PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

iwrock · #1 05-22-2006, 11:35 PM

Review of the R129 SL600.

This car may be 10 years old, but it has withstood the test of time. The looks are still strikingly good for a car of 10 years. Yes, she may be 10 years old, but the materials used in the construction were of some of the best ever used. The leather still has some of the new-ness preserved. The all leather interior is among one of the nest in the world. The craftsmanship, the style, was all ahead of any other car made in its time. The hand built sports car still has its majestic qualities. It still is a head turner.

That daringly long hood hides what is one of the most brutal engines Mercedes-Benz has ever built. Pull the hood release, and the beauty continues. The M120 V12 still has its majestic qualities. Popping the hood at a gas station, and showing that motor off as you check the oil gets you admiring and envious glances. You know that you have something special when see those 12 intake runners going straight across the top of the engine. To top it all off, there is the Mercedes-Benz cover that runs down the middle of the engine. When you look at the overall size of the engine compartment, and the size of that motor, you immediately come to the realization that there was some serious engineering involved in the creation of this car. There is simply no space under the bonnet. It truly was shoehorned into that engine compartment, as the car was built to accommodate the M119 V8 Engine. Closing the bonnet, you get that deep clunk when it shuts. It just shows the quality of the materials used to build this driving machine.

Then, as you step back and look at the car, you get the impression that you have something special. The black paint still is glossy even after those 10 years, and 100,000 miles. The Grille still looks awesome, as does the chrome 3 pointed star that resides in the middle. The V12 emblems that reside on the lower cladding give it an aggressive look. They look marvelous, especially when they are set against the black paint. As you move to the trunk, you see what it all means. SL600. Then, you see that 3 pointed star. That marque of finesse, luxury, style, and safety.. A brand that takes the limits, and intentionally pushes them further than anyone has ever pushed them. A brand that has style attached to it that no other car has been able to touch. It is leaps ahead of its German rivals, especially in areas of overall comfort and safety. A brand like no other.

As you enter the cockpit, you get a sense of something special. The wood and leather steering wheel. The Burlwood and leather shift knob. The V12 emblem that resides stop of it, like a pillar. The two tone leather seats that have large bolsters, to ensure that you don’t slide about in corners. The Burlwood center console. The Bose sound system. That roll bar that is clad in leather. The leather dashboard. The leather door panels. The leather armrest. All of these things separate it from the rest of the pack. All of these things give you the idea that this was their flagship. This was the boss at one time. All of the exquisite details in the cockpit. Those Burlwood strips that accent the 2 tone interior. Simply marvelous work. The soft and supple leather has an excellent quality to it.

Then you turn the key. You get those chills when you get ready to turn it. You hear the typical Mercedes buzzer warning you that you are about to embark on a journey like none other. You hear the started wind and crank that 48 Valve V12 to life. That beast of an engine catches, and shakes the whole car, as she thunders to life. That depth and noise as she first starts up is amazing. It is thunder. I have wondered many time, “How did I rope myself into this car?”

You grasp that leather clad shifter, and hit that brake pedal, and shift it out of park. The whole car groan as reverse is engaged, and you are off. Backing out of the driveway in that car is like nothing else that I have ever done. That super stiff and rigid chassis creaks and groans as you go over that bump at the end of the driveway. You hit the brakes, and you stop on a dime. You put it back into park, and pull the switch that lowers the softtop. That in itself is artwork. Everything work in harmony, as it has praticed a million times. It takes 30 seconds for this process to complete, but you get an excellent view of everything. She becomes a topless model at that point. You put it into drive, and your off.

At first it seems like a typical Mercedes Benz. Everything is in perfect harmony. It is a balanced machine, one ready for that leisurely drive to the supermarket. You ease into the gas, and you get smooth acceleration and take offs. This is perfect for about 90% of the drivers. You can push the gas pedal to the floor with the ESP (traction control) engaged, and you get solid acceleration without even the slightest hint of wheel spin.

Now, when you disengage the ESP safeguards, you better be prepared for awesome acceleration. There are no safeguards with this disengaged. You press the pedal to the floor, and all hell breaks loose. The rearend will swing violently, and just when you are braced for impact, the ESP takes over, and kills any ideas of sliding you may have had. This is excellent for drivers with great stupidity, as it does not allow them to wreck their supercar.

Not only does this car accelerate like nothing else, it can stop like none other. The four piston calipers up in the front keep you in check with the huge 300MM rotors. They have the ability to take this car out of flight, and stop on a dime. It will test your limits, as it is always ready to stop on a dime, in a moments notice. The ABS will prevent you from locking your brakes, and will hopefully prevent you from sliding into another motorist. All of this is very reassuring to the safety, making it one of the safest two seaters on the market.

The cornering is also amazing in this car. The Adaptive Dampening Suspension ensures that you do not get body roll upon acceleration, braking, or cornering. The system detects when you hit the gas, and compensates by adding extra pressure to the rear suspension. This system also is excellent for cornering, by adding extra pressure to ensure that there is no body roll in any of the aspects of the cornering. This system also lowers the car at speed, ensuring that you have excellent footing when you are maneuvering in traffic. It also has the functions to allow you to raise and lower the car on command. Raising the car can take upwards of two minutes, so using it to go over speed bumps is not recommended. However, when you do manage to grab your front nose clip on a curb, it adds extra height, to ensure you do not pull it off upon exiting. The switch located on the central dashboard is for lowering the car, and engaging cornering mode. This gives you excellent handling, and gives you confidence in the corners. The ride is still excellent in all of these modes, ensuring that it is not too firm, nor too soft. This is truly an awesome accomplishment on behalf of Mercedes Benz.

The safety is also an excellent part of this car. It comes equipped with front and side airbags, ensuring that you do not sustain harm in an accident. Also adding to this security is the nearly 4500 lbs of weight this car has. It is solid steel, and it gives you a feeling of quality and security. I would not be afraid to get in an accident in this car, as it has better safety systems than all of the cars in Japan combined.

And, this car is able to shrug off all of its weight upon acceleration. It has no problems when you want to have power on command. The engine is overkill, as it has enough to snap you back into your seat when you want it to.

And when you put this all together, you get the feeling that this is not a 10 year old car. You get a feeling that this car is still in its youth. It a car that still cannot be touched by any others. Not only in spirit, but in terms of quality, and presence. That 3 pointed star on the end of the hood can be proud of what it represent, because this car is awesome. This car is the pinnicle of Mercedes Benz workmanship and design. This car will always be timeless, and in my book, will be one of the best Mercedes-Benz automobiles ever produced….

Thank You for taking the time to read this, Justin.