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2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Class Features Review

July 28, 2008

FEATURES | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

some of the best seats in the business
Leftlanenews.com

The new SL seats, for example, are go-to-sleep comfortable
Motive

All 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters come about as well equipped as any other car in its class—with amazing, highly adjustable seats, good navigation systems, and plenty of creature comforts—but with some additional high-technology equipment, as Mercedes-Benz tends to pioneer.

One example is Airscarf, a feature that’s been available on the SLK for several years and makes its debut in the SL for 2009. The clever arrangement brings warm air to your neck while driving in cold-air climates, allowing you to keep the top down on low-temp sunny days when you wouldn’t otherwise. All 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters include Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND system, a screen-driven interface that allows easy access to navigation and audio functions, and the panoramic glass roof and Parktronic parking aid are now standard equipment on the SL600.

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL’s Harman Kardon audio system is another noteworthy feature. It allows you to play MP3 files through an SD memory-card slot, and songs can also be stored on the on-board 40GB hard drive. However, as Leftlanenews.com pointed out, only about 4GB is allocated for music storage, which amounts to about 1,000 songs, with the rest of the HD space saved for the navigation system and other functions. Leftlanenews.com was disappointed, saying, “The high-end sound system is supposed to provide sedan-quality audio in the space of a convertible, but we found it just average for cars in this niche.”

But when talking about features, we can’t forget about the hydraulic power-folding hardtop roof, which can completely open or close in only 16 seconds. “The mechanized roof is truly an engineering marvel, still stopping spectators in their tracks to watch it accomplish the task at hand,” said the Leftlanenews.com reviewer, who advised shoppers to note the smaller trunk space with the top down.

One of TheCarConnection.com’s most memorable drives in recent years was an early sunny summer morning trip through Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. The temperature couldn’t have been much more than 50, yet with the heater blowing at our feet and the Airscarf feature turned on, it was invigorating. We can’t wait to test this feature on an 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL.

Conclusion

Awesome features like Airscarf, the trick top arrangement, and dreamy seats prove the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL has what matters to those into top-down touring.

FEATURES | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:some of the best seats in the businessLeftlanenews.comThe new SL seats, for example, are go-to-sleep comfortableMotive All 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters come about as well equipped as any other car in its class—with amazing, highly adjustable seats, good navigation systems, and plenty of creature comforts—but with some additional high-technology equipment, as Mercedes-Benz tends to pioneer. One example is Airscarf, a feature that’s been available on the SLK for several years and makes its debut in the SL for 2009. The clever arrangement brings warm air to your neck while driving in cold-air climates, allowing you to keep the top down on low-temp sunny days when you wouldn’t otherwise. All 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters include Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND system, a screen-driven interface that allows easy access to navigation and audio functions, and the panoramic glass roof and Parktronic parking aid are now standard equipment on the SL600. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL’s Harman Kardon audio system is another noteworthy feature. It allows you to play MP3 files through an SD memory-card slot, and songs can also be stored on the on-board 40GB hard drive. However, as Leftlanenews.com pointed out, only about 4GB is allocated for music storage, which amounts to about 1,000 songs, with the rest of the HD space saved for the navigation system and other functions. Leftlanenews.com was disappointed, saying, “The high-end sound system is supposed to provide sedan-quality audio in the space of a convertible, but we found it just average for cars in this niche.” But when talking about features, we can’t forget about the hydraulic power-folding hardtop roof, which can completely open or close in only 16 seconds. “The mechanized roof is truly an engineering marvel, still stopping spectators in their tracks to watch it accomplish the task at hand,” said the Leftlanenews.com reviewer, who advised shoppers to note the smaller trunk space with the top down. One of TheCarConnection.com’s most memorable drives in recent years was an early sunny summer morning trip through Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. The temperature couldn’t have been much more than 50, yet with the heater blowing at our feet and the Airscarf feature turned on, it was invigorating. We can’t wait to test this feature on an 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL. ConclusionAwesome features like Airscarf, the trick top arrangement, and dreamy seats prove the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL has what matters to those into top-down touring.  2009 MERCEDES-BENZ SL STYLING | [7 out of 10] Car and Driver: “The SL’s midcycle enhancement, then, brings with it a few effective styling changes, headlined by a new single-bar grille that evokes most of its SL forebears, flanked by L-shaped headlamps that evoke none of them.“ Car and ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL spans a vast price range, with the top-of-the-line, very exclusive SL65 AMG almost twice the price of the SL550. At the bottom, the SL550 competes against the Cadillac XLR, a vehicle that, much like the SL, straddles the line between luxury car and true sportscar. The XLR, with its Corvette sportscar roots, arguably feels a little more entertaining to drive than the SL550, though the Cadillac has more road and wind noise and isn't nearly as refined overall. The Jaguar XK Convertible compares in appointments to the SL, but the new XK drives more like a sportscar, with more pep than the numbers might suggest and a light, agile feel on a curvy road that the SL sorely lacks. Likewise, the top-performance Cadillac XLR-V and Jaguar XKR match up to the SL55 AMG. The Porsche 911 Cabriolet is also a worthy alternative to the SL-Class, offering responsive handling and track-ready performance, but it has a bumpier ride, and like the Jaguar XK, it has a soft-top arrangement and a noisier cabin. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Audi R8 are two other alternatives to the AMG cars that both have more overt--some would say exotic--styling inside and out, which makes them more attractive than the AMG cars if pure horsepower isn't what drives you.

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See the Mercedes-Benz SL Class in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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