2001Mercedes-BenzSL-ClassMercedes-Benz SL-Class2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600ConvertibleConvertibleRWDTwenty of you will get a special Formula 1 SL500 to commemorate the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis and Mercedes Formula 1 world championship…that they lost this year to Ferrari. Any-hoo, these 20 SLs get 18-inch AMG Monoblock alloy wheels, cross-drilled brake rotors, xenon headlights, machined aluminum interior pieces, racing foot pedals, a chromed windblocker, and special Nappa leather interior accents. The rest of the SL line gets some minor aerodynamic enhancements for 2001.An effective status symbol, smooth drivetrains, advanced safety features.Costs too much, ancient platform, expensive, performance is lacking, did we mention the outrageous price?For years, the classic roadster to own was the Mercedes 450SL. From 1973 to 1989, Mercedes peddled so many of these convertibles to the rich and famous that they became as ubiquitous as cocaine vials at high-society social events. Besides, super-suave Lee Majors drove one as Steve Austin in "The Six Million Dollar Man," and what could be more chic? Then, to the great chagrin of SL lovers worldwide, Mercedes revamped its classic, upping the technological ante by light years over the old car, but wrapping the new machine in sheetmetal as dowdy as Martha Stewart. When the new car arrived, it could be bought in 320-, 500- and 600-Series trim. Cost-conscious poseurs bought the SL320 in droves, but removed the telltale decklid badges so that social peers wouldn't know if they had a six, an eight or a 12 under the hood, and thus, how much they paid. Don't laugh. That's not a joke. This was widespread practice in La-La Land. Well, Mercedes figured out a few years ago that the price of the SL was getting ridiculous, and with the zippy, and relatively cheap, SLK on the horizon, decided to kill the popular SL320 and drop the price of the V8-powered SL500. Today, just the underwhelming SL500 and the costly SL600 are available for purchase. The SL500's all-aluminum 5.0-liter V8 makes 302 horsepower and rushes the pudgy roadster to 60 mph in just over 6 seconds. For little more than $83,000, you get everything you need to make friends and neighbors think you're rich, unless heated seats, xenon gas headlights, a CD changer, panorama see-through roof and multi-contour seats are part of the equation. For almost 50K more, you can enjoy the whompin' V12 SL600. You get 87 more horsepower and plenty of additional torque, but the acceleration run isn't appreciably better than what the SL500 delivers. Other standard goodies include a StarTAC cell phone with voice recognition, added burled walnut interior trim, special two-tone leather, heated seats, xenon headlights, and an adaptive damping suspension. This year, both models benefit from minor body revisions; and, as introduced during the 2000 model year, both can be had in various "designo" editions, but we can't see popping the extra cash when we feel these cars cost too much even in standard form. At least Mercedes gives buyers a host of safety features, like stability control, Brake Assist, and TeleAid at no additional charge. TeleAid allows you to contact emergency personnel if you suffer a medical emergency or are being assaulted by carjackers who think the SL is desirable. You can also call TeleAid operators to ask questions about your car, like "Why did I have to pay so much for this thing?" or "Why does my $125,000 convertible have a plastic rear window?" Obviously, our advice is to skip the SL600. On second thought, skip them both and trot over to the Jaguar dealer where you can get the delicious XK8 or XKR for thousands less. Audi A8BMW 7-SeriesJaguar XJ-SeriesJaguar XKR450,000450,000Unlimited450,000NANANA126 litersV12389 hp @ 5200 rpm420 ft-lbs. @ 3800 rpm177.1 in.71.3 in.51.3 in.4455 lbs.99 in.37.1 in.NA55.4 in.NA53.2 in.NA42.4 in.NA7.9 cu.ft.StandardStandardNot AvailableStandardNot AvailableStandardStandardRating = Not TestedRating = Not TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested21.1 gal.13 mpg / 19 mpg274 mi. / 401 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$119,924$128,9507.35%$645$2,6003% of the Total MSRPSL500 (5A): 5L V8 SOHC SMPI 24-valve engine, (requires premium unleaded fuel); 5-speed electronic