2025 Mercedes-Benz SL63 Reviews

As beautiful as it is potent, the Mercedes-AMG SL63 4Matic+ takes the three-pointed star's drop-top GT formula and dials it up a notch or two with 4.0L twin-turbo V8 power, all-wheel drive and 2+2 seating for extra practicality. We were invited on an extensive launch drive program to experience this modern classic.

Peter Anderson road tests and reviews the 2016 Mercedes-AMG SL63 with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

When Mercedes invited us to the Race the Runway charity event at Edinburgh Airport, we lept at the chance.

Mercedes has put the SL on a diet and it's now 100kg lighter than its predecessor.

The toaster I bought recently came in a huge box to accommodate all the bumph that came with it. There was a catalogue of similar products, so I could furnish my kitchen with a kettle or blender along the same lines. There was a guarantee it would toast until eternity and instructions which, if I had never used a toaster before in my entire life, just might have been useful.Insert bread. Turn on. That sort of thing.
Then there were safety warnings that assumed I was a complete stranger to electricity and, best of all, a note congratulating me on my superb product selection.
Giving you a warm inner glow after buying a white good, or in this case an orange good, is retailing 1.01.But Harvey and Bing and their mates must look enviously at car dealers. Toaster-love is contrived, a ripple in the empathic ether. Buying a car is a seismic event.
This is something carmakers like to dwell on, especially the premium brands.Catch the right emotional wave and they can surf their way to fat margins.
You might think, given the number of vehicles that pass through the paws of Prestige Motoring, that I've become inured to their various charms.
Not so.The same cars manage to strike the same chords generation after generation, on a spectrum from ennui to excitement via irritation and delight.
There are some cars, though, that summon a feeling I can only describe as "King of the Road''.It's a very short list and while yours might be different, mine does not contain a single Ferrari, Lamborghini or Aston. There are no BMWs, Audis or Porsches either. They have qualities aplenty, just not this.On my list there are just two: the Range Rover Vogue and the SL AMG. Obviously, whatever they have, it doesn't boil down to power or luxury. You can't point to part of a Range Rover and say, "Ah, that's the secret ingredient.'' But from behind the wheel of these two utterly different cars I feel as if I'm in the throne room of vehicledom. No other cars can do that.
I'm aware, of course, there are plenty of negatives to both.The Rangie makes you public enemy No 1 to the entire environmental movement while the SL has the unmistakable whiff of white shoe. So I'm not suggesting you actually buy one on the strength of this emotion. I can imagine wanting a Rangie but there's no way I'd want an SL. It's wrong in every way.It's a convertible, and a folding hardtop one at that, so it won't drive as well as an equivalent coupe. Worse, it's an ostentatious convertible that exists mainly to show others of a well-heeled persuasion that you're better off than them.DESIGNTo top it all, this SL, the sixth of the line, is downright ugly. The lumpen design of the standard car is made even worse in the AMG studio by add-ons and aero bits. Now it's heroically unattractive in a Henry VIII sort of way.Its elegant predecessors, the original 300SL Gullwing or second-generation Pagoda, must shrink with dismay at their brutish heir. From the driver's seat however, this is not what you see. Instead you look out over substantial bonnet real estate with strakes and vents that connect you visually with what's underneath.The cabin matches the drive experience nicely, with a solidity that Bentley would be proud of. Rich metal, carbon fibre and leather. Nice little IWC clock. The seats are excellent, of course. They look more sporty than regal, but in reality that's what they are.TECHNOLOGYThat's a turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 with 395kW and 800Nm awaiting your command. There's a delay -- the lag between edict and obedience that turbocharging brings -- but before long the tyres are scrabbling to do your bidding like frightened courtiers.
It's awesome power and it quickly corrupts. Despite its size, it can weave through other traffic as though it were stationary, reaching 100km/h after 4.3 seconds.A performance pack lifts power to 415kW and torque from 800Nm to 900Nm, cutting one-tenth from the sprint time. Keep your foot down and the acceleration is relentless, hitting 200km/h in 12.9 (or 12.6).
Turbocharging tends to stifle the sound of an engine and it's no different here, although the bass blatt that emerges could be a force of nature with enough growl to make it addictive.It sounds best when punching down through gears, when the multi-clutch transmission matches revs for you. This gearbox, with four levels of aggression, can be abrupt when cold and defaults, annoyingly, to an eco mode which shuts down the engine at lights. This allows Mercedes to claim remarkable fuel economy of 9.9l per 100km.You'll never see that, though, because once you're behind the wheel you become Harry in Vegas.
