Road test: Mercedes-Benz SL 400 AMG Sport

Since the mid-Fifties, and over six generations of cars, the Mercedes-Benz SL has been a sporty byword for speed, performance and, increasingly, luxury.

The latest entry-level model — if that’s the word for a car starting at £72,500 — is the SL 400 AMG Sport, which, despite its name, is not a four-litre but a three-litre V6. It’s not really an AMG either, as the initials denote its trim level rather than performance.

Not that the performance is in any way lacking. It will accelerate from rest to 62mph in a claimed 5.2 seconds and continue to an electronically limited maximum of 155mph. That may not match its five-litre V8 SL siblings, but it’s more than enough for most purposes.

Inside the wide cabin are just two seats. Air vents and detailing are in brushed aluminium, as is the shapely gear-lever knob, which makes it a pleasure to snick through the seven-speed automatic gearbox.

On the road the engine is smooth, offering buckets of performance at the twitch of your toe. But somehow, stylish as it is, the current SL lacks a bit of the sense of occasion that various previous generations had in spades.

Mercedes-Benz
SL 400 AMG Sport
Price: £72,500
Top speed: 155mph (limited)
MPG: 36.7
CO2: 178g/km