When I first met the SL63 AMG, I was not sure what to make of the car. I received the Monroney for the car (window sticker) before it was delivered, and I was stunned by the sticker price of $208,000. I immediately started to think of other cars available in that price category. New cars with prices north of $200k are at a very different level than those under that number, and for a car to compete at that level it has to be excellent in every category or it will quickly be thought of as an overpriced also-ran in comparison. Some include the Audi R8, Porsche 911 Turbo, McLaren GT, Lamborghini Huracan, and for just a few thousand more dollars you can get an Aston Martin DB11 or a base Maserati MC20. In other words, the world of supercars, not historically a place that a Mercedes SL fits in well.
I say that based on my own ownership of SL Mercedes cars. I have owned a 1985 380SL, a 1988 560SL, and a 2006 SL55 AMG. All were great cars and, while the SL55 was definitely moving into the thin air of the supercar world, it was still a Mercedes SL, an excellent car but not one you see parked in the supercar area at a cars and coffee event. Can an AMG Mercedes SL truly play in this space on equal footing? I had a week with the car to find out.
The car arrived and I was a bit more confused. It has a design that seems to incorporate a bit of AMG GT mixed with a bit of Mercedes SL with some 911 design language thrown in. I was confused at this but got in the car and took it for a quick 15-mile drive.
From behind the wheel the SL63 felt different from any Mercedes SL from the last 15 years I have driven. The interior was more cockpit than country club cruiser and the performance was more than any other SL as well. My SL55 was fast, but the SL63 was both faster and a bit more serious feeling behind the wheel. It reminded me of another car, but I could not put my finger on what that car was at the time.
Performance is excellent with this 4,300-pound vehicle able to do 0-60 in 3 seconds flat and the ¼ mile in 11.2 seconds. The car not only goes quick but feels quick, pushing you back in the seat as the speed builds. Something that is often missed in fast cars that are this heavy. And speaking of issues with heavy cars, though you are always a bit aware of the weight the SL63 carries, the car corners excellent and hooks up in turns well. Sure, the steering feel is a bit isolated from the chassis, but the car sticks well and even allows you to step out the rear end a bit on corner exits during spirited driving.
The materials used on the SL63 interior are wonderful with the best leather mixed with a nice mix of aluminum and carbon fiber. The seats were also comfortable but also very different, being more of a leather covered racing seat than the traditional comfy Mercedes SL easy chair.
Build quality is excellent, as is normal for all top line Mercedes vehicles, with perfect door gaps and wonderful paint work. I personally found the wheel design to be a bit weird, but that design does make the wheels extremely easy to clean.
The overall design of the car is an interesting mix of AMG GT and Mercedes SL, and with the top down the car has a very distinct look. It grows on you and after a few days with the car I decided I liked it. I will say that the look with the top up is not awesome. It looks like the top design was done last and to me not well integrated, something I have never thought of any other Mercedes SL vehicle. The solution for me was to leave the top down for the time I had the car.
The exhaust sound of the SL63 has a serious NASCAR stock car-like note at full throttle that sounds fantastic. The fact that it can also be instantly more subdued when wanted at the touch of a button on the steering wheel is completely in line with the traditional SL customer base.
Now for a few negatives. The Burmester audio system is, to me, one of the weakest of any ultra-luxury manufacturer. It does not matter which Mercedes I have driven with the system, it has always sounded at best ordinary.
Another point is that the customer base for the SL has (almost from the beginning) often been one who golfs. Good luck finding space in the trunk for a set of clubs, though they will fit in the rear seat area with a little creativity.
Finally, speaking of the rear seat area, I have a single question. Why? The Mercedes SL has never in its entire history offered a back seat as standard, so why offer it now? Any child not in a car seat will not fit in the rear seat, and it seems like an idiotic addition that not only needlessly steals interior room but also limits trunk space, something seriously lacking in the SL63.
After five days with the SL63, I drove it over to a friend’s home and took a drive in his 1959 300SL roadster which helped me finally figure out what the SL63 reminded me of. The 300SL roadster is the same kind of serious car, albeit from another era, that the SL63 is. The 300SL also is the same kind of driver-focused sports car with luxury trappings as the SL63. The design even looks a bit like a more modern version of the 300SL roadster, especially with the top down.
So, to my eye, what Mercedes have done with the SL63 is to go back to the beginning with the SL series and make a true luxury sports car again, something even past AMG SL cars have not been. There are always compromises with sports car designs and Mercedes has overcome them in almost the same way as they did in the 1950s with the 300SL.
Now back to my original question at the beginning of this review. Does the SL63 measure up to the supercars cars I mentioned? In some ways yes, and in some ways no. It is more comfortable and usable than any of the others as a car to drive day to day. The performance is close to the others. It is the idea of a supercar that is also civilized. While most people who buy supercars don’t seem to care about a civilized car and instead are more into flash, the Mercedes customer is a bit different.
This customer who the SL63 is targeted towards still wants the feel and status of a Mercedes-Benz, but they also want a Mercedes that is a bit more exciting than the last few generations of SL cars, both in styling and performance. They want a car that is different from every SL built since the launch of the W113 Pagoda in 1963. They have delivered on this, and it could assist in bringing in some younger buyers to the brand. However, it is likely only going to upset Mercedes buyers who are not willing to deal with the few sacrifices in comfort that the new car requires.
After a week I found I liked the SL63 AMG and honestly feel that it has a lot to offer even at the $200k plus price tag.
Just get rid of the useless back seat and call Bowers and Wilkins to have the give the car a proper audio system, and I will go from like to love.
2022 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG
Vehicle type: 2+2 passenger roadster, all-wheel drive
Base price: $178,100 Price as tested: $208,035
Engine: Handcrafted AMG 4.0L V8 Biturbo Engine with 577 Horsepower and 590 lb-ft Torque
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 106 inches Overall length/width: 185.2 inches / 75.4 inches
Curb weight: 4,305 pounds
EPA mileage estimates: 14 city / 21 highway / 16 combined
Assembled in: Germany
