2008 Mercedes-Benz SL Exterior Review
Based on analysis of 31 SL reviews and test drives.
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
In addition to its retractable hard-top design, critics are impressed with the SL550's classic mystique. The Boston Globe says, "with sleek lines that somehow say 2007 and 1957 simultaneously," the SL550 "is a car that might remind you of those late-night commercials that proclaim, 'But it's not just a ... it's also a ... and wait, there's more ...'"
Kelley Blue Book says that the SL "is more than just a performance dynamo; it's an attention grabber. The car looks as good with the power-operated hardtop covering the cockpit as it does when the top is retracted. If you believe a car should signal to the world the level of your success, the SL is the perfect spokesperson."
The 2008 SL550's standard electrohydraulic retractable aluminum hardtop gets only positive reviews. Cars.com says the top "can lower in about 13 seconds, and it's something to watch as the hydraulic system transforms the car from an all-weather touring car into a roadster. Though the fabric roofs of newer soft-top convertibles look fairly graceful, it's hard to beat the sleek coupelike silhouette of a retractable-hardtop convertible."
Other standard exterior features include dual chrome exhaust tips, an attachable fine-mesh wind deflector, dual heated power mirrors linked to driver's seat memory, and rain-sensing variable intermittent wipers. Though an optional panoramic roof is available, the Kansas City Star says "the glass roof isn't worth its $1,920 price when you can just retract the roof for open-air driving."
