1999 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Luxury Car Reviews & Ratings

Pay this much for a car and the interior ought to be something special, and with the SL500 it is. Nappa leather upholstery and trim is standard on the SL500 this year. The seats are Teutonically firm. Though the seatbacks are well bolstered, the seat bottoms are rather flat in the Mercedes-Benz tradition. Our test SL had the new Java leather interior, which is the color of a Starbucks latte. It blends well with the wood veneer on the console, not light enough to be blonde, but not as dark as the usual wood trim. The dash is now the same color as the interior and, matching the SLK, all gauges have chrome rings around them that impart a classy, traditional look.

The steering wheel is leather-covered, but the shift lever for the 5-speed automatic transmission is capped with a hard plastic blob. The Germans have caught on to the concept of cupholders, and the SL has a pair in the console that, when retracted, become a storage bin. The SL has another hideaway, a mini-glovebox on the dash next to the passenger seatbelt disable switch. The climate control system with electrostatic pollen and dust filter is easy to use and effective, but the audio system may require several trips to the owners manual. A button raises and lowers the roll bar that pops up automatically in an accident.

The convertible top is lined but not padded, so it has little insulation effect on noise and heat. Pressing a jujube switch on the console is all that's needed to raise and lower the convertible top. It even unlatches itself from the windshield header and hard tonneau before the tonneau rises for the top to tumble into. An aluminum hardtop comes as standard equipment. Though we did not test with this roof, it would probably make the SL quieter and more snug in the winter. Nor did we get to test the optional Panorama glass hardtop that replaces the aluminum roof when ordered, but Mercedes claims it allows the SL driver and passenger to enjoy an open air view of the sky all year long, regardless of the weather. Hardier souls will want to use the standard windblocker that attaches to the roll bar and makes the cabin relatively draft free for alfresco brumal motoring.

The trunk is relatively small and the lift-over is high, but every cubic inch is usable and, unlike many two-seaters, the SL has a large area behind the seats for everything from picnic baskets to coats to overnight bags.

The SL500 looks as big from behind the wheel as it does from outside. One sits down inside the cockpit. The dash is relatively high and the hood stretches out before it like a classic automobile from the 1930s. The steering wheel is high, like most German cars, and, though the steering wheel is tilt-telescopically adjustable, lowering it blocks those finely crafted gauges. It also blocks the view of the road immediately in front of the car, but you should be looking farther down the road anyway.

The engine starts instantly, with a roar that quickly settles down to a quiet idle. Don't look for temperamental behavior from this engine. If she didn't put her foot down, your meek maiden aunt could drive the SL500 around town. Of course, the SL could attract enough attention to make her your meek aunt, and if she learns to use the right pedal, she'll lose the meek part as well. Although the SL500 doesn't have the Saturn V thrust of the SL600, the 300-plus horses give you the trump card in virtually any automotive confrontation that doesn't involve a police radio. Mercedes reconfigured the exhaust for a throatier tone, though don't expect the rumble of a Z-28. The SL500 is more subtle than that. Full throttle sounds better with the top down because the wonderful exhaust note comes through better without the fabric filter.

The standard 5-speed automatic transmission has a zigzag shifter pattern to allow it to be used easily as a semiautomatic. It's not necessary, however. Leaving the transmission in Drive gives buttery smooth shifts whether at part or full throttle.

The SL500 is a wide car and it filled the Pennsylvania back roads we used for our test. Steering is precise and the power assist provides enough feedback for the driver to feel the road. The SL500 is an open car and, despite its Mercedes-Benz origin, there is obvious cowl shake over rough roads -- though the chassis is anything but willowy.

There's a lot of tire under the SL. Push it hard through a corner and you can feel this car working out. There's two tons of Mercedes-Benz to harness. Under normal circumstances it's almost impossible to break the tires loose from the pavement. Those who do have ESP to help maintain control. On the road, it's hard to get this into action without being terribly foolhardy, but the ESP makes it possible to really power out of a corner without worrying about the rear end sliding out.