Anyway, in Comfort mode and on poorly surfaced roads, there’s still an occasional firmness to the secondary ride, although that’s mixed with a slightly curious slow pitch and float that I think must come from a looseness to the anti-roll bars. This might be great on a smooth, straight, high-speed road, but on the town and country roads that I took, I found it better to dial up Sport, which seemed to tie down those slow movements more keenly without upsetting the overall ride compliance.
In this mode, there’s also more keenness to the way the SL drives, yet more predictability about its movements, too. Moving to Sport+ here is a step too far, though, which all but the most committed to body control will wind back from quickly.
In the right mode, then, the SL is an enjoyable car. It’s hard not to like that engine, which has all the urge and more that you could want for wintry March; there’s a fine handling balance and great traction; and, given that it has so many driver-assistance systems, there’s a strong natural cohesion and response to the way it drives, even at the 1895kg it weighs now.
However, you knew what previous SLs were for, and they were great at what they did. They were confidently affable convertibles that, latterly and with the right engines, would do convincing hot-rod impressions. This time, it seems keener to be felt as a hot rod (it will do 196mph, after all) with occasional GT leanings, for which it’s not quite isolated enough.
