Which would you pick for a roof-down blast in the autumnal sunshine this weekend? We test the new MercedesBenz SL vs the evergreen Porsche 911 Cabriolet 😎
Which one takes the crown?
Is that what it takes to match the Porsche? Chasing the 911 has long been a matter of honour and pride for Germany’s car makers. The Audi R8, BMW M8 and – until recently – the Mercedes-AMG GT have all tried their best in pursuit of Zuffenhausen’s finest. The SL has been around since 1954 – since before the 911 was called the 911 – but it’s only really now, with this AMG-developed eighth generation, that it’s turned its sights directly on the 911.
The new SL is to an extent a back-to-its-roots roadster, but one that’s picked up some other ideas along the way. The aggressive-looking nose is clearly inspired by the AMG GT, while the rounded rear end mimics the 911. Its sole obvious aero aid is a four-stage rear wing. Steering? The vagueness around the straight-ahead position is no more, while turn-in is fast but not snappy, and at 1.75 turns from lock to lock the helm is super-reactive putty in your hands. The rear-wheel-steering system does its job unobtrusively. Having said all that, the turning circle should be tighter than 12.
Going flat out is less stressful in the SL. The big silver speedboat hugs the road like a well oiled hypervelocity magnet. Tramlining can be an issue, but usually the front axle feels very firmly connected to the bleached and occasionally rippled tarmac. The steering weight is spot-on, steering response is brisk but not hectic, and minor course corrections are the exception, not the rule.
It’s the little things that irritate the driver of the SL. The cheapo column-mounted transmission selector stalk doesn’t always engage the desired gear at the first attempt. The wide centre console and the useless rear seats compromise legroom for tall drivers. The 11.9-inch touchscreen, a donation from the S-Class, is out of place in a self-proclaimed sports car.
In the UK, the 911 Turbo Cabrio seems like a bargain at £157k when compared with the £179k asked for the open-air Mercedes. Even if you went down a Merc trim level from our car’s Performance to Premium Plus, and simultaneously hit the Porsche options list quite hard, the 911 would struggle to cost as much. In truth, though, money is rarely the decider in this league.
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