2007 Mercedes-Benz SL550 roadster

THE BASICS
Base price/as tested: $94,800/$101,835
Fuel economy: 15.4 miles per gallon in Globe testing
Annual fuel cost: $2,135 (at $2.53 per gallon, regular, 13,000 miles per year)

THE EARLY LINE
A graceful, powerful continuation of a 50-year-old line.
THE SPECIFICS
Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive
Seating: Two
Horsepower: 382
Torque: 391 lb.-ft.
Length: 178.5 inches
Wheelbase: 100.8 inches
Height: 51.0 inches
Width: 71.5 inches
Curb weight: 4,165 pounds

THE SKINNY
Nice touch: The useable space for special luggage on the shelf behind the seats.
Annoyance: It could stand to lose a couple of hundred pounds. Then we'd be talking ferociously snappy in this, the base model.
Watch for: The 2007 SL550 to be a classic collector car in 25 years.

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