Over the years I have either owned or driven just about every single postwar model produced by Mercedes-Benz. Whether a luxury car or a sports/GT model, many of these vehicles were impressive, well-built and well-designed for their specific task.
That being said, in my mind there is one Mercedes that stands out from the rest, especially when considering models built from 1990 to the present: the SL55 AMG.
A number of years ago I purchased an SL55 AMG and used it as my “Monterey Car Week car” for two years in a row. The vehicle’s performance was pretty amazing, with a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds and a 0-100 mph time of 9.9 seconds – just one-tenth of a second slower than the Ferrari 575M Maranello. If you think of it as Mercedes’ version of the 575, you aren’t too far off. Remember, Mercedes-Benz literally invented the luxury sports/GT convertible category when it introduced the R230 (SL-Class) generation of cars in 2001, and the quality is exceptional.
When compared to the later SL63, the SL55, to me, is simply more fun to drive. Its “imperfect” traction and stability control allow you to break the rear end loose, providing an overall feel of more sportiness and less refinement.
Featured on AutoHunter, your trusted source for classic rides, is a 2003 SL55 AMG with only 42,000 original miles.
Offered by a dealer located in Orlando, Florida, the posting states this 2003 SL55 is a single-owner example that still wears its original Brilliant Silver paint with a gray leather interior. The car is accompanied by a clean CARFAX report
The exterior of this SL55 looks to be in exceptional condition, with no flaws seen in the photos (except for some slight damage to the grille on the driver’s side, which the seller is open to replacing or repairing at the end of the auction). The car rides on factory-correct 18-inch AMG monoblock wheels clad with staggered-width Continental Extreme Contact radial tires.
The interior looks as good as the outside of the car, only showing a little wear on the seats on the driver’s-side left bolster. This SL55 is also equipped with quite a few options, including Distronic adaptive cruise control, a Parktronic parking assistance system and a COMAND infotainment system.
Under the hood is the awesome Mercedes M113K 5.5-liter twin-spark 24-valve supercharged V8 engine featuring 493 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Everything looks to be exceptionally clean and correct in the provided photos.
Truly great cars to drive, they go as fast as they look and set the standard for what a high-performance GT roadster should be, simply leaving the competition of their day in the dust. The SL55 is the perfect car to take down the street for an errand, exercise during a track day, show off at a Mercedes Club meeting or drive cross-country to attend an event. They do it all better than any other car in the category did at the time and would be a great addition to any enthusiast’s garage.
The auction for this 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG ends on Monday, March 17, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery