A sporty powerhouse from Mercedes-Benz

Two German nationals, Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, built the world’s first internal combustion engine in early 1800s long before Ford.  Several years later, the merger of the two resulted in creating what we now called the Mercedes-Benz.  They began making sports cars in 1955 with its 300SL and for 2013 it presents a leaner and meaner Mercedes-Benz SL550.  The pricier sports car has undergone a rework including 300 pounds loss, an impressive new grill and sportier look.  It’s price starts at whopping $106,400.

Crash test ratings are not yet available for the car.  The twin-turbo V8 with 4.6-liter engine delivers 429 horsepower with 7-speed automatic transmission.  The rear wheel drive delivers 19 combined city/highway miles per gallon.  Standard features include antilock disc brakes; side and knee air bags; stability control; brake assist; active head restrains; driver drowsiness detection and rollover protection.  It doesn’t disappoint us who expect Mercedes-Benz to deliver a comfortable ride.  The cabin accommodates two comfortably.  With the price you get a flush interior.  The SL550 is a fully loaded with technology including self-parking or what is known as park assist, GPS navigation, traffic rerouting, Active Lane Keeping, and an active cruise control feature known as Distronic.