This chassis, lighter than the previous model by 125kg, is up for a night out like no previous SL I've driven. Usually, hardtop convertibles feel like you're driving a box of flatpack furniture but this one is all-of-a-piece, as rigid as a car with a proper roof.DRIVINGThe body control is remarkable for something exceeding 1.8 tonnes and it handles directional changes with an alacrity you simply don't expect. It turns in, points and has tremendous grip. This royal can dance.
On my test route I was expecting sloppiness but what I got instead was supremely assured handling combined with an ermine ride. The brakes can be uneven in feel, a minor letdown given the rest, but the steering is precise.
VERDICTThere are drawbacks -- the roof won't fold on the move and it's a shame some of the mechanism is visible. Worse, there's no digital radio, as there is in a Toyota Camry, which meant that instead of News Radio I had to listen to the parliamentary broadcast. But the view from the throne turns out to be sensational. And I'm thinking of doing away with parliament.Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMGPrice: from $381,500Engine: 5.5-litre twin turbo V8, 395/800NmTransmission: seven-speed automatic, RWDThirst: 9.9L /100km

Mercedes has taken a new stance in its first all-new SL sports roadster in 10 years, leaning strongly in the direction of making it a highly competent grand touring machine. Grand Touring (which is what GT really stands for though the meaning has become somewhat twisted over the years) is all about moving safely and surely at high-speeds from one upmarket destination to another in sporting luxury.VALUEThe entry level SL 350 starts from  $225,000 and goes all away to the top of the range SL 500 starting from $304,500. Sophisticated hotrod AMG variants are also available, the V8 63 (from $381,500) goes on sale at the same time as the mainstream SL models, the V12 65 (from $466,500) is coming very early in 2013.TECHNOLOGYPower comes from a choice of a Benz 3.5-litre V6 engine (the SL 350) producing 225 kilowatts of power and 370 Newton metres of torque, or a bi-turbo 4.7-litre V8 (SL 500) outputting up to 320 kW and a staggering 700 Nm.Both powerplants take drive to the rear wheels by way of a seven-speed automatic transmission that runs a sportier state of tune than we have experienced in passenger Mercedes models in recent times.On an environmental note, the engines have trimmed carbon production and petrol usage by about 10 to 20 per cent when compared with those in the outgoing generations of SLs.DESIGNGiven the severe traffic and equally severe limitations on travelling at high speeds in many countries, the designers of the Mercedes SL have worked hard at an interior which is almost a destination in its own right. The interior of a new SL is certainly a pleasant place to spend many hours enjoying the feeling of conditioned air, fine music by way of Mercedes’ longtime partner Harmon Kardon and a generally relaxing atmosphere.Quality materials are assembled in an exacting manner, resulting in a blend of form and function that looks and feels most impressive. You can choose to do your grand touring in a closed coupe, or a coupe that feels semi-open if you choose to use the Mercedes’ Magic Sky Control to let your chosen amount of light through the glass roof, or ultimately do away with the roof altogether by powering it down into the back of the car for a convertible ride.Weight has been trimmed by some 70 kilograms in comparison to the superseded model, the car plus two people and their luggage is still mighty close to two tonnes in weight.DRIVINGSuperb electronic stability and steering systems mean a Mercedes SL can grip the road with cornering loads that the passenger certainly feels as G-forces mount. Yet retains an enormous amount of safety as sensors read the forces on various sections of the car and adjust the suspension, brakes and steering to make the car steer itself on just the right path.The driver can dial out some of the assistance depending on their desires, right down to almost-off settings should they wish to tackle a race track. Not the SL’s intended station in life, but one that can be tackled if you’re interested in something out of the ordinary in weekend entertainment.We sampled both engines over a varied drive route out of Melbourne and back organised by Mercedes-Benz Australia. The SL 350 has plenty of performance and is probably all that is needed by many drivers. The acceleration to overtake or simply to get away from the traffic lights with a bit of verve is satisfying and the exhaust note and air intake sounds are pretty satisfying.But, and we freely admit to being revheads, the twin-turbo V8 has so much more grunt that we simply loved everything it did during our 200+ kilometres behind the wheel of the SL 500. The deep note of the V8 is addictive and the push in the back from that over abundance of Newton metres is brilliant.We spent much of the time with the roofs down on both the SL 350 and SL 500 and found