LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011 - (Page 12)

enjoy Tough acT To Follow s loews magazine 12 Is Mercedes’ sequel to Its classIc 1955 coupe a blockbuster or a dud? by Tim Frazier COURTESY OF daimlER aUTO equels are both safe and risky. Safe because you have a built-in audience who liked the original, risky because the sequel could look bad by comparison. And lots of people loved the original 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Coupe. Auto enthusiasts consider it a classic because of its speed (it was the Nice, but what about speed and performance? The 300 SL was a speed demon in its day, topping out at 160 mph, but the SLS obviously benefits from today’s technology and is faster. It can hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, 100 in 8 (comparable to the Ferrari Enzo) and tops out at 197 mph. This is thanks to 563 horses in a 32-valve V-8, low engine placement, a rear-mounted transaxle and a lightweight aluminum frame. A dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox helps you control all this power. Once you’ve revved up, the speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion makes for beautiful handling, helped along by the slim wheelbase and the fat, powerfully gripping Conti Sport tires. Even at high speeds, wind and road noise are minimal in the SLS. It’s also arguably more comfortable than its predecessor: supple leather seats come with an adjustable lumbar feature, power adjustments and three-stage heating. Buttons on the steering wheel let you control audio, voice and phone controls, as well as the navigation system, which gives you real-time traffic info and Zagat restaurant ratings. A 7-inch color COMAND display makes it easy to enjoy the 100-watt CD/DVD audio system that’s satellite-ready. In contrast, the 300 SL’s tech offerings consisted of a radio. Fact is, the more you compare the original and the sequel, it’s apples vs. oranges. But that’s the point. Like any great sequel, the SLS doesn’t rehash the original plot, it finds a way to tell an exciting new story. fastest production car of its time), elegant lines and gullwing doors: at auction, the model has sold for more than $500,000. The sequel to this immortal is the 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG. The question is whether it’s Godfather II…or Caddyshack II. In terms of its look, the SLS pays homage to the 300 SL instead of trying to duplicate it. The design reimagines classic 300 SL elements like the long hood, the short deck, the front-fender gills, even the gullwing doors. You thumb a button on the key and the doors majestically swing open, allowing for decidedly cool arrivals and departures. The door design on the SLS is also safer. If the 300 SL tips over, the doors trap you inside. But the SLS’s gullwings automatically detach if the car is upside down. Other SLS safety features include eight airbags and plenty of stopping power: from 60 mph it can come to a full stop in 98 feet. 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011

Tough Act To Follow
Elite Treats
Jaume Plensa
Graphic Novels Go Mainstream
Hands-On Experience
Natural Lighting
Book VS. Movie: Which was Better
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
In San Diego? Get Out!
Fast Fun in Atlanta
Canada's Cultural Capitals
News and Notes

LOEWS Winter-Spring 2011

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