Everything seems to be in the right place when sitting in the driver’s seat. The dashboard is elegant and there is a genuine sense of prestige and panache. One convenient gadget onboard the SL, is that the electrically adjustable front seats, mirrors and steering column also remember your settings, allowing several customised driving positions, which can be interchanged at the flick of a button.

Opulence is one of the SL’s strong points; feeling every inch the luxurious sportscar that you would expect. Interior features include heated front seats, a leather steering wheel and gearshift – as well as a Nappa leather trim – and a tasteful walnut or chestnut wood trim on the dash and surrounds. The electric roof is excellent and relatively simple to use, although it is a little more trouble to operate than the SLK’s hardtop.