The R230, which was the fifth generation of Mercedes-Benz's sporty luxo-roadsters, went on sale for the 2001 model year and got a mild facelift in 2006. To extend its service life it got a much more radical makeover in 2008 for the '09 model year.
For that year the American market was offered the V-8 powered SL550 and the SL600, which had a twin-turbo V-12. (There were also much snarlier AMG versions on the menu.)
This is not to say that the SL550 wasn't plenty snarly in its own right. It was powered by the 5.5L E55 version of the M273 V-8. This was an all-alloy DOHC 32V motor which made use of variable valve timing and a variable length intake manifold to belt out 382 SAE net horsepower, plenty for even the big 4,233 pound droptop.
When Car and Driver tested the R230 SL550 in 2010, it cracked off 4.8 second zero-to-sixty runs and blistered the quarter in 13.5 seconds at 105 mph, roaring up to 157 on the top end before the governor cut off the fun. Price as tested was $114,175 in 2010 dollars, or $169k in current dollars.
This one was photographed in August of 2025 using a Sony a700 and a 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 zoom lens.
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