The Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster doesn't have the amazing gullwing doors of the standard coupe, but it makes up for that with a fantastic driving experience that takes owners even closer to the action. It features a neat electric folding canvas roof which really brings the sound of the 563bhp 6.3-litre V8 into the cabin. Other changes over the standard coupe are new adaptive dampers which help improve comfort. The SLS AMG Roadster adds around £8,500 to the price of the SLS coupe.
The SLS AMG Roadster is great fun to drive. Sometimes convertibles don't handle as sharply as their coupe counterparts, but the Roadster feels just as focused as the coupe. In fact, the changes made to the suspension settings and the addition of adaptive dampers mean it's even better to drive than the coupe. Body control is better and the car crashes less over bumps. With the roof down, you can hear every
single note of the incredible 6.3-litre V8 too, which has a bassy rumble under hard acceleration, punctuated by pops and bangs from the exhaust when you lift off. The SLS Roadster is as fast as aMcLaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 Spider, with a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds and a 197mph top speed, meaning full throttle has to be used very sparingly indeed.
The SLS AMG Roadster has luxurious and supportive leather sports seats, which have a wide range of electrical adjustment, and even have active bolsters designed to hold you firmly in position when cornering. The triple-layered roof does a great job of keeping out road and wind noise when it's raised, while a neat plastic wind deflector reduces buffeting when the roof is down. The new Adpative Damping system gives you three settings to choose from, and the softest of these offers a firm but comfortable balance. The seven-speed automatic gearbox changes gear very smoothly indeed in full auto mode, but it has an annoying delay when you take charge with the steering wheel-mounted paddles.
No comments:
Post a Comment