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Price:
$ 105,000
Engine: 382 hp
Transmission: 7 speed automatic transmission
0 to 60: seconds: 5.3 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph / 249 km/h
Passengers: 2
Bags: 2 medium
The
Mercedes-Benz SL 550 represents the culmination
of several decades of the German company’s
roadster design. With the decision to expand
the size and power of the SL-Class, this hardtop
convertible has really come into its own, both
in terms of driving experience and comfort,
making it one of the top choices in luxury car
rental.
The SL 550 is motivated by one of the most powerful
V8 engines available in a standard production
car. With 382 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque,
the 5.5 liter power plant in this stunningly
attractive two-door leaves most other competitors
in the dust. Gears are shifted by an ultra-modern
7-speed automatic transmission, which can be
left in drive or controlled via paddle-shifters
mounted on the vehicle’s steering wheel.
The sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour is accomplished
in only 5.4 seconds, and top speed is north
of 155 miles per hour.
Given that this is a drop top, Mercedes has
installed some rather intriguing technologies
to make this exotic car rental a satisfying
experience. For example, to maximize driver
comfort while cruising with the top down, an
air scarf directs warm currents from the heating
system around the neck and head of the driver
and passenger, extending the number of situations
in which the car can be enjoyed with the roof
open. Of course, even with the retractable hard
top in place, the SL 550 cuts an imposing figure,
standing out from some of the more bland convertibles
and coupes on the road. There
are few other vehicles in the world of luxury
car rental which combine the same ratio of startling
performance and overwhelming standard features
as the SL 550. Mercedes-Benz continues to push
the edge of what a driver can expect from a
full size roadster, and the SL 550 remains the
cutting edge of a weapon against driving boredom
and the status quo.
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