buffeting is minimal when the power operated windbreak is up. Mercedes’ clever Airscarf pumps warm air over your neck and as the heat went out of the sun later in the day made life more pleasant than it would otherwise have been.VERDICTThe big Benz is first and foremost a sporting tourer and can be hammered along in a manner that defies its size and weight.RANGEThe complete new Mercedes-Benz SL is:SL 350 3.5-litre two-door convertible: from $225,000 (automatic)SL 500 4.7-litre two-door convertible: from $304,500 (automatic)AMG SL 63 5.5-litre two-door convertible: from $381,500 (automatic)AMG SL 65 V12 two-door convertible: from $466,500 (automatic)Mercedes-Benz SLPrice: from $225,000 (SL350), $304,500 (SL500)Warranty: Three years/unlimited kmResale: 58 per centService Intervals: 12 months/25,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, EBA, TC, active bonnetCrash Rating: 5 starsEngine: 3.5-litre V6, 225kW/370Nm (SL350); 4.7-litre bi-turbo V8, 320kW/700Nm (SL500)Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto; rear-wheel driveThirst: 8.3L/100km, 192g/km CO2 (SL350); 9.4L/100km, 218g/km CO2 (SL500)Dimensions: 4.61m (L), 1.88m (W), 1.31m (H)Weight: 1685kg (SL350), 1785kg (SL500)

Goldilocks is a great name for a car with a rare combination of grace and pace that means she is 'just right' despite a price tag that could soar beyond $450,000 in Australia.The new high-class Benzmobile would make an ideal Bond girl, thanks to great DNA and some hardcore bootcamp training at AMG. What a pity, then, that the boring blokes from Mercedes have played it staid and settled on a predictable combination of numbers and letters that spells out SL63 AMG. We've even seen that line before, but not like this.Goldilocks can make an elegant entrance or run with the guns, and the choice is down to you. She has the latest two-seater roadster body, and all the luxury gear you expect from an SL, with the addition of a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine that makes with up to 900 Newton-metres of torque and serves up 0-100km/h sprints in 4.2 seconds with a top speed as outrageous as 280km/h.It will take series money to put the new SL AMG in the driveway, but this is a very, very serious car that you could buy and keep for a long time. So, why Goldilocks? For a start, the SL is more feminine than blokey-bloke despite its muscles. And, for me, the hottie SL is the 'just-right' choice among the AMG roadsters.The baby-bear SLK55 AMG is raw and flawed, with too much engine for the chassis and suspension, while the big daddy SLS AMG is too big and too hot, from its look-at-me styling to an engine that's wasted for anything but frying the rear tyres. Without worrying about the $487,500 pricetage.So the SL sits sweetly in the middle with potential appeal to Bentley convertible buyers on one side and even Porsche Boxster enthusiasts on the other. But let's get on with the story, as we go exploring in the forests in the south of France.VALUEPeople who can afford cars like this one don't have the usual worries about mortgages and pump prices, but everyone wants a bargain in 2012. So there is a lot of good new stuff in the SL, from the basic aluminium body through to the value-added key with the silver AMG crest.Buyers can always ask for more, and the obvious choice is the Performance Pack that brings more power and torque - up to 415kW and 900Nm - as well as red paint on the brake callipers. The SL63 currently sells for $418,670 and that's the target for the newcomer later this year, even though the total changeover has cost plenty."The price is going to follow the existing car fairly closely. We're doing what we can to hold the price line," says David McCarthy, spokesman for Mercedes-Benz Australia. He says the importance of the car cannot be over-rated. "It's pretty small numbers in Australia but it sets a benchmark. We sell a couple of dozen a year."For people who want even more, and not a Gullwing, McCarthy confirmed there will also be an SL65 AMG - with twin-turbo V12 - engine. "That car will only be to customer order. We have V12 owners who come back time and again, because for them there is nothing else."TECHNOLOGYIt starts with the alloy body and ends with the giant 19-inch alloy wheels, but the highlights include the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, a tweaked seven-speed automatic gearbox, electric power steering and even a carbon fibre frame for the folding convertible roof. And there is an analogue clock in the centre of the grille, thanks to AMG's tie-up with the top-end watch maker, IWC."The car in total has a lot of AMG parts. We changed the major parts," says Thomas Rappel, head of product strategy at AMG-Mercedes. Even the remaining Benz basics, like the suspension and safety systems, are tweaked to give a more sporty feel. "All the parts you see, touch and feel - and the IWC clock on the dash - are AMG. This one is more the enthusiast. He's not taking it on a track every day, but he wants the noise and the agility," Rappel