Mercedes SL 550: Poised and Powerful

	The Mercedes SL 550 Roadster

Taking a date out for a drive is something Steve McQueen might have done. In today's attention deficit-disordered times, though, dates usually require that a drive has a destination.

That's not necessarily so if you're riding in the 50th anniversary edition of the Mercedes SL 550 roadster from DaimlerChrysler AG's (DCX Quote - Cramer on DCX - Stock Picks) Mercedes-Benz division. A drive will do if it's 75 degrees, the sky's brightened by a full moon and the convertible's retractable hard-top roof is down. Two seats. Two doors. With the stereo blaring Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's "Weapon of Choice," I fell for the roadster.

The Mercedes SL 550 lacks the sheer muscle of a Porsche or a Corvette, both of which I have driven, though not the most up-to-date versions. Rather, it has more of the lean, toned, yoga-inspired sleekness of a luxury car with sports-car strength underneath. Mine was a midnight blue with a navy interior, which was fitting for my moonlit excursion.

Into the Sunset

My husband and I left our daughter in safe hands and set out after work on a Friday. Dinner in the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y., to watch the sun set seemed like a good idea. But, when we got there, the drive felt too short to put the car and its many features to the test. Each red light was an affront as we attempted to ramp up enough speed to really marvel at the quiet V8 engine, the leather-coated dashboard and the elegant lacquered-wood styling.

My husband was fiddling with the "multicontour" seat adjustments. One can adjust the position of the seat in the common lean, tilt, and up or down positions, but to encourage total comfort while driving this $96,075 car, there are at least six ways to adjust lumbar, midback, upper back, shoulder and head support. Before he could settle on a configuration, however, we'd arrived.

« Previous Page

1 2 3

Next Page »