Mercedes and AMG: two automotive icons. No wonder they perform at their best when they are merged together. Which is also the case with this extraordinary beautiful, highly luxurious 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. The stylish coupe-cabriolet is the first SL-Class ever including AMG genes and has a charged 5.5 liter V8 with an output of 476 hpand 700 Nm torque. What makes the SL55 AMG extra special is the amount of comfort that the 2-seater convertible has to offer. The open sports car is packed with luxurious innovations, like seat ventilation and Adaptive Cruise Control. Just to remind you: this is a 21 year old car… Insane! Also included are electric seats with memory function, a navigationsystem, Bose audio and original documentation.

History
The quality of a real Benz is from another level. That’s one of the reasons why this star among the classic convertibles looks so incredibly good. The other reason is its background: the German sports car was originally delivered in Italy and afterwards with just as much care treated in Belgium. The last Belgium owner chose to trade his SL-Class in the Netherlands, at Prins to be precise. The history of the model itself isn’t that obvious either: initially the Mercedes SL was built to race. However, under healthy pressure of lots of customers, the brand added a street-legal version 2 years later. Its name: 300 SL “Gullwing” – known for its famous gull-wing doors. The roadster followed in 1957. The next generation was only available as a convertible and initiated a new tradition in this way.

Exterior
Generation 5, called R230, meant the first Mercedes-Benz SL with a retractable hardtop or “Vario Roof”. It made the car more comfortable and prettier in closed condition. Despite the modern design, the R230 clearly has iconic SL features. The artistic shape and timeless configuration of the car are elegant as always. Iconic is also the famous AMG body styling: bumper spoilers and side skirts are subtly more prominent. If we go further into detail, the aluminum slats in the front + side grilles stand out. The 4 exhaust tailpipes are typical AMG tooand the 5-spoke star design AMG wheels fit every sporty Benz. The deep Obsidian Black metallic lacquer is pure class, while the V8 Compressor inscriptions on the front screens underline the brutal potential of the 55 AMG: the most powerful SL at the time of its introduction.

Interior
The quality level inside the Benz is ridiculously good. And in this specific case, it has clearly been handled with lots of care as well. The black leather on the AMG sports seats returns on the doors, the center/tunnel console and the top of the dashboard. Along the analogue instruments we see some Alcantara, while the instruments themselves have a light background. The stitching and aluminum interior finish contrast beautifully too, just how it should be in a comfortable sports car! The amount of options again show some true Mercedes DNA. Items such as a navigation system, park assist, bi-xenon headlights, Bose audio, seat heating + cooling, a memory function for the electric seats; it’s all included. The most surprising extra is the Adaptive Cruise Control: not what you expect from a 21 year old car!

Technique & performance
The involvement of AMG regarding the V8 engine has resulted in a capacity of almost 5.5 liters and the addition of a mechanical compressor. Together they provide an output of 476 hp and 700 Nm of torque. Behind the 8-cylinder, Mercedes-AMG installed a 5-speed automatic transmission linked to the rear wheels. Accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h only takes 4.7 seconds and the top speed of 250 km/h is limited according to the German gentlemen’s agreement. Fortunately, the engineers didn’t have to hold back with the sound: the SL55 AMG roars and growls fiercely. So much luxury, so much style and yet the noise of a beast; the contrast couldn’t be greater. And that’s exactly THE classic trademark of Mercedes-AMG. Now available at Prins.

Kind regards,
team Prins.