says.DESIGNGoldilocks is the first car with a new twin-spar grille that will become an AMG signature. It's applied to a car where the AMG tweaking works well with the chunkier new look at Mercedes-Benz.Some of the latest Benzes look too heavy, or a bit cartoonish, but the SL works and fits into a range where the latest A-Class also reflects the successful change of direction under design chief Gordon Wagener. Inside, there is restrained strength about the look and feel of the SL. The finishing, as you would expect, is flagship material with everything you want and need.SAFETYFive stars is a given for this car. ANCAP will never test one, and even Euro NCAP is unlikely to have a budget that runs to killing an SL, but Benz has a long history of setting the standard for safety. In the case of the SL AMG, that means ABS and ESP tweaked for performance use, as well as the sort of big brakes and giant tyres - the Performance Pack cars get 255x35 and 285x30 - that improve grip and safety.DRIVINGMy time with the SL starts in the passenger seat, where I am happy to find plenty of legroom, brilliant aircon, cushy leather seats and a very quiet cabin. The car seems to dribble along happily, the ride is not too soft and not too firm, and - despite the erratic efforts of my Brazilian driver - the SL can obviously go hard, with the overtaking power you usually only get on a big-bore motorcycle.Sliding into the driver's seats, on roads close to the course for the Porsche Boxster preview drive last month, I'm not expecting too much. The SL has always been a cruiser car and I'm worried that recent experience of the SLK55 - which bucked and bounced on Victorian country roads - would be repeated.The SL has a restrained rumble as I idle onto the French backroads but it turns to thunder when I floor the throttle. The car positively erupts and devours any stretches of straight roads. But it also crushes bumps and undulations and the nose happily follows my commands to turn, giving great grip and balance through corners before more thunder on the next straight.I had expected a lazy loping beast with added stoplight speed, but the AMG hero is a well rounded package that can easily waft before switching to warp speed. I even believe it would defeat the Boxster on these roads, not because of better response or balance, but because it gets briskly through corners and has so much torque on tap.The SL63 is also quiet with the roof up, surprisingly unruffled with it down, is easy to park and has acceptable boot space. There is an annoying rattle in the dash of one car, and the price is outrageous, but Goldilocks is a car to like a lot, and potentially love.VERDICT:The midstream model of the AMG-Mercedes roadster family is just right.Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMGPrice: estimate $450,000+Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmResale: 49 per cent, $205,100 (Glass's Guide)Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: Five star (estimated)Spare: Space-saverEngine: 5.5-litre twin turbocharged V8 395kW/800NmTransmission: 7-speed auto; RWDBody: 4.63m (L); 1.87m (w); 1.3m (h)Weight: 1845kgThirst: 9.9/100km; 231g/km Co2

To understand a car — especially one that’s far from our own fiscal reality — it helps to peer into the buyers’ mindset for a stint, and to go where they might go.And when the place happens to be the French Riviera, and the car is the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, we’re willing to subscribe to such hardship and masquerade.For everyday driving, or cruising along the beach strip, the SL63 AMG won’t force you or your passenger to sacrifice any comfort; top-down motoring just doesn’t get more luxurious than this, and the standard Comfort settings that this car’s many active controls default to a nice, gentle calibration for the throttle and transmission that’s more in line with traditional Mercedes-Benz powertrains.Factor in the excellent Airscarf system and heated-and-ventilated seats — plus top-notch wind buffeting — and this is a car that we could especially enjoy with the combination of bright sun and somewhat chilly spring air.DrivingCompared to the SL models of more than a decade ago, the current SL feels more sports-car-like, with its brawny 395kW/800Nm, twin-turbo AMG-built V-8 and reworked seven-speed automatic transmission — with AMG replacing the torque converter with a wet clutch pack and capable of smacking from one gear to another in as little as a tenth of a second.But in a nod to the types of people who will gravitate to the SL, the SL63 AMG defaults to Comfort (C) modes. On the powertrain side (the dial), that smoothes the engine controls, makes the throttle response nice and seemingly linear, and gives upshifts a creamy smoothness. Click that powertrain controller on the center console one notch over to the Sport (S) mode, and it feels much more eager, with quicker, sharper (DSG-like) shifts and a more progressive throttle.Sport plus (S+) makes it sharper yet — like a racing box — and taps into the full