Mercedes Benz SL63
I had waited literally years to drive the giant-slaying Nissan GT-R, known for acceleration so brutal (0-60 in 2.7 seconds) it can be mind-altering. Better yet, when I finally had the chance in late June, it was on a deserted back road miles from anywhere. But the expected moment of g force-induced transcendence didn’t materialize. Not because the Nissan isn’t a veritable rocket sled—it is. However, I had just stepped out of the latest, AMG’d version of the classic Benz SL roadster, equipped with the aptly-labeled “Performance Package,” that meant outputs of 557hp a frankly absurd 664lb-ft of torque from its hand built, twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8, and a (still artificially limited) top speed of 186mph.
The Nissan’s all-wheel drive means it can beat most anything off the line, from 30 to 130—or more. But the SL63 had its measure in side-by-side runs, lunging for the horizon with such violence that I feared for my recently fused neck vertebrae. While it didn’t provide quite as much aural satisfaction as its normally aspirated predecessor, this droptop Mercedes was still an accomplished musician, with a bellowing, snorting vocal urgency accompanying progress in such quantity that people miles away had to be aware of my indiscretions.
But the new SL63 is no one-trick pony. Ugly its new skin might be, but since it’s now formed of aluminum, this Benz comes some 200 pounds closer to actually earning the “Sport Licht (light)” moniker. It also helps explain not only why it can annihilate 60 in three and a half seconds, but also that it can come to a halt from triple-digit speeds in less distance than many true sports cars.
And this AMG goes around corners like few the firm has previously built, with almost zero body lean and neutrality that should only be the province of track machines. Its steering precision and heft are better than the latest machines from archrival BMW, and you can now Tokyo Drift in it without fear of being bitten. Finally, Mercedes is getting better at programming its 7-speed transmission—a combination of smooth automatic innards coupled to fast-twitch twin clutches—to respond instantaneously to the driver’s commands, not a second or two later.
As a grand touring machine, the SL63 also moves the game forward, with an even more rigid structure, smoother ride and greater refinement than the older model. While the folding metal roof still compromises luggage space, the interior is substantially higher in perceived quality, with slick controls, a top-notch infotainment setup and great seats that combine long haul comfort with excellent lateral support.
Aesthetic challenges aside, it is impossible not to conclude that this Mercedes SL63 is the greatest convertible GT yet built, offering compellingly interactive dynamics, supercar-shattering speed and cosseting luxury in one package.
Click here to read what Mercedes Benz has to say about the SL63
Price as tested: $171,225
EPA ratings: 16/25; 19 mpg combined
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