is quite and refined as you would expect from any other Mercedes-Benz, in fact for adiesel the engine noise was almost unnoticeable. From the comfort of my extremely well upholstered seat I had ample vision of the road ahead, often it is this that draws people to 4X4’s. The ML is a rather tranquil vehicle to drive unlike one of its predecessor that proved to be as elegant as a Hippopotamus on ice. The engine also provides adequate grunt as well as torque to get out of junctions in a hurry and the suspension does a sublime job of cancelling body roll. That’s all well and good but we are still no closer to finding out if this can handle tuff terrain or if it is to remain an ornament in office car parks.
Conveniently Mercedes-Benz provided us with their off-road course for the afternoon in order for us to really push this car to its limits. So with the ride height cranked up to its max I set off. To begin with I must say that myself and the car were not in tune. When the ML is setup for off-roading the response from the controls change dramatically. Everything becomes more precise and as a result when I applied the brakes just as I did on the road, everything lunged forwards as the ML’s colossal brake callipers crunched down on the discs. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I did find that with everything bouncing about on a rough surface that accidently applying the brakes is like kicked by a horse.
However the CDI being very capable pulled its way up some hills that would begin to worry a Land Rover, also its one of the few cars in its class that appears to have no problem with driving sideways up a slope. I would love to see other “soft-roaders” do that! But most impressively telling the computer that I was coming down a steep hill of more than 45 degrees and then letting do off all the controls, for the ML to keep a steady crawl back down was amazing. I was honestly expecting to be in a heap of twisted metal when it eventually came to a halt.
And so it would appear that the ML is in truth a very accomplished 4X4 after all. So why am I still seeing businessmen and wealthy mothers driving them around like a limo? Do you not think that paying a minimum of £38,000 is a little much for a car that will only be used for 40% of what it was designed for?
