Introduced in 1952 as purely a car for auto racing, the Mercedes SL quickly became transposed for the street a couple of years later once the American market fell in love with the idea of the sporty luxury coupe following World War II. Since then, the SL has essentially always existed, although now it’s sold under Mercedes-AMG instead of Mercedes-Benz, with the latest generation serving as a direct replacement for the GT Roadster. This week, we found out that this seventh-generation SL 63 will also offer a new E Performance model, which will be the most powerful SL ever made.
Like the standard SL 63, the new SL 63 S E Performance is powered by the AMG 4.0L V8 Biturbo engine. However, it gets a bump in power thanks to a tandem AMG Electric Drive Unit on the rear axle. The combination gets an impressive 805hp and up to 1,047lb.ft of combined torque (up from 585hp and 590lb.ft of torque in the regular SL 63). Likewise, the 0-to-60 time is reduced to 2.8 seconds (from 3.6 seconds), while the 196mph top speed remains. If slip wheel occurs at acceleration, the power transfers from the rear to the front wheels to maintain traction.
Unlike other hybrids, which may only tap into electric power above or below certain speeds, the SL 63 E Performance allows you to call upon the electric motor whenever you’d like. Other driving features include active roll stabilization, fully variable all-wheel drive, rear-axle steering, and a ceramic high-performance composite brake system. Equipped with AMG Performance seats and exclusive AMG Performance content, the car also benefits from Mercedes’ MANUFAKTUR Program, which offers full customization on the inside and outside, allowing you to choose the paint color, upholstery material, wheel size, design, and finish, and more.
No price has been given for the hybrid SL 63 yet, but the standard version of the car retails for just under $200,000, so you can expect to pay even more. Head over to Mercedes-AMG’s website to learn about the vehicle, which will arrive in 2024.