potential of the transmission, including a different regimen for the stability control. Many AMG customers like to run their vehicles in the more aggressive Sport powertrain mode, but with a Comfort chassis setting. We also ran much of our test route this way, as Sport mode brought out more surface irregularities, while offering fairly satisfying dynamics on sweeping country roads — except perhaps for the steering.Even in Sport, the steering tended to be on the light side. It trades off the heft and long ratio of former M-B units for a rather quick (constant) ratio, but there isn't much feedback. On the other hand, on some of the narrowest roads in Europe we appreciated the precision the steering allowed in lane placement.Only when we got to some tight switchbacks did we truly recognise the need for Sport mode. M-B's Active Body Control (ABC) system, which is optional in the SL550, is included here in the SL63 AMG. Most of the time, it expertly soaks up uneven road surfaces and saves occupants from the pitchiness, also keeping the cabin flat in gentle to moderate driving on curvy country roads and making the SL in general feel lighter and more tossable than it is.But push those limits a bit on some of the tightest corners and ABC sometimes adjusts the attitude of the car too overtly. Mid-corner; for instance on very low-speed hairpins in Comfort mode, we noticed that just before apex ABC would suddenly increase the roll moment at the rear (pushing the car closer to understeer) — with the effect from the steering wheel feeling as if the ratio suddenly tightened. It’s a bit disconcerting, and we rapidly learned to switch to Sport (or Sport+) — where this effect isn’t as pronounced — when the roads turn very curvy.Rear axle geometry has been tweaked to accommodate the AMG models’ sharper, higher torque delivery.  With the systems set in Sport mode and using the paddle-shifters, it's great fun to dab into the power for as long as you dare, listening to the thunderous, howling-and-pulsating engine note — which seems to bark a little bit extra at each shift — before you need to brake down to sanity once again.The SL63 AMG will feel lighter than any previous-generation SL owner might expect; it includes an all-new aluminium body that saves about 275 pounds altogether next to the previous version; the design also includes an aluminium frame as well as aluminium body panels.Included in all SL AMG models is a Race Start feature that allows the most quick, aggressive launch possible, with some wheel slip. There's a pretty involved routine you'll have to go through to tap into the system, and for good reason. Also on offer in the SL63 is an AMG Performance Media system that includes a screen with extra gauges, lap timer and other performance info.And if you're of that mindset, you'll want to go for the Performance Package, which increases peak turbo boost from 14.2psi to 18.5 psi — boosting power to 410kW and torque to 900Nm, although the torque peak is a slightly higher 2250 rpm (versus 2000 rpm). Top speed for the SL63 is 250km/h, but the Performance Package gives a boost to 300km/h. In both cases it's electronically limited.A Torque Vectoring Brake system comes with the SL63 and functions essentially as an electronic limited-slip differential, but the Performance Package — identified from afar by its bright red brake calipers — includes a real one.Acceleration is scorching — even compared to the SL550. While the SL 550 gets to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds (from 5.4 seconds in the previous generation), the SL63 AMG can do it in just 3.9 seconds with the Performance Package — and those are AMG's somewhat conservative numbers.InteriorCruising and making the scene is the majority of AMG SL ownership to some. And inside, the current SL sheds some of the tackier details of the previous SL for a mix of classy curvaceousness. While the trims and upholsteries are up to the standards of any of other high-end Mercedes-Benz and AMG models, the round vents and hooded instrument cluster echo the SL models of the 1970s and ‘80s. And the analog IWC clock top and center on the dash remains one of the most distinctive in any vehicle.EquipmentYou'd be hard-pressed to find a typical luxury feature that isn't standard here — Harman/kardon surround sound, HD satnav with live traffic updates, heated windshield, power folding side mirrors.Mercedes-Benz’s Attention Assist, which studies steering inputs and detects driver fatigue, is also included. As is Pre-Safe, a pop-up roll-bar system, and bi-xenon headlamps — in addition to eight airbags. Other active-safety options include adaptive cruise control, Active Blind Spot Assist, and Active Lane Keeping Assist. Active curve illumination is also included, allowing the headlights to swivel 15 degrees to either side, helping to see around tight, dark corners.The SL63 comes with Eco Stop/Start, which smartly shuts off the engine at stoplights and restarts it the moment you lift off the brake. We found it to be one of the least