2011 Mercedes-Benz’s SL63 AMG

Outrageous. That’s just one good descriptive to use when discussing Mercedes-Benz’s SL63 AMG.

The SL63, along with its big brother twelve-cylinder SL65, used to be at the summit of the M-B mountaintop. That was until that young buck SLS AMG showed up. Is this AMG-stroked eight-cylinder plaything still worthy? Read on, as we take a look.

What is it?
Start with the princely SL body style that reeked of old money. You know the car. Attractive to the white-haired, gold chain set with the mouth full of sparkly veneers and a babe on his arm that made you question whether a girl so young would actually go out with a guy like this. Or was it simply a case of father-daughter date night? Err, that’s an awfully close paternal relationship.

Then something happened. The powers that be at Daimler let their AMG guys start to massage the beast, so to speak, drop a big honkin’ hand built V8 inside, add all sorts of other go-fast goodies and voila, a hard-top convertible rocket that can do a Jekyll and Hyde with the best of them.

This is not the first SL that AMG has had their hands on. But it is the latest iteration of the same.

What’s it up against?
Some heady competition. Domestically, there’s the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Visit Europe and the Jaguar XKR, Aston-Martin Vantage V8 and Porsche 911 Turbo, are just a few of the categorical combatants.

Any breakthroughs?
The breakthroughs occurred with the SL63’s introduction in 2009. There was no SL63 model for 2010 as Mercedes was concentrating on bringing the SLS AMG to market, and the content of the 2011 model is effectively unchanged for the new model year. The goods include a seven-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission with AMG Speedshift Plus technology, mated to a hand built 6.3-liter (actually 6.208-liter – remember, always round up even when it doesn’t make sense) that shares nothing with any other Mercedes-built engine.

A two-stage resonance intake manifold helps with the SL63’s audio track to spit out a positively intoxicating gurgle that sounds as though it comes from under the hood, and out of the rear mounted twin exhaust tips, at the same time. A four-wheel independent active suspension even causes the AMG to hunker down while at speed.

How does it look?
The SL63 AMG looks like a totally evolved descendent of the 300SL of the late 1950s. Now with sharply creased bodywork, it features a new contemporary look and feel that although not overly flashy, still displays to those in the know that this is truly a special vehicle.

Special side gills designate this as a ’63 as opposed to a standard SL550, while a wide-open front grille area sucks up whatever air it can to help keep the big V8 cool. A subtle rear spoiler helps with downforce at speed, and the big, bad-assed 19-inch forged alloy wheels assist with the grip. Ground effects side skirts link the front of the car to the rear, where a specialized AMG rear end with diffuser flaps now makes up the rear fascia.

The world’s fastest convertible roadster roof can stow in the trunk in 16 seconds. But beware: Driving with the roof down does have a price. The stowed hardtop sucks up about thre cubic feet of storage space, going from 10.2 to 7.2 cubic feet.

And on the inside?
Two of the best driver and passenger seats found in a car live here. With multi-adjustable controls, the SL63’s chairs can cinch the side bolsters, adjust lumbar support, recline, raise, lower, heat and ventilate, and even more. Beside all of that, it offers active massage functions as well, which relieves lower back fatigue on long trips.

Leather stitched covering over the dashboard area, and Alcantara roofliner and A-pillar covers set off the ultra luxurious surroundings. The two-gauge binnacle features an AMG branded Speedometer and Tachometer for quick reference. The center stack houses the new and improved in-car entertainment/navigation system, which now includes HD terrestrial radio functions as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, and an SDHC memory card slot to introduce MP3 files into the system for custom playlists. Cubbyholes, and storage bins abound, and a small storage shelf resides behind the seats. A noise baffle is folded out of the way but is easily moved into place should you care for conversation with your top-down motoring.

Beyond that, the center console house all the ride control buttons and the shift lever with slap-shift functionality, should you decide to forego the use of the aluminum paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel. A rotary dial with detents for Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and manual ride control sits at the top of the console. Buttons that control shocks and an “AMG Setting,” which puts the car into a total high performance mode with launch control, stiffer shock settings and a remap of the shift points come next. And finally are buttons that control ride height to raise the car when traversing over steeply raked driveways. The control for the convertible hardtop sits at the very back of the console, out of the way of any accidental bumping by arms until the control is actually needed.

Naturally, everything is screwed together with precision and no material is anything short of luxurious. As it should be at this price.

But does it go?
Does Pope Benedict XVI hail from the Fatherland? Of course he does. This SL63 goes, and goes fast. A hand-built (“one man, one engine”) 6.3-liter V8 produces 518-horsepower and 465 lb-ft. of torque. With a two-stage resonance intake manifold to assist with the air induction, it obviates the need for turbos on this engine. Not that there’s anything wrong with them. But in the process you get the added bonus of the audible, low-range growl that grows to an absolutely intoxicating brrrapp as you squeeze the loud pedal.

Power gets to the rear wheels by way of a seven-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission with AMG Speedshift Plus. Giving instantaneous shifts through the aluminum paddle shift levers or the slapstick function of the gearshift, the result is magical. Especially when upshifting through the Sport, Sport Plus, or Manual modes, the engine gives off the always-satisfying sound of subtle backpressure “pops” while banging through the gears. On the downshift side of the equation, there is a kickdown function that shifts directly from seventh to fourth gear, or from fifth to seventh. All the while, computerized rev-matching is occurring to cause virtually “load-free” (no jerking) downshifting, in the words of Mercedes-Benz.

Launch control is also in place for track day jaunts to ensure full throttle launches. Through a combination of depressing the ESP Sport Switch, standing on the brakes, flipping the upshift paddle, flooring the accelerator, and finally releasing the brake, the car launches at full acceleration. The SL63 registers a zero to 60-mph time of 4.5 seconds, with top speed electronically capped at 155 mph.

Ride control is handled by automatic four-wheel level control, with driver selectable height adjustment. The suspension at both ends is handled by multi-link hardware with gas shocks, and coil springs in series with hydraulic cylinders.

The result is a roadster that sticks like glue and, as we mentioned previously, likes to suck itself down to the asphalt while at speed. We found on our test loop through that the SL just loved to cruise at speeds above 80 mph. We know that exceeds the speed limit in most neighborhoods, but we can’t help it. Quick, direct steering led us through the turns at high speed, with no untoward behavior at all.

So this is why the rich look so happy. It’s not just artificial surgery-enhanced grins.

Why you would buy it:
Sure, it costs a pretty penny, but when comparing it to other cars that you would have to tweak to achieve this level of performance, few are even able to come close.

Why you wouldn’t:
Because Friday night is cruising night at the local ice cream shop, you just had your gold chains polished and the Corvette detailed.

Leftlane’s bottom line:
Overall the SL63 is the perfect combination of looks, technology, luxury, and performance all mixed together. Fuel mileage is a meager 12/19, but if you have the Simoleans to afford the SL63 in the first place, gas prices be damned.

Only the positively earth-moving 604-horse SL65 will impress the neighbors more, but mainly because it adds a staggering $60,000 to the SL63 AMG’s base price.

2011 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG base price, $139,050. As tested, $141,060.
Panoramic roof, $2,010; Premium 1 Package, $3,150; Gas guzzler tax, $2,600; Destination, $875.