In the world of high-octane, testosterone-fueled racing, the question arises: Can a race car have a back seat? Is there room for comfort and passengers in a finely tuned instrument of speed?

The thought came to mind while piloting the latest gestation of the Mercedes-Benz SL. Although the first-generation SL changed minimally from its racing days, since then, the SL has capitulated to its place in the market, becoming a luxury grand tourer, albeit with two seats.

Now it has four, arranged in a 2+2 configuration that results in a second row best suited for amputees, your mother-in-law or your ex. If you do stuff some unfortunate souls back there, they won’t be comfortable, but they might admire their surroundings.

And for the driver and front seat passenger, those interior surroundings a

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