Exotic Convertibles Comparison With Mario Andretti

He rolls up the long driveway to Andretti Winery, hops out, and surveys the hardware. "Man, look at this. What a way to start the day." His Indy 500 winner's ring glints in the sun, and the eyes—which have softened over the years but can still cut glass with their gaze—dance from one exotic ragtop to another. "Where to begin?"

Mario Andretti has spent 40 years squeezing speed out of anything with wheels. We thought it would be insightful—and more than good fun—to draft him into service as an MT test driver for a day. His experience in setting up and shaking down race cars would be wasted, however, on econosedans or minivans. So serious machinery was a must. And since it's summertime, why not four fantasy convertibles?

Naturally, said wheels had to get from our Los Angeles offices to Andretti's Napa Valley winery, so several members of our editorial staff "graciously volunteered" to pilot them up and down scenic and twisty California State Highway 1, which winds along much of the Pacific seaboard. Why the backroads of Napa and Highway 1 instead of a racetrack? "That's not the way the buyers of these cars are going to drive them," notes Andretti. "Besides, what would be new about me doing that?"

THE PLAYERS

Mercedes-Benz SLs have always been elegant, luxurious, even sporty transport for two. But with the exception of those early 300SL gullwings and roadsters, they've seldom been truly exciting. This notion finally has been addressed in the form of the all-new-for-'03 SL500 (now on sale in the U.S.). We went a step further, convincing Mercedes-Benz to send us its maximum-strength SL, the AMG-fortified version that comes to market this fall.

The SL55 AMG packs serious heat: a 5.5L supercharged, intercooled DOHC V-8, rated at 476 DIN horsepower in Euro trim (as was our test car). It gets better: The U.S. version will be rated at 493 hp. Its max torque rating, an equally impressive 516 lb-ft, shows up at just 2650 rpm. The blower is a helical screw-type unit connected to the crankshaft via a V-belt and an electromagnetic clutch; the latter allows the supercharger to freewheel under light load conditions and minimizes overrun when the throttle is closed. This formidable powerplant is backed by a five-speed automatic transmission equipped with a bimodal TouchShift function. The driver can choose gears sequentially via the shift lever or by small up- and downshift paddles mounted on the back side of the steering wheel.

There's technology everywhere you look. The SL features M-B's new electrohydraulic brake system, Sensotronic Brake Control, Active Body Control (with a Sport mode in AMG trim), and an Electronic Stability Control system. The already well-crafted SL cockpit gets further upgraded, including exclusive AMG leather and Alcantara upholstery, plus splashings of aluminum trim. There's little required outside, as the SL's shape is a nice piece of work, but AMG adds subtle body trim, badging, and wider-than-stock 18-in. alloys, and Pirelli PZero Rossos. We remain impressed with the SL's one-touch retractable hardtop, which includes a power-operated wind blocker and a protective shell in the trunk to cover your belongings while the top is being raised or lowered. All in, a superb bit of design and engineering.