NOW with the temperature nudging zero from the wrong side and snow and ice lying in wait on the back roads, most people would say Yorkshire was not the place to be testing the Mercedes SL500 with the roof down.

But there I was wafting along in the lap of luxury - and warm as toast.

Now obviously, in such weather, you have to wear a hat, but with the air vents on, I didn't even need a pair of gloves.

It even has a warm air vent in the headrest to keep the back of your neck warm. Marvellous.

The SL is a big pussycat of an automatic that will roar like a lion when provoked but is also very safe, with every conceivable electronic driver aid.

The wonderful-sounding twin turbo V8 engine is as smooth as silk, the gearbox changes imperceptibly, the ride is sublime, and the handling and road-holding are also very, very good.

Inside, everything is of the very best - just as any owner would expect - and there is plenty of room for two, with excellent seat and column adjustment.

The metal roof folds into the boot but leaves a decent amount of luggage space and the equipment includes everything you can think of, plus sat nav and even washers that spray ahead of the wiper blades on each sweep.