I'VE just been driving a car that cost more than my three-bedroomed semi-detached house did in 2002 - quite a bit more.

In fairness, the Mercedes SL has all the styling, technology and driving dynamics of a supercar, so you would expect it to come with a hefty price-tag. It does - £102,185 including almost £19,000 worth of extras.

The SL 500 Roadster looks absolutely amazing and you are guaranteed to turn heads as you pass. The noise from the 4.6-litre 435bhp engine can only be compared to a lion's roar at feeding time and the power at your disposal is literally breath-taking.

For this car, despite, its size, can soar to 62mph from a standing start in just 4.6 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

But it's the manner in which the SL achieves these stats that simply cannot fail to impress.

Acceleration is blisteringly fast but smooth and very controlled as it moves rapidly through the seven-speed automatic transmission. Road-holding is amazing and even very tight bends can be attacked and conquered with ease.

The SL is magnificent from every possible angle thanks to its beautifully-crafted streamlining, intelligent light system with LED daytime running lights, green tinted glass, 19-inch alloys, fluted side and bonnet vents, twin exhausts and the panoramic vario-roof with what Mercedes calls Magic Sky Control which automatically dims the glass roof.

The interior is world class and is packed with technology and beautifully contrasting black ash wood trim. The leather seats can be electrically adjusted, have memory settings, offer adjustable lumbar support, can be heated or cooled and even offer a massage function with four settings. There is even neck heating.

Elsewhere the list of creature comforts seems almost endless with luxury automatic climate control, ambient lighting, a reversing camera, a brilliant infotainment system with 14 speakers, a 7-inch colour display, hard disc drive, a six-CD player, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity,  sat-nav and compatibility with all modern media devices. Many of these features are housed in a smart leather-clad dashboard.

There is another touch of Mercedes magic in the form of the Magic Vision Control, an adaptive heated windscreen wiper system that sprays jets of water directly from the wipers themselves. I have to confess that the first time I used this function, I thought the jet wash was empty, but then I realised my screen was completely clean - now that's magic!

The roof can be opened or closed in a matter of seconds and it folds away into the boot which does mean storage options are a little limited. But there are handy compartments throughout the cabin including a deep central bin and a compartment behind the passenger seat.

Unlike some roadsters, the SL 500 is remarkably comfortable and relatively noise-free with the roof down. And with the top raised total silence is restored.

Although the SL can easily cope with city centre traffic and strolls along at motorway speeds, it's out on the faster country lanes where it comes into its own.

The driving dynamics can be changed from Comfort to Sport and there is even an ECO mode with automatic start/stop if you've got an eye on the environment.

Mercedes has kitted out the SL with a comprehensive range of safety features. As well as the more instantly recognisable systems, it also includes active blind spot assist, attention assist to monitor for driver fatigue, lane departure warning system, a roll-over bar with crash sensor and plenty more besides.

All in all, the SL is an amazing piece of kit. With a price-tag topping the £100,000 mark I desperately looked for something to criticise and I was still searching when my time with the car was over.