The road to roadster heaven and eternal two-seat, open-top happiness is not a Dollarama journey. Not if you want something brand new. Even Mazda’s excellent MX-5 Miata now starts at $31,900.
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43;
No car company today offers the equivalent of a budget-friendly MG MGB, Triumph Spitfire, or Sunbeam Alpine. The roadsters in 2016 are all high-horsepower, technological marvels – expensive ones — like the Mercedes-Benz SLC 43 ($70,900 base, $84,500 as tested) and Merc’s SL 450 ($104,900 base, $112,800 as tested).
So in 2016, roadsters are for the rich. (Heck, even a well-kept 20-year-old Miata will run you $9,000 or so.)
But let’s say the price tags fits you. Then you have many options, including the SLC and SL. Both are convertibles with easily stowed, power-operated roofs that
Triumph Spitfire: when roadsters were affordable.
take you to the same topless place, but in very different ways.
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43
One is a bit of a brute in tailored Hugo Boss, (the SL 450), the other a welterweight in Kit and Ace (the SLC). Different as they are in almost every way, the record should show these two are powered by the same turbocharged V-6 (362 horsepower) with power going to the rear wheels through the same nine-speed automatic gearbox.
1977 MGB roadster: fun and affordable.
The SL, however, is a slap to the head, a rolling jolt of automotive testosterone. Subtle? Don’t be silly. The throttle is a hammer. Hit it and you’re smashed into a leather-clad sport seat, rocketing away.
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43
The lighter, more nimble SLC 43 is quicker – 0-100 km/hour in 4.7, versus 4.9 for the SL 450. But the power here pours on differently. It’s more slingshot than moon shot. And that is nothing more than a function of size.
The SL is a slugger with a big overhand right, a roadster that overwhelms the road with size and presence. The SLC is Royce Gracie, the great Brazilian jui-jitsu champion who overcame his opponents with quick, subtle moves. That’s the SLC 43, a car that uses lightening reflexes and razor-sharp responses to carve up corners.
1959 Sunbeam Alpine: open-top driving at an affordable price in days gone by.
The Merc people get into the weeds when explaining the SLC. Their “snappy, agile roadster” has new front and rear axles, new engine/rear-axle gear unit mountings, stiff “elastokinematics” and highly precise steering, we’re told.
Mercedes-Benz SL
They’ll also go on and on about the V-6 with its special AMG engine management and a turbo that has increased charge-air pressure – better breathing. This is an excellent mill and the 9G-TRONIC sports transmission is its equal. The double-declutching on downshifts (Sport+ and manual gearshift modes) makes for wonderfully short response times.
Truth is, because the SLC (formerly known as the SLK) is so light (1,595 kg versus 1,735 for the SLC), it dances down the road rather than thundering along like the SL. And the SLC 43 looks the part of a serious two-seater.
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43
The AMG add-ons include special front and rear aprons, exhaust tailpipes and wheel arch covers over 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels, set off in painted high-gloss black. The nose pokes out with its chromed diamond radiator grille decorated by a high-gloss black louvre.
Mercedes has unloaded its high-tech shelves into the SLC – from automatic climate control to the Harmon Kardon surround sound system. The COMMAND interface, which uses a mouse-like dial for scrolling through various functions, makes complexity manageable.
All this is also true of the SL 450. Ah, the SL. It’s quite tossable, for a brute.
Mercedes-Benz SLC folding hardtop in action.
The SL 450 here is not an AMG model, but it still has very attractive and new LED headlamps that highlight the shiny new grille with what Merc call its “glistening chrome diamond texture.” Inside, the cabin is very, very similar to the SLC’s, just roomier. This reflects the savings Mercedes realizes from sharing so many parts among so many models.
We’re left with a question: SLC or SL? This answer comes down to size and price.
Of course, the SL is more expensive, by the cost of a well-equipped MX-5 roadster, in fact. Thus, the SL makes a wealth statement in an open-air car that reflects power and dominance.
The SLC lacks the SL’s big biceps; it’s less showy, though the AMG version here is a serious take on the unbearable lightness of driving. For pure entertainment, it’s a bigger laugh than the SL, without a doubt.
Personally, I’d pocket the 40-Large and love the SLC 43 AMG. It lacks the swaggering insolence of the SL 450, but is more car in real performance terms.
2017 MERCEDES-BENZ SLC 43 AMG
THE LOOK: The front A-wing air deflector in high-gloss black is bold and is underscored by large air intakes come with silver chrome fins. From the side, you see shiny 18-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels painted in high-gloss black. The front fenders come with a silver chrome fin and at the rear is an AMG spoiler lip.
THE DRIVE: Light and quick, the SLC 43 AMG dives into corners with grace, exits with power. The steering is very sharp and the braking is strong and amazing.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS: Key engineering improvements include its own front and rear axles with new “elastokinematics,” stiffer engine and rear-axle gear mountings and bigger brake discs.
THE CABIN/STORAGE: This is a tight little cabin. Like the SL, the COMMAND infotainment interface is user-friendly.
THE BRAND: Bran Finance ranks Mercedes-Benz as the world’s third most valuable automotive brand, behind Toyota and BMW.
WHY BUYS? A significant number of women have traditionally been SLC/SLK fans.
Price: $84,500 as tested.
Powertrain: 3.0-litre V-6, turbocharged (362 horsepower, 384 lb-ft of torque).
Drive: rear-wheel.
Transmission: nine-speed automatic.
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): NA.
Comparables: Porsche 718 Boxster, Chevrolet Corvette, Jaguar F-Type, Audi TT RS.
2017 MERCEDES-BENZ SL 450
THE LOOK: Low and beastly, with numerous curves and cuts, the latest SL has new LED headlamps that highlight the shiny new grille. The power hardtop folds into the trunk, but it’s so well engineered, the SL looks like a coupe with the top up. An entertaining design.
THE DRIVE: This is a powerful, muscular monster in tailored Hugo Boss. It hunkers down on the road with a kind of grace that belies its heft.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS: The engineering here is shockingly thorough. The body structure is made almost entirely of aluminum, which has helped reduce the weight here by near 140 kg. The body structure is 20 per cent more rigid, which has allowed the ride engineers more leeway in tuning for handling and comfort.
THE CABIN/STORAGE: The COMMAND infotainment interface is user-friendly. The seats are designed for long drives with plenty of corners. With the top down, there is almost no trunk space.
THE BRAND: Brand Finance ranks Mercedes-Benz as the world’s third most valuable automotive brand, behind Toyota and BMW.
WHY BUYS? Wealthy car loves looking for a roadster with size and presence.
Price: $112,800 as tested.
Powertrain: 3.0-litre V-6, turbocharged (362 horsepower, 369 lb-ft of torque).
Drive: rear-wheel.
Transmission: nine-speed automatic.
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 11.5 city/8.4 using premium fuel.
Comparables: Audi S5, BMW 6-Series.
