2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Class Overview

Likes:

  • Awesome acceleration from any of the engines
  • Retractable hardtop
  • Ride comfort

Dislikes:

  • Fuel economy
  • Doesn’t handle like a sports-car
  • COMAND interface isn’t user-friendly
  • Styling starting to look dated

Bottom Line

To bring you this assessment of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadster, TheCarConnection.com's experts have handpicked some of the most useful information from reputable reviews. Then to make this especially useful to shoppers who might be comparing the SL to another ...

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Full Review

Mercedes-Benz introduced the general styling of the current-generation SL-Class in the 2003 model year, and for 2008, Mercedes-Benz has made no external styling changes. The top-of-the-line 2008 Mercedes-Benz convertible is aging very well, and it still turns heads despite the...

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Select a Trim:

Trim MSRP / Invoice Fuel Econ
2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Class: 2dr Roadster 5.5L V8 $95,300 / $88,629 City: 14
Hwy: 21
2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Class: 2dr Roadster 5.5L AMG $129,300 / $120,249 City: 12
Hwy: 17
2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Class: 2dr Roadster 5.5L V12 $133,200 / $123,876 City: 11
Hwy: 18
2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Class: 2dr Roadster 6.0L AMG $187,200 / $174,096 City: 11
Hwy: 18

Other Choices:

The 2008 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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