Key Points in This Review
- The latest SL63 S E Performance is the most powerful Mercedes-Benz convertible ever.
- Its twin-turbo V-8 plug-in hybrid powertrain is focused almost entirely on performance, not efficiency.
- It’s also notably more comfortable than its AMG GT coupe counterpart.
The sales pitch for Mercedes-AMG’s hottest SL is charmingly simple: wind in your hair, V-8 up front, and 805 horsepower and 1,047 pounds-feet of torque in between.
Bonkers. But in typical SL-Class fashion, you wouldn’t know you had access to four-figure torque unless you intentionally hit the afterburners down an on-ramp — or, if I’m picking the venue, an empty Nevada highway. Like every other current AMG product, the Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance is only as flashy as its drive mode — or the position of your right foot; it offers the same coddle as the base turbo four-cylinder-powered AMG SL43.
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That’s for better or worse, of course. This seventh-generation SL is a landmark car in the model’s more than 70-year history, being the first to both fall entirely under the purview of Mercedes-AMG and offer a direct fixed-roof coupe alter-ego — at least since the O.G. 300 SL in 1954. The current SL is best interpreted as a droptop variant of the current AMG GT coupe, sharing its platform, powertrains and general interior structure.
What Engine Does the Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance Have?
- Takeaway: This Mercedes is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a single rear electric motor.
Until the recent arrival of a Maybach variant, the SL was available solely in sporting AMG flavors, each neatly corresponding with versions in the AMG GT’s lineup down to power output and position within the model hierarchy. Only the track-focused AMG GT63 Pro lacks a convertible sibling, and that’s a smart omission given Mercedes’ prior sales experience with the pointiest versions of the last AMG GT Roadster.
For now, the SL63 S E Performance is perched at the top. Typical of this era’s top performers, a hybridized drivetrain — specifically a plug-in hybrid one — is the root of its ridiculous power figures; a single rear electric motor augments its 603-hp, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, bumping combined output to 805 hp and 1,047 pounds-feet of torque. The electric motor on the rear axle has a proprietary two-speed transmission and integrated limited-slip differential, and it’s fed by a 6.1-kilowatt-hour battery, 4.8 kWh of which are usable. (For this review, I drove a 2025 version of the SL63 S E Performance, but changes to the SL for 2026 are minimal, including a revised center console and new paint and upholstery offerings.)
This PHEV powertrain is there for speed, not sipping fuel. Regarding the former, the word of the day, kids, is “oppressive,” and it’s spelled S-L-6-3-S-E-P … erformance. This is just about the most disorienting and alarming droptop short of a 1,064-hp Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 convertible. Even then, I think a properly launch-controlled SL63 S E Performance would get the jump thanks to all-wheel drive and its electric motor’s instant torque.
How Does the Mercedes-AMG SL Compare With the AMG GT Coupe?
- Takeaway: The SL is convertible-only, and it’s more softly tuned.
But that lead wouldn’t last long. All that extra hybrid hardware adds a thick 518 pounds to the regular AMG SL63’s curb weight, leaving the S E Performance at a rather porky 4,839 pounds, and though 805 hp goes a long way toward muffling mass, this is clearly a heavy car in motion. Mercedes is no stranger to managing bulk, however, and an expectedly trick active and adaptive suspension admirably cuts body roll, while rear-axle steering amps the car’s agility, and its gluey Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires wrinkle asphalt with exceptional grip.
It’s really just this Mercedes’ eye-squishing, passenger-panicking acceleration that spooks. The rest of the SL63 S E Performance is gravy — rich sausage gravy — that is as (relatively) comfortable as it is emotionless. These AMG-only SLs must fill roles previously occupied by two distinct cars: the prior, cushy SL-Class and the focused, hard-knuckle Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster. You could hardly accuse the prior GT Roadster of possessing incredible granularity, but driver inputs in the SL63 S E Performance are notably soft and light for a two-door with enough torque to mulch petrified wood.
This is partially by design. Compared directly with the AMG GT63 S E Performance, the SL variant has 40% less torsional rigidity and softer valving in the adaptive shocks for extra compliance, comfort and body motion. As noted, this reduces what should be a very unsettling experience into daily ’round-town commutability. It reminds you of its radioactivity only when you drop the reactor’s fuel rods.
How Fast Is the Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance?
- Takeaway: It’s incredibly fast, with an electronically limited top speed of 196 mph and a Mercedes-estimated 0-60 mph time of 2.8 seconds.
You’d better be ready when you do, as a full-bore launch feels like being double-bounced on God’s trampoline. Mercedes claims a 2.8-second 0-60 mph scream, but that feels a bit conservative when you hear the involuntary huhhh from driver and passenger alike. Even in the super-speed playground that is the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, the wide roads and stretched straights did little to dampen the SL’s galactic warp.
Never have I been so thankful for standard carbon-ceramic brakes. The six-piston front and single-piston rear stompers are brutally effective in cutting that wicked speed fade-free, but the pedal’s inconsistent pressure was a mite disconcerting. It was sometimes mushy, sometimes steely and never predictable, though stopping power seemed unaffected. I chalk this up to the balance between the regenerative resistance of the electric motor and the physical brakes. It’s something only the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid nails in the hybrid super-sports car arena.
While it’s softer than the AMG GT, the SL63 is still fabulously composed and requisitely capable through a fast canyon pass. And with the soft top stowed, you get to enjoy that crisp mountain air and the V-8’s oily, metallic rumble — or not, if you slip into Electric drive mode to conk out the engine. Mercedes says the SL will cruise up to 87 mph on electric power alone, but don’t expect to go far; its electric-only driving range is around just 9 miles.
Stylistically, the SL’s cockpit is very much in line with both the AMG GT and the rest of Mercedes’ lineup. Leather is fine and flawless, accent trim is a mixture of metal and available carbon fiber, and the front seats are heated, ventilated and massaging. Mercedes’ signature Air Scarf is back, blowing warm air on your neck for comfortable open-air motoring in frostier environments. Mercedes is still all-in on the idea of screens as luxury, so most controls are embedded in the 11.9-inch center infotainment touchscreen. Even my 2025 test car’s soft-top controls were in the screen, an awkward slide/unlock gesture that was both fiddly and frustrating; thankfully, Mercedes has added roof controls to the center console for 2026.
How Much Does the Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance Cost?
Massive power, massive price. You’ll pay no less than $209,250 (includes $1,350 destination fee) for a base 2026 Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance, and there are plenty of bespoke Manufaktur touches available to blow your budget wide open. Worth it? I think so, especially if you get it in a bright Miami-appropriate color and have frequent access to some low-traffic highways. But hey, don’t blame me if you quintuple your speeding ticket rate — 1,047 pounds-feet of torque tends to do that.
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