I have to say the SL is a really sweet car. It has some really cool features (SC 430 has as many, though) and it's nice looking. 16 second roof drop down time, audio-visual parking assistance and optional ventilated seats. My favorite feature of the SL is, when the trunk is opened as the top is down, you can open the roof that is tucked inside the trunk, thus allowing for more trunk space. the MB SL also hasan optional concierge service to make golf tee reservations, send flowers, traffic info etc. Still, I'll keep my SC 430 because it's sharper looking, better sound system, the interior is nicer and it's cheaper, especially against the AMG model. Our 0-60 is faster but the MB has a measly 2 extra horses. Also my local MB dealership looks like a Ford dealership. I wonder why their NAV system is cd-rom based and not DVD based. You can't listen to the cd player while your navigation is operating because the nav is cd based. How lame is that? Mercedes did a nice job and I think I am going to take a test drive this spring, just for fun.

 

go for it! it's a great car!

edmunds has a good review on it. why cdrom? (i'll bet the 2nd year, it will be updated to dvd based nav).

i like the sc430 b/c i think it looks better. far more stunning than the SL (which of course is a vast improvement over the previous generation SL).

if the SL actually gets the panoramic moonroof top that is retractable, that would be awesome.

 

The panorama glass roof is optiona, as are most of the interesting features of the Mercedes. Everything is an option. The AMG has 469 HP and a 4.5 0-60! Still, I noticed many similarities between the SC and the SL. I think Mercedes "borrowed" many styling cues inside and out from the SC 430.

 

I saw a SL close up the other day...nice looking car but it wasn't really too special for me...all the MBZ's are starting to look TOO similar...

 

The SL, was different 10 years ago, now with the SC, Jag, 911 Cabrio and etc, the SL....just looks like a glorified SLK.

BTW Car and Driver compared the SC and the CLK430....the SC had a 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds. C&D ended up saying the Lex did everything superior to the Benz and basically was a better car, but "they" preferred the Benz.

 

Is it just me or do the major car mags always rag on Lexus? Car enthusiasts, car web sites, the main street press and the general public all have showered the SC 430 with praise, while the major auto mags have something negative to say about it. They always say its great but then they say it's too expensive or it's ugly. They say to get the Jag convertible or M3 instead. Motor Trend finally gives the Car of the year award to a touring ragtop and who do they award it to? The Ford Thunderbird, an underpower, over-retroed, production problem plagued Thunderbird and not the SC hardtop convertible. I think the car mags have always been biased towards Lexus, especially with the LS models over the years. I think they are anti Japanese.

 

I have drove all the cars below.

MB CL55, SL500, CLK55
BMW M3 M5
Jaguar XKR
Lexus SC400 SC430

My honest opinion is that the Lexus SCs do everything well but nothing spectacular. It is a good car that can do well in so many situations yet it did not excel in any. It is a car lots of people like but not love.

If one is looking for muscle car, a step on the thottle of the BMWs and the MB 55s you would be sold. If you like gadgets and want to impress you clients the MB CL and SL do the trick better.

The German and British cars though not as reliable as the Lexus, they do have more "soul" then the Lexus. Doesn't mean that the Lexus is an inferior car but they do need more work to soup up their character.

 

Soul to me is not how many points you put up in the first quarter, but in the 4th QUARTER. All new cars kick but, but 150k+ down the road, I'll keep loving my Lexus.

 

Lexus has plenty of soul, its just an accostomed way of thinking by the car reviewers. They are all 50something people who grew up loving the old MB's and etc. Personally if someone gave me one, other then cash value I wouldnt drive the car to the corner. But people just read what they say and go oh yeah BMWs have soul.....like when they used to make square cars and have the exhaust sticking out of the middle of the car? Oh yeah thats soul alright. Ive driven a good amount of cars, BMWs are nice cars, but if they said hyndaui on it i dont care how good of a drive the car magz would be ripping them to shreds. Ive had people scream at me, knock on my windows and generally go out of there way to tell me that the SC was the most beautiful car they had ever seen. Now if some car mag editor feels that a CLK because it has soul or they feel best in it makes it superior they are ignoring what their job is lal about, writing for an audience and not themselves.

 

I finally saw an SL today in person and in all honesty, I was not blown away by the car as I was the first time I saw an SC 430 in person. It's a nice looking car, but I don't think it's exterior is as interesting or as youthful looking as the SC. The Mercedes still looks too much like the previous generation SL.

 

i saw this one...

 

from the side. it actually looks very good in reality! the interior is very nicely done. i guess the only thing that is sort of superfluous are the little silver fins on the hood.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I do think the SL better looking than the SC. Of course it is more expensive too.

 

Saw one today (black) and it looked pretty damn good.....

 

The SL series is better looking than the SC430, but given the 20K plus you are antying up..it had BETTER BE! =)

The Sound System is worse however, and the nav system is also worse.

I'd just replace the MERC stereo and then you have a KICK BUTT AUTO. YEAH RIGHT...like I could afford a 100K car.

Sticking to my old 140K lex. -!