Go-faster looks for Merc roadsters

Smart cosmetic surgery

The four-model SLC roadsters (formerly known as SLK) sport a new diamond grille, classier rear and front bumpers and two distinctive powerdome ridges on its long, sloping bonnet. The living quarters of these 'new' roadsters are furnished with new design and trim tones and the infotainment system has also been upgraded to Apple Carplay. A handy new feature which adds to the appeal of the SLC and SL cars is a roof which can now be retracted while travelling up to 40km/h at the push of a button.

The updated cars use the same engines as the previous versions and at the recent media introduction I drove the SLC 200 and the SLC 300 on circular road trip from the Swartkops raceway via Hartbeespoort, the Cradle of Mankind and back.

I enjoyed the slick performance of the forced-fed 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre engine/automatic transmission combination of the 200 but my choice would be the pricier, but more powerful 180kW/370Nm/9-speed combo in the 300 that feels a tad more planted and responsive and is noticeably quicker off the mark. These two cars are the least expensive of the range yet they underline the versatility of these popular roadsters, whether utilised for daily relaxed commuting, comfortable cruising or for sporty weekend fun along winding roads.

Both cars were a lot of fun to drive but the excitement levels rocketed when I was given the opportunity to drive the entire new range around the Swartkops Raceway. Here it came as no surprise that the tarmac-scarring AMG SL63 and AMG SL 65 AMG produced the most fun although they were also the most demanding and challenging to drive of the pack.

Supercar looks

Stunning supercar looks, thunderous exhausts, awesome acceleration, sharp steering and amazing grip have always been the hallmarks of these expensive cars and all of this remains true but with the added benefits of smart cosmetic surgery, higher levels of sophistication as well as a healthy boost of rocket power.

The SL AMG 63 is armed with a 5.5-litre V8 turbo that kicks out an impressive 430kW/900Nm and the SL AMG 65 pushes this even further with a hefty six cylinder V12 turbo that that blasts out 463kW and 1000Nm. The two cars share the performance honours of an electronically limited 250km/h top speed and 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.0-sec.

Although the rumble, bark and roar of the bigger engine V12 is goose pimple-inducing, its sheer size and weight demands more wide-awake input from the driver at track pace and though it is forgiving up to a point, the risk of running out of road and experience never seems far away. Both variants are highly desirable but I would opt for the considerably less-expensive V8 (R2,454,300 vs R3,980,900), particularly for daily use, even though it has slightly less bragging rights than the more exclusive flagship V12.

The combination of sexy looks, sharp performance, overall appeal and everyday practicality of the new AMGs go a long way to explain why South Africans love them and why this country is the only country in the world where AMG outsells Porsche.

The SL range and prices are:

SLC 200 manual – R684,476
SLC 200 auto – R702,222
SLC 300 – R756,136
SLC 43 AMG – R988,000
SL 400 – R1,440,743
SL 500 – R1,776,621
SL 63 AMG – R2,465,996
SL 65 AMG – R3,136,213