Expect the Mercedes-Benz SL to receive five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests. It comes with front, side and curtain airbags as well as pop-up roll-over hoop protection. Just about every known electronic driver aid is fitted to help prevent the driver losing control, including adaptive braking, stability control, anti-skid control and traction control.

The Mercedes-Benz also includes attention assist, which warns you if it thinks you are tired, as well as Pre-Safe which prepares the car’s safety systems if it thinks a collision is imminent.

Mercedes-Benz has played a blinder on the practicality front, firstly with the retractable roof and then with the luggage space. It takes just 20 seconds to open or close the roof. If loadroom is important to you then the SL will further impress. There are 504 litres of bootspace with the roof in place, which decreases to 364 litres with roof down. That’s enough for a few soft bags but you may struggle with the golf clubs.

It beats the BMW 6 Series Convertible, which only has 350 litres with the hood up and 300 litres when it has been dropped. The Jaguar XK Convertible fares even worse with 283 litres on offer with the hood in place.