sl550

Mercedes is on a model-refresh rampage. Following the very successful update to the C-Class for 2008, and last week's CLS-class makeover announcement, comes news and images of the 2009 SL roadster. On the outside, the convertible gets a new schnoz with a grille face-lift and new headlights, as well as a couple of power domes on the hood. Inside, the COMAND system that so underwhelmed us in our review of the 2007 SL550 is augmented with a hard-drive based navigation system and music server. Interestingly (and somewhat disappointingly), the new SL does not receive S-Class-level cabin tech upgrade that … Read more

Mercedes-Benz is getting into the crowded portable navigation market, and we have just taken receipt of its latest device, the SL550. On first impressions, we have to admit that we're not overly impressed. The SL550 portable GPS receiver has a very plain, black-plastic design with hard buttons down either side of its 6.5-inch color LCD display. Unlike the Garmin StreetPilot c580 or the Delphi Nav200, the SL550 is not a touch screen, so destinations have to be input using a four-way cluster of buttons on the bottom right of the unit. Programming the system is intuitive, but it … Read more