Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (02-11) - Review

Review by David Ross on 17 April 2009

The SL name has a great heritage in Mercedes-Benz history and this model holds true to its predecessors. It's expensive, exclusive and elegant while the metal folding roof means it's a convertible which can also be as refined and quiet as a coupe. But it's not just all about looks. The SL packs some serious performance thanks to a choice of great engines ranging from a 3.0-litre V6 up to the 5.5-litre V12 with more than 500bhp. It may not handle as well as similarly priced sports cars from Porsche for example, but few cars can match the style, refinement and pace it offers. It was facelifted in April 2008 with a more aggressive front end, improved steering and updated engines.

4 out of 5

Other Mercedes-Benz reviews

2.5 out of 5

Running costs

If you have the sort of money to indulge in an SL then you won't be too concerned about the running costs. That doesn't prevent the car from being thirsty and expensive to insure while parts and servicing costs are high. However in the market for flash metal there are plenty that are even more costly to run and it's such a desirable machine that residual values are pretty strong too.

Summary Running Costs
Servicing period	Variable - according to on-board computer.
Warranty	Mechanical three years/unlimited miles plus 30-year care plan.
Road tax (12 months)	£270.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO₂ emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO₂ emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

1 out of 5