obtrusive stop/start systems yet, with very little shudder noticeable from the cabin, although setting the powertrain controls to S or S+ disables the feature.From the inside, the SL63 AMG really does have all the comfort of the S Class, with long, nicely contoured seats with extendable thigh bolsters plus massage and ventilation functions, and in Coupe mode, with the tight-fitting insulated hardtop top up and in place, it's hard to believe that this is a convertible. Just as with the other new SL models, there’s a fully retracting, electrically operated hardtop that can be opened or closed in about 20 seconds, and a power-operated windscreen that greatly reduces turbulence at city-cruising speeds.We didn’t have to drive long at all before one of the SL63 AMG’s almost-direct rivals — a late-model 997-era Porsche 911 Turbo — came barreling along, beside us for a short time on a wider section of road. With the top down, we arguably had the better-sounding engine from outside the car — and far superior comfort — while being nearly as quick. But between these two models, it served as a reminder that while the 911 remains closer to a pure sports-car (or supercar) formula, the SL63 is a high-powered grand-touring ultra-luxury roadster — with more of a priority placed on comfort and cabin appointments.VerdictWhile these two vehicles both vie for the rich and influential who summer on the Riviera — along with the likes of the Jaguar XKR, Maserati GranTurismo, and base Aston Martin DB9 — they appeal in very different ways. In its proper context, the SL63 AMG makes about as much sense as a rather large $418,670 luxury two-seat roadster can.And that's what might best sum up the appeal: it won't always turn the heads of testosterone-fueled motorheads, but it's a high-priced luxury good in all the right ways that those who can afford it want: versatile and comfortable enough for daily driving (it does speed bumps; it parks easily), yet providing a more exclusive experience that discerning drivers — and those who want to go faster — appreciate.MotorAuthority

That's the feeling you get — even nearly two decades later — when you're bestowed with the key to 386kW and 630Nm of German powerhaus roadster with a $400,000 price tag.My dad never had anything quite like this, although he certainly wants to, but ripping along a back road in something that actually handles was a novelty for a Jeep driver.Fast-forward 20 years from the 505 Executive Peugeot to the SL 63 AMG from Mercedes-Benz and the feeling is similar, although the G-forces in any direction are somewhat greater.The new-look SL 63 doesn't really handle so much as treat the road with disdain, ignoring corners and obliterating straights. We've had other examples of the facelifted SL and they get along pretty well, but the 63 puts them back into the cruiser category, shifting the goalposts well beyond kicking range.The all-alloy high-revving naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 — already seen in several AMG products — produces 386kW at a musical 6800rpm and peak torque of a very hearty 630Nm at 5200rpm.One of the great (and exclusive) features of the SL 63 is the seven-speed auto, which employs a wet clutch set-up instead of a torque converter. Aside from the fact that the transmission gives a big throttle blip on downshift, it shifts quickly (more than 20 per cent) and crisply in the Sport modes (a further 20 per cent in S+) and almost imperceptibly on Comfort mode. Full manual mode offers gearshifts (with paddles or the gearshifter) that take place in 100milliseconds.Short of being on a racetrack the transmission's top half is unlikely to experience the engine's redline, but at least in the firsttwo gears the demon scream of the V8 is addictive — as the instruments flash red to suggest an upchange.The paddles can be left alone as the S+ onthe dial, to select the automatic's mood, offers early downshifts and works well under brakes.The suspension and transmission settings can be programmed into the AMG button — in a similar vein to the M-button in a Beemer — so sports settings can be found quickly.The suspension can be tightened up at the touch of a button as well, or as part of theAMG button, and in Sport mode the body control is admirable — except, perhaps, from the tyres' perspective.The SL 63 sits amazingly flat and points its nose with the authority of a much lighter and more nimble sports car, although the tail feels as though it could bite a driver without the proper skills to control it, sans electronics.Comfort mode still does a good job of containing body roll as well as providing a decent ride quality.It's not a boulevard ride quality but it manages to iron most road bumps out with alacrity. Only when the low-profile (front 255/35 and 285/30 rear) rubber whacks something sharp in the road surface is thereany real disturbance.At full noise the SL 63 AMG hits 100km/h in 4.6 seconds and must feel like it's hitting a wall when the limiter kicks in at 250km/h.But with the flexible engine and seven-speed