Mercedes-Benz SL - The SL, only more so

Ultimate is an overused word, but feel free to use it here...

GEORG KACHER

Don't tell me - a midlife facelift for the SL range? Yes, but there are far more changes than the mildly tweaked looks and slightly increased prices suggest. In fact, in the context of premium sports cars, they're now absolute bargains.

This is much more interesting than I thought... We've had an exclusive fi rst drive in the revised SL55 AMG, and we've also driven the SL500, which has a new engine - in the US it's being called SL550 to reflect this.

The 500 costs £1755 (Rs 1.40lakh) more than the outgoing model, has better steering and brakes, an uprated chassis - and 80 extra bhp. The new 5.5-litre V8 delivers 382bhp instead of 306, it whips up 530Nm of torque (against 460Nm), and 0-100km/h takes 0.8sec less at 5.4sec. Top speed and fuel consumption are unchanged.

As an option it also has Merc's seven-speed auto 'box, which in its earlier incarnation could be hesitant but has now been sorted. When you stab the throttle the 'box will jump down by as many as four ratios at a time, so you end up in the right gear pronto. The optional Sports pack speeds up the shift action and throws in a new steering wheel with polished paddles.

Good so far. Is that it? The steering is seven percent faster and better damped, the brakes are more powerful and easier to modulate and Merc's yaw, roll and pitch reduction system (ABC), which is standard on the SL500, now responds more promptly and more progressively, without upsetting the ride.

So, why spend an extra £23k on the SL55 AMG? Because if you want a proper sports car it's worth the extra dough. You get a real animal of an engine. Thanks to a new higher revving supercharger, a bigger throttle blade and a remapped ECU, the 5.5-litre three-valve V8 now delivers 510 instead of 494bhp and 720Nm of twist action, 20Nm more than before.

The ultimate SL? No. For that you need the Performance pack (£10k extra!), including a deeper front spoiler, even sportier suspension set-up, bigger wheels and brakes, new diff, 19in alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and an engine chip which allows a maximum speed of 303km/h. Impressive, but way more than you need.

Source: Car India April 2006.