The car
In my 20s I had a 1972 Mercedes 280sl coupe in dark blue, with a white leather interior. It was a joyful thing, to be clad in a Merc, cruising along the highway. Until I lost the keys and the mechanic at Te Kaha had to smash the ignition to disengage the lock so I could drive back home to Wellington. I cried, watching. I also often cried filling up at the gas station. It wasn't economical to take for a spin. But what a peach. This weekend, I got to see what advances in design the Merc has. Parked in our driveway, it's making everyone in the house swoon. Inside the car, there are no hard edges. Seductive curves equals comfort, but also safety. In independent crash tests, this scored a maximum five-star rating. My hand runs over the smooth ash-dash and console. It's hardcore luxury.
The boot is immense. We load up and prepare for a spin. If we wanted all the boot, we would simply push a button and the split seats flip to flat.
The specs
A 2L petrol engine, panoramic glass roof, rain-sensing wipers, reverse camera and gentle understated proximity-panic beeping that doesn't make your ears bleed.