OD automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter; 143 amp alternator; driver's selectable multi-mode transmission; rear-wheel drive, traction control, 2.65 axle ratio; stainless steel exhaust with tailpipe finisher; electronic stability control, front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, gas-pressurized front shocks, rear independent multi-link suspension with anti-roll bar, rear coil springs, gas-pressurized rear shocks; power recirculating ball steering; 4-wheel antilock disc brakes; 21.1 gal. capacity fuel tank; side impact bars; power convertible roof with lining, roll-over protection, hard top, manual wind blocker; front and rear body-colored bumpers; body-colored bodyside cladding, rocker panel extensions; clearcoat monotone paint; projector beam halogen headlamps with washer and wiper, delay-off feature; additional exterior lights includefront fog/driving lights; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored heated outside mirrors, driver's auto-dimming outside mirror, passenger's folding outside mirror; front 18" x 8.2" silver alloy wheels rear 18" x 9.5" silver alloy wheels; P245/40ZR18 BSW performance front tires; 275/35 rear tires; full-size alloy spare wheel; air conditioning with climate control, air filter, residual heat recirculation; premium AM/FM stereo radio, seek-scan feature, cassette player, CD changer pre-wiring, 6 premium speakers, auto equalizer, theft deterrent, power retractable diversity antenna; cruise control; power door locks with 2-stage unlock, remote keyless entry, power remote hatch release; cell phone pre-wiring, 1 power accessory outlet, front lighter element(s), driver's foot rest, retained accessory power, garage door opener, smokers' package, first aid kit, emergency S.O.S.; instrumentation display includes tachometer, water temperature gauge, clock, exterior temp, systems monitor,trip odometer; warning indicators include water temp, battery, low oil level, low coolant, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, low washer fluid, bulb failure, service interval, low brake fluid; driver's and passenger's front airbags, driver's and front passenger's door mounted side airbags; ignition disable, panic alarm, tracker system, security system; tinted windows with driver's and passenger's 1-touch down function; heated variable-speed intermittent front windshield wipers, rain detecting wipers, sun visor strip, rear window defroster; seating capacity of 2, front bucket seats, power adjustable tilt headrests, center armrest with storage, driver and front passenger seats include 8-way power adjustment; height-adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners; leather seats, leather door trim insert, full cloth headliner, full carpet floor covering with floor mats, genuine wood dashboard insert, leather-wrapped gearshift knob, genuine wood door panel insert, genuine wood consoleinsert, chrome interior accents;3 memory settings on driver's and passenger's seats includes settings for exterior mirrors, steering wheel, headrests; interior lights include dome light with fade, front reading lights, 2 door curb lights, illuminated entry; leather-wrapped steering wheel with power tilt and telescopic adjustment; dual illuminated vanity mirrors; auto-dimming day/night rearview mirror; full floor console, front cupholder, instrument panel covered bin, locking interior concealed storage, driver's and passenger's door bins; carpeted cargo floor, cargo light; black grille, black side window moldings, black front windshield molding and body-colored door handles.
SL600 (5A) (in addition to or instead ofSL500 (5A) equipment): 6L V12 DOHC SMPI 48-valve engine with variable valve timing, (requires premium unleaded fuel); driver adjustable ride control, adaptive auto-leveling suspension; projector beam high intensity headlamps with delay-off feature; front 18" x 8.2" silver alloy wheels rear 18" x 10" silver alloy wheels; premium AM/FM stereo radio, seek-scan feature, cassette player, trunk-mounted 6-disc CD changer, 6 premium speakers, auto equalizer, theft deterrent, power retractable diversity antenna; portable voice activated cell phone, heated-cushion driver's and passenger's seat; leather/wood gearshift knob; leather/genuine wood steering wheel with power tilt and telescopic adjustment.