2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

I know what you’re thinking: “What kind of car can I get for $120,000?” The question plagues a lot of us. One answer would be a 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. It’s an extraordinary version of the line’s flagship two-seater enhanced by in-house tuner AMG, and it bows as the fastest production Mercedes ever. It’s also within your budget.

The Good News
To me, the SL55 AMG is the ultimate cross-gender ride: quintessential elegance and ease mated to stunning power and performance, lady and the tramp all rolled into one.

It starts with the venerable SL500 – no slouch in its own right – and customizes at every point. From its sculpted rocker panels to its five-spoke 18-inch alloys to its four chrome exhaust tips, this car exudes class -- with an edge.

Like the 500, among the SL55’s best attributes is its structure. It is a true hardtop in every sense of the word, even if that hardtop disappears into the trunk in only 16 seconds. With the top down, it never flinches. With the top up, you’d swear it was one seamless piece. Beneath the long, lovely hood is a handcrafted version of the 500’s 24-valve aluminum V-8, now 5.5 liters, supercharged and packing 493 horses and 516 lb-ft of torque. That, ladies and gents, is almost a Viper.

But the SL55’s relatively ponderous weight and deliberate refinement keep it from behaving like a Viper. Fortunately.

Still, this large roadster’s 0-60 in 4.5 seconds can hardly be called lollygagging. It is quick, fast and arrogant, exhaling a lusty exhaust note more characteristic of Corvette than Mercedes. This Benz is just full of surprises.

The five-speed electronic transmission can be shifted to manual mode and controlled with your fingertips by buttons mounted on the back of the steering wheel. Unlike many such manumatic setups, this one allows you to run the gears all the way up to redline.

Even the cornering remains surprisingly flat despite the heft and size of this roadster, thanks to carefully tuned electronics that govern suspension. It affords naughty fun in the twisties without imposing the least ride discomfort on its passengers.

Of course, who would notice, ensconced in its sumptuous leather buckets, perfectly bolstered via infinite adjustments. A wash of wild red leather accented with brushed aluminum, black leather and suede, this interior is not exactly the tasteful subtlety we expect of Mercedes. But it certainly captures the spirit of this car.

As for its other attributes, the wonders never cease. Everything happens with the touch of the button, if that. Among the options on mine were doors that unlock automatically when you approach with an electronic card in your pocket. The same signal starts the engine with just the push of a button. No keys necessary.

If this is the future, I’m there.

The Bad News
Besides the sport utility gas mileage and the condominium price? Well, I am forced to drag out my tired-but-true theory that the more sophisticated technowhiz-bang a vehicle supports, the more there is to go wrong.

In the case of this amazing feat of engineering, such a meltdown did occur, if only briefly. The symptom was a disabling throttle malfunction, accompanied by a visual warning message that urged me to surrender and call for help immediately.

I envisioned the poor guy who had just dropped what was left of his once-skyrocketing stock portfolio on this SL55 now publicly stranded in a valet parking line somewhere, his $120,000 fantasy dead as a Yugo.

Years of messing with unfamiliar cars, however, has taught me things aren’t always what they seem. A few restarts of the engine finally convinced all the systems to speak nicely to each other again, and I was on my way without further incident.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 14 mpg city/20 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $113,250;
Price as tested, $119,025

Is it worth it?
At this price, the car should come with a cook, a dog walker and a therapist. But some would say driving this fine a machine is therapy in its own right. I can’t argue with that. One automotive writer dubbed this SL55 AMG “the German Ferrari.” My experience with Ferraris is limited, but I can’t imagine one ever being this refined. I can imagine a German being this ferocious, however, because I’ve driven it.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville's daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.