There aren’t many high-end sports cars that become truly affordable, both in purchase price and in real cost of ownership. The 2002–08 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, however, is one such unicorn. Typical market prices are less than the cost of a new Toyota Camry, and you get a sweet supercharged V8 wrapped in a sexy folding-hard-top convertible. Best of all, if it’s been treated right, you can expect reliability and reasonable maintenance costs.
Der supercar
AMG officially became part of Mercedes-Benz in 1999, with the German giant styling the smaller company as a skunkworks performance branch. Of course, AMG had been contributing to engineering and development at Mercedes for some time. When the new R230-series SL-Class was released in 2001 as a 2002-model-year vehicle, it was only natural that AMG would offer a hot-rod version, which arrived in the U.S. for 2003.
The SL55 AMG offered a substantial boost in performance compared to the standard SL500, which was by no means an underperformer. Where the SL500 offered 302 horsepower from a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8, the SL55 raised the bar with 493 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque using a 5.4-liter supercharged version of the same engine. Both models employed a 5-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift capability on the steering wheel.
With the SL55, drivers could expect a 0–60 mph dash in just 4.7 seconds and a 15-second sprint to 124 mph. The top speed of the SL55 was governed at 155, but a discreet visit to the dealer and a swipe of your credit card could boost that number to 186 mph. Mercedes claimed that, in theory anyway, the car can hit 208 mph. However, that’s more for bragging rights than something to actually attempt.
Tech savvy
But there’s more to the SL55 than just raw power and speed. This Teutonic masterpiece was also a technology showcase of its time, with brake-by-wire, electronic stability control, HID Xenon headlights. Distronic adaptive cruise control and a self-leveling active body control (ABC) suspension. That may seem quaint now, but it was state of the art in its day. Inside, it’s all leather and Alcantara, with typical AMG hot-rod cues.
The biggest deal of the SL55 was its top. For the first time ever, Mercedes abandoned the removable hard top and soft convertible top in favor of a retractable hard top. The mechanism has received generally positive reviews over the years for reliability, but do make sure it’s in good condition, as it can cost a considerable sum to repair.
Before you buy …
The first iteration of the SL55 was built until 2006. A mid-year mid-cycle refresh means a 2006 model can be either old-style or new. The 2006.5–08 model got a boost to 517 hp and 531 lb-ft courtesy of a redesigned supercharger and larger throttle body. The engine also got variable-spark timing as an anti-knock device. Coupled with transmission updates, the later-model SL55 will hit 60 mph two-tenths of a second faster, at 4.5 seconds. The chassis and suspension also got a refresh, making the later cars a little tighter, and revised brakes were fitted.
The refreshed SL55 was available with a new AMG Performance Package that included a limited-slip differential with 30% lockup, larger air intakes, an upgraded oil cooler, even bigger brakes, and 19-inch wheels to clear them.
Mercedes issued several recalls of the SL55, mostly for minor issues, but the Sensotronic brake-by-wire system was among the recall items (although this was never a safety issue). The ABC suspension has also had its share of troubles. As with any modern luxury car it pays to pay for a pre-purchase inspection.
Enjoy responsibly
The early SL55 started life priced at $118,295, a full $30k over the price of the SL500. By the end of production in 2008, a new SL55 would set you back $129,300. However, those price differences have more or less evaporated in the market. A well-kept 2003 model with low miles sells within the same margin of variance as a post-refresh car at this point. Special SL55 models such as Brabus or Designo editions can be outliers, but the vast majority of these cars trade between $17,000 and $30,000. For that price you can enjoy one of the most refined German sports cars ever to ply the autobahn.
As our publisher Keith Martin likes to say, you can buy the unused portion of the reliable operating lifetime of one of these cars. The difference with the SL55 is, you can probably sell one for about the same money after a few years of enjoyment (see “Shifting Gears,” p. 26). The R230 SL55 is not likely to appreciate much any time soon, but it’s also not likely to sink much lower, either. This car is a classic that seems destined to remain affordable. ♥
