A new-generation Mercedes-Benz SL coupe/roadster – the first in over 12 years – went on sale March 1 at Mercedes-Benz dealerships around the country. Perhaps the best-known Mercedes model ever, the new SL500 convertible will mark the fifth generation of highly successful series, which began in 1954 with the legendary “Gullwing” 300SL.

With a suggested price of $86,655 (including destination charge), the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL is a technological tour-de-force, from the world’s first electronic brake system, that can actively apportion different braking pressure to each wheel, to ABC active suspension and ESP stability control.

The new SL also features breathtaking styling that successfully blends nearly 50 years of SL design elements, yet charts a visual path to the future with crystalline bi-xenon headlights, hooded instruments, a secure cockpit with an automatically-deploying roll bar and capped by a retractable hardtop that combines the open-air fun of a convertible with the quiet comfort of a coupe.

At the push of a button, the new SL retractable hardtop can be fully opened or closed in just 16 seconds. As the power roof retract, the rear window glass also pivots so that its curvature matches the stowed roof panel – or spooning the roof portion – providing a surprisingly large cargo area of 7.3 cubic feet. With the top up, the trunk holds 10.3 cubic feet, or enough for two medium-size golf bags.