Video: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL550

It's a Roadster it's made for the empty nesters, but you better be an empty nester that saved up and didn't send your kid to college cause it starts at $96,000. For a 2009 the SL gets a little cosmetic surgery on the outside. Has a new front end with a much bigger emblem; so more angular headlights, and different effects on the front and rear. Inside get some other cosmetic touches like a new steering wheel, new gauges, and most importantly a new center command module navigation stereo unit. Even though it's retractable hard top and it might be seen as kind of a Roadster or something of a cruising car, the SL is really fast, and it is a very sporty car as well. The SL 550 is actually the base model at $96,000. Has a 382 horsepower V8 engine. This model is very fast on its own (car engine revs). Has a seven speed transmission, you can shift with shift paddles. It's very quick. I've been driving it for a week. It's a lot of fun. Now when you're talking ultra luxury or luxury of $96,000 range, you really expect a lot for the money, but believe it or not, there are options involved. In this SL 550 we're testing, there's actually a glass panoramic roof. Now this is a roof that retracts remember, it's a convertible. So why would you need that glass? And it's really you know not needed, but it's a neat touch, and it's only a $2,000 option. And when you're talking about $96,000, another two isn't gonna break the bank. One feature Mercedes is trying to sell with some of its convertibles, including the SL, is AIRSCARF technology; which is a fan in the back of the headrest that actually shoots hot air around your neck. It's supposed to envelop you like a scarf with warm air. I've had it on the highest setting, really cool days, 50 degree temperatures, it doesn't help that much. One of the few detractors on this upscale interior is actually the one thing that is most useful, its the retracting controls for the hard top here. And the piece of plastic that actually does the job is light, it's flimsy. It's painted like a silver color, so it's plastic, but painted silver. Kind of reminds me of what you find in a mini Cooper, which is a $20,000 car. It's not something you want to find in $100,000 car. And the other problem is when you use it, it just feels light in the hand, and when you actually engage the drive, you don't even know it's working until you have to read the readout on the screen. Even though there weren't a lot of changes for 2009, the SL remains a pretty competent Roadster, and we say competent at a $100,000, that really means for the money it's as much car you can expect. And it still delivers on all those luxury touches. <v Male Speaker>For additional information on this car or any other go to www.Cars.com and our blog 'Kicking Tires'.