automatic the official figure for fuel use is 13.9L/100km, although we saw numbers nearer to 20 litres per 100km.It's easy to forget the SL is a convertible but lower the roof — a 16-second delay to proceedings — and the symphony is louder and even more delightful.Hit the seat heaters and the Airscarf system for a chilly night — or the seat coolers for other extremes — and the elements become far less of an issue.With bi-xenon adaptive headlights a night run becomes far easier as well, something that will make the seat-cooling fans less useful as well as reducing the sunburn factor.There are many ranks and titles used in marketing terms to describe cars. If the LandCruiser is “King Off The Road”, then the SL 63 is the Emperor — and there's a lot to like about its new clothes. SnapshotMercedes-Benz SL 63 AMGPrice: from $401,235Engine: 6.2L/V8 386KW/630NmTransmission: 7-speed automatic 0-100km/h: 4.6secondsEconomy: 13.9L/100km (claimed), 19.6L/100km (tested) 

Nothing clears the senses more quickly in the grip of winter than a top-down, mountain blast in a Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG. Finally, this 6208cc V8 has arrived on the big SL roadster, three years after it debuted and started trickling through the Benz family.The SL is the last port of call and its arrival coincides with the upgrades for the rest of the SL family. Along with a heavy revision of the 3.5-litre V6 in the SL 350, the 63 AMG stands as the biggest development in the facelift story.The SL 63 AMG offers mind-boggling performance, all of which is usable in a package that makes it simple to drive on the limit.You find yourself having to have a bit of a reality check midway through a drive. It's far too easy to slip into tarmac rally mode and forget there are speed limits to observe and cars coming around the corners ahead.All too easy to let the 63 have its head and charge around at full noise.Get it on a track and the SL 63 AMG gets you from corner to corner in a blink.It joins up the dots between corners with ridiculous pace, never nervous with its electronic safety systems working delicately behind the scenes and not impinging on the fun factor. Cornering grip and balance is superb.On the edge, there is a hint of protest from the front tyres before it bites and steers with authority after a mild adjustment of the throttle.There is an infectious rumble from the magnificent V8 soundtrack that intensifies as it bounces off walls and hillsides. Lift the revs for a sprint along a straight then change down several gears into a turn, blipping along the way, and the amplification of the exhaust note gives up its thoroughbred AMG roots.A race-start function, similar to BMW's launch control, can be programmed through an elaborate series of steps. The steering wheel must be at the straight ahead, ESP set to sport mode, select the race-start setting which is included on the switch that selects four driving modes and you are set for launch. With a press of the right-hand steering wheel paddle confirming your intentions, you then squash the throttle and the revs are automatically programmed to reach between 4000-4500 rpm.Then let the brake go and you fire off the line with the precision of a veteran racer. The race-start function automatically cancels once you hit 50km/h, which occurs in a blink of the eye.There is a protection facility built into the program so that if multiple attempts are made you can't program the race-start until the system determines it is safe to do so. Adjustable dampers and different driving modes tailor the 63 AMG for all situations and environments while an AMG button can short-circuit the steps you need to take by storing your favourite settings a bit like seat-position memory.The SL 350 benefits from a substantial engine tweak that gives it more power and torque and a fruity note when it revs out to 7200rpm.In fact the performance of this V6 is mightily close to the 5.5-litre V8-powered SL 500.The gap between these two has closed considerably and unless you want to be judged by the size of the engine you drive, it is hard to overlook the V6 in terms of bang for your bucks, especially when you take a look at the sticker price difference. The 350 is a particularly stirring drive and for $223,000 it really threatens to cannibalise the $306,000 SL 500.In the smaller SLK body, the 350 is also a rousing drive _ with the same engine that has a smidgen less power. The SLK 350 ($112,380 for the six-speed manual) also benefits from the direct-steer improvements, with a smoother more refined feel than the SL _ which is off a much older platform.A revelation of the SLK bunch is the entry 200k Kompressor that has more refinement and offers prodigious performance for a four-pot engine. Aided by a supercharger, the200k might be the baby of the bunch but it is far from a pushover. It is a neat little package with a blissfully flexible little engine, tailored to go harder yet maintain reasonable fuel performance with a combined city/highway figure of 8-litres per 100km.