Category: Convertibles 
Price Range: £59,975 to £153,050
Effortless cruiser, new direct-steer system, superb info-tainment system.
Not sufficiently sporty, poor braking, expensive.
The SL is in a class of its own as a cruising roadster, but go elsewhere for a sporting experience.
The word iconic is much overused these days, an unfortunate by-product of our PR-dominated times. However, the Mercedes-Benz SL roadster is worthy of the mantle: the original 'Gullwing' SL is a true automotive icon, as is the second-generation 'Pagoda' SL roadster than symbolised chic elegance in the late 60s and early 70s.
So this, the new-generation SL, the sixth since it first appeared in 1954, has a lot to live up to.
To meet the challenge, Mercedes-Benz has introduced a host of improvements and styling changes to bring the car up to date, including a completely new engine for the SL 350, a new direct-steer system, intelligent lighting and modifications to the Comand infotainment system.
The styling changes are something of a curate's egg. The most immediate changes, to the front end, continue the Mercedes-Benz design team's current over-fussy design language. The new SL harks back to former iterations with power bulges on the bonnet, but when you combine these with a centre crease line, a continuation of the radiator's V-shape and brushed chrome accents pointing forward from the windscreen, there's just far too much going on. When looking out from inside the car, it's actually quite distracting: owners will get used to it, but it simply doesn't have the elegance of the previous generations.
The changes to the rear are more successful: a bumper that takes the look of a rear diffuser and trapezoidal exhaust pipes give the car a sporty dimension.
There will be three versions in the UK line-up: the V6-engined SL 350, starting at £64,980, will make up almost three quarters of sales; the SL 500, with a V8 powerplant, will account for just over 20 per cent of sales and is priced from £77,685; and the top-end V12-powered SL 600, from £104,425, will sell only a handful - understandable when you consider that the new SL 63 AMG is available for less money.
The new SL hits the UK on April 17 2008, with all engines available from launch.
