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when you thought it couldn't get any sexier, just when you thought they couldn't
come up with an automotive form that was even more beautiful than the ten other
sexy thangs that adorn these pages, Mercedes-Benz rolls out the unforgettable
new 2003 SL500. If you're walking on the street and one appears in the corner
of your eye, you're gonna look. And once you take a look, you'll take a second
one. Soon thereafter is when your jaw hits the ground, rendering you a blubbering
mess of drool. Trust
us. We've spent time in this car. It has that effect on people. It's simply arresting. And
expensive, too. At $85K, it costs more than your kid's entire higher education-without
scholarships. But if Mom has anything to do with it, scholarships are exactly
what little Joey's gonna be after if it makes the difference between her driving
a new SL or being stuck in some lesser roadster. Why? Well, besides the fact that
its proportions are as timeless and correct as the day that roadsters were conceived,
the SL's beauty is more than skin deep. In fact, the more you examine it, the
more attractive it gets. Take, for example, the Owner's Manual. It's nicely written
and sensible, yet thoroughly comprehensive in its coverage of every aspect of
the technological powerhouse, replete with clear color illustrations and sensible
diagrams. And as for that technology, just know that it is packed so full of it
as to make $85K seem like a bargain. Among
our favorite features are the gorgeous instrument bezels, the power folding seats
(for access to additional interior storage space) and of course, the retractable
metal roof, which does its hard-top-to-roadster trick less than 20 seconds-far
less than you'll suffer through at most stop lights. This is not to mention the
302-hp V-8, low-flying-aircraft handling and brakes that are far smarter than
you are. Faults? We're still looking…. Smitten
are we? Dizzy with lust? Guilty. But isn't that what sex appeal is all about?
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