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It made sense when senior editor Ezra Dyer recently proposed that convertibles only require about 150 horsepower to provide a leisurely and occasionally sporty open-air experience. An intriguing counterargument, meanwhile, comes from the 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance, which generates almost five times that quantity. And spending some time behind the wheel of AMG's newest plug-in-hybrid hot rod, we acknowledge Affalterbach's crazy scientists might have some solid points—805 of them, precisely.
Quiet But Aggressive
Like the GT coupe with which it shares a base, the E Performance model of the SL63 uses a 603-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 routed via a nine-speed automatic using a wet clutch instead of a conventional torque converter. The E Performance powertrain becomes complex right at the back axle. An electric drive unit comprises a two-speed gearbox, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, an inverter, a motor with 201 horsepower and 236 pound-feet, and a 4.8-kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. To provide electric-only all-wheel-drive, the e-motor may even deliver torque forward to the front axle.
The SL inhabits a world of surplus. Originally developed in the early 1950s, the SL emblem represented Super Leicht—Super Light, for the monolingual people. About seventy years later, nothing about the current-generation SL seems to be sleek. Mercedes claims that electric parts add about 500 pounds to the gas-only SL63, which should result in an E Performance close to a hefty 4850 pounds.
Speaking of excess, after all that hazy EV arithmetic is factored in, the aggregate output is a monster 805 horsepower and 1047 pound-feet with all the powertrain parts at full blast. And much like the similarly powerful GT63 S E Performance, great sensations abound—especially with Race Start included. The 4.0-liter V-8 vibrates in its mounts and sends burbles and pops into the air. Release the brake and the SL attacks the road ahead. She jumps forward. The terrible acceleration waggons your innards through your rib cage. Before slowing off to provide 94-hp bursts in 60-second increments, the electric motor runs full force in 10-second dosages. As with its hard-topped sister, we anticipate the sprint to 60 mph to be done in under 2.5 seconds; the quarter-mile closes in something over 10.
Moving around on battery power alone is especially welcomed in the SL even though we estimate the E Performance to return just a handful of electric-only miles. Use eight drive modes to reach Electric and the V-8 shuts right up, leaving just the wind in your hair (or, in our case, what's left of it) and the airy smells of southern Germany's newly baled hay. Mercedes claims that in electrified form the SL E Performance can cruise at up to 87 mph. There are four degrees of brake regeneration accessible; none of them provide real one-pedal driving; the stronger modes are shut out when the battery almost runs empty. The starter-generator in the sportiest driving modes may rapidly charge the battery. Should the battery run low upon arrival, the SL's 3.7-kW onboard charger can fill the pack in around two hours when hooked into a 220-volt outlet or almost five hours on a 110-volt system. You may read also this: Customizing Features on Your 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
Great Legit
The SL63 S E Performance doesn't stomp around like a petulant elephant, despite what its heft might imply. Rather, the SL's conventional rear-axle steering lets the car elegantly negotiate curving hillside routes. While the GT's steering feels aggressive, the SL's is more relaxed; for this, you can credit a construction with 40 percent less torsional stiffness, smaller Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires, and electronically controlled dampers with softer valving. There isn't any more sensation through the tiller. Like the GT, the SL bypasses a conventional anti-roll-bar arrangement and substitutes a hydraulic anti-roll control system. The system tuning changes in comfort and sport driving modes; the corners are hydropneumatically coupled to minimize body roll. The system runs at a lower pressure in the SL to enable more body movement.
The E Performance matches its bustle with powerful brakes, not unexpectedly. Six-piston calipers squeeze the standard (and enormous) 16.5-inch carbon-ceramic roters front-on. There are 15.0-inch rotors in the back, but just weak-looking single-piston calipers. Although they will clamp down with authority, we cannot ignore the discomfort of the fluctuating pressure of the brake pedal, something we also detested in the GT's E Performance edition. There is never a consistent reaction from the left pedal, nor any indication of the pedal feel you will really experience. Firm and ready, or a sloshful of travel? Who knows! We still find great annoyance in Mercedes-Benz's enigmatic moving brake pedal, a deliberate decision meant to change pedal position even under continuous braking effort. Who wanted this?
Then once more, who sought an 805-hp convertible with all-wheel drive and a plug-in-hybrid powertrain? Though we're not sure, ideally they will be ready to spend supercar money for this outstanding hustler. Although the $208,150 starting point is a large pill to swallow, the dual-major capability of the SL63 S E Performance will surely gratify any owner who gets their hands on one when they come in the U.S. later this summer.
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