Drop-top Gorgeous

The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 is a beautiful, fun and luxurious way to get from point A to point B

- Afzal Rawuther

Options are limited when it comes to drop-top sportscars for that wind-in-your-hair feeling in India. Mercedes-Benz have just added the seventh-gen SL to the very short list of cars that allow you to do just that. This is a model that comes with a rich heritage spanning seven decades. In India, many remember the SL as the car featured in the movie Dil Chahta Hai. This iteration, the seventh-gen SL, brings with it a number of firsts as it propels, arguably the most iconic roadster in the country into the future.

The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 is a drop-top sportscar that looks like a million bucks bucks (and costs a pretty penny too) and offers exhilarating performance as well. To begin with, this is the first SL in seven decades of the nameplate to be developed by the Mercedes-Benz performance division. As a result, there are things like rear-wheel steering and all-wheel drive as standard. In India you get the SL in just one trim. In the SL 55, Mercedes-AMG's familiar 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 makes 483 PS of power and a colossal 700 Nm of torque.

My review car arrived in a gorgeous shade of blue that drew attention from everyone on the city streets, on the highway and also at parking lots. A bit too much attention actually. So, if you are someone who likes to keep a low profile, this is definitely not the car for you. The long nose, the short rear end and tightly sculpted bodywork look fabulous no matter what angle you are looking at it from. Details like the sweptback headlamps, tail lamps and the Panamericana grille add dimension to what is a low-slung car with an athletic stance. 20-inch wheels fill the wheel wells very well with the option to upgrade to 21s. The retractable spoiler adds the drama and sense of occasion that sets it apart from other luxury convertibles.