Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance Tested: Long Name, Short 0-60
Hybridization elevates the ultimate SL to world-class sports car status.
Pros
- Endlessly excellent to drive
- Zero top-down compromise
- Full of luxurious amenities
Cons
- Price-inappropriate interior
- Rides like a sports car (because it is)
- Tiny trunk
Power and torque define the 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain delivers unrelenting thrust, elevating the dynamics of AMG’s ultimate roadster beyond any SL-Class before it. But crushing acceleration is only one thrilling facet of this China Blue gem.
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Don’t discount it as just another derivative in AMG’s expansive lineup. The SL63 S E Performance is something else. Something better.
A High-Tech Hybrid
As its long (and henceforth abbreviated) name implies, the SL63 S is based on the standard SL63. Its AMG-engineered multi-metal chassis provides a foundation for the same M177 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, nine-speed wet-clutch automatic, four-wheel steering, and interlinked hydraulic active anti-roll suspension.
From there, AMG applies E Performance treatment as it does on the C63S, S63S, and GT63S. An electric motor with its own two-speed automatic and limited-slip differential draws power from a compact battery, which has a direct cooling circuit to sustain rapid charging and discharging.
Plugging in provides all-electric range in the single-digit miles, a convenient outcome of an electric propulsion system engineered first for performance. When not plugged in, the battery charges mechanically so it can always contribute to the prodigious total output: 805 hp and 1,047 lb-ft of torque. That’s sent through the 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, which allows the front engine and rear motor to power the four wheels either simultaneously or separately.
Supercar Speed
Such complex engineering is something to contemplate. But when the SL63 S takes off, it’s difficult to think about anything except its sheer speed. Launching it is diabolically simple and produces a 0–60-mph time of just 2.5 seconds. Savage propulsion sustains through the 10.4-second, 135.3-mph quarter mile and beyond.
Compared to its hardtop GT63 S counterpart, which shares this powertrain, the S is only a tenth of a second behind in the 0–60 sprint and 0.2 mph slower in the quarter mile.
Hot on the AMG’s tail is another hybrid, the Porsche 911 GTS; Coupe and Cabriolet post 0–60-mph times of 2.6 and 2.7 seconds. Their quarter miles measure 10.7 seconds at 129.7 mph and 10.9 seconds at 127.3 mph, respectively—highly impressive for rear-drive cars. The non-hybrid SL63 is a relative laggard, posting 3.1 seconds to 60 mph and an 11.3-second, 124.0-mph quarter mile.
Hybrid sports cars aren’t so unusual, but what’s interesting about the SL63 S is how it doesn’t hide it when its dual power sources interact with each other. From a stop, the torque response could only come from an electric motor. At high rpm, the V-8 roars enthusiastically as it powers the speedometer ever higher.
The space between, though, is where the E Performance system stuns by beautifully integrating combustion and induction. The effect is simply inexorable acceleration. There’s just so much available, always ready to go. Gear selection becomes nearly irrelevant; spending a drive lazily swapping between third and fourth gears is entirely possible, whether that drive entails cruising along or tearing off the tires. There are few places on the planet where it’s possible to use it all. Somehow, though, it works everywhere.
As another benefit, the clutch stuttering other SL models exhibit at takeoff is eliminated by the electric motor, which gets the SL63 S off the line as the transmission engages. Shifts are sharp and respond immediately to the paddle shifters, aside from occasional downshift refusal.
What a Beast
AMGs are revered for their muscular character, and electrification makes the SL63 S feel steroidal compared to the SL63 (as if that wasn’t buff enough). This focus has also earned the brand a reputation for sometimes creating fast barges or uncoordinated showpieces. Not the SL63 S—it’s for drivers.
Mass is a factor to consider, however. At 4,784 pounds, the SL63 S is more than a quarter-ton heavier than the SL63. But rather than obscure that bulk through brute force, how the chassis lets the E Performance powertrain shine makes the SL63 S feel fierce yet approachable.
The platform’s rear-biased fundamentals aren’t dulled by 4Matic. Any liveliness out back is balanced by a confident pull up front. Steering is quick and heavy, providing high accuracy even as it dilutes some road texture. Blending regenerative and friction braking makes the brake pedal feel less linear than the SL63’s, yet it remains direct and forceful through its short, firm press.
Some drivers still lament the loss of a non-AMG SL-Class, those built to be smooth rather than visceral; the Maybach SL-Class might be for them. Indeed, the SL63 S could never be described as plush. Instead, it achieves comfort through exceptional poise. Impacts are communicated through the suspension but isolated in such a way as to never unsettle the car or its occupants. Compliant over small bumps and stable over large impacts, this refined ride adds to how enjoyable the SL63 S is in casual or focused driving.
Other test results reinforce its high performance. Braking from 60 to 0 mph takes 108 feet, a strong result that’s nevertheless longer than the aforementioned AMG and Porsches. Its skidpad grip of 0.99 g and a figure-eight lap of 23.5 seconds at 0.91 g average are only accomplished by very sporty vehicles. Again, though, the SL63 S’ hybrid rivals outdo it. Perhaps such minor compromises are justified by all its other open-air talents.
Still a Benz
Caveat: These impressions are based on using the Sport + drive mode, as it’s a livable way to maximize engagement. It makes the SL63 S drive like it’s meant to be driven. Still, some scenarios call for Comfort mode, where everything relaxes and the hybrid system only uses the engine when it must. Funny how knowing how good the car is in Sport + makes Comfort intolerable.
Regardless of mode, the SL63 S shares upscale amenities with other Sport Leicht variants. Depending on perspective, this is either a benefit or concern. There’s no shortage of niceties inside, like the crisp digital displays, robust massaging seats, brilliant Burmester audio system, or glitzy color-changing ambient lighting. Still, this interior is identical to the half-priced, half-cylindered AMG SL43; therefore, so much shared componentry seems untoward in a range-topping roadster costing far beyond six figures. It’s very nice but not very special.
Get over that, and the SL63 S remains a superb convertible, free of unexpected noise and buffeting. Warm-air vents in the headrests help you keep the top down for longer in cool weather. If the roof must be unfurled, the cabin becomes nearly as quiet as a hardtop. Although the back seats remain inhospitable to humans, their usefulness for cargo storage has actually increased, given how motor hardware infringes on trunk space.
Underrated, Underappreciated
This R232-generation SL-Class has never had it easy. Ostensibly transformed, it was unclear if it was more Mercedes or AMG. This allowed for hesitation over what it is or what it isn’t. Meanwhile, new nemeses emerged, and rivals that stayed truer to lineage refined their formulas.
As long as the SL-Class wears an Affalterbach badge so close to its three-pointed star, that may forever be the case. As it’s bound to embody both, it risks seeming unfocused. In E Performance form, though, it gains tremendous breadth, exemplifying the best of its storied makers. The SL63 S proves legends can evolve—and in doing so, becomes an epic luxury super-sports car.
Alex's earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He's never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn't fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.
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