Unleashed in October 2021 with twin-turbo V8 muscle, the seventh-generation SL is now available as a plug-in hybrid. Slotting above the combustion-only 63 series, the obnoxiously named 63 S E Performance belts out a simply ludicrous 600 kW and 1,420 Nm of torque. Otherwise put, 805 mechanical horsepower and a turbo diesel heavy-duty pickup truck-shaming 1,047 pound-feet.
A far more tempting proposition than the rear-drive and four-cylinder 43 series, the 63 "CAPS LOCK EVERYTHING" S E PERFORMANCE is the most powerful and torquiest SL of all time. It could be the heaviest as well, but alas, Mercedes-AMG didn't publish the curb weight of the top-dog version.
With the SL 63 tipping the scales at 1,970 kilograms (4,343 pounds), you can bet your bottom dollar that the plug-in stuff adds in the ballpark of 200 kilograms of girth. Although based on a different platform, the five-door GT 63 weighs 260 kilograms (573 pounds) less than its plug-in sibling. The hybrid part comprises of an electric motor that drives the rear wheels to the tune of 201 horsepower, plus a high-performance battery with a capacity of 6.1 kWh.
Kind of small, huh? Being a Mercedes-AMG, the SL 63 S E PERFORMANCE wasn't developed to save the polar bears and ice cap. It's a high-performance grand tourer with some eco credentials, a driver-oriented gran turismo with a meager 13 kilometers (make that 8 miles) of electric range.
Equipped with AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive and the AMG SpeedShift MCT 9G multi-clutch transmission, the German roadster needs 2.9 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour. The 0-60 estimate hasn't been confirmed, but chances are that zero to 60 miles per hour takes 2.7 seconds.
Photo: Mercedes-AMG
The beating heart of the SL 63 S E PERFORMANCE is the wet-sump M177 engine of the 63 and 55 series, a twin-turbo V8 that produces 450 kW and 850 Nm in this application. That's 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet, with maximum torque delivered between 2,500 and 4,500 revolutions per minute. Affalterbach's favorite son quotes 7.7 liters per 100 kilometers in the WLTP combined test cycle, meaning 30.5 miles for every gallon of gasoline.
Don't believe them WLTP numbers, though, because WLTP estimates aren't as close to real-world scenarios as the EPA's way of testing fuel economy. The truth of the matter is that no prospective customer is interested in such trivialities, but rather in the vehicle's performance numbers. Merc says the all-new SL 63 S E Performance is much obliged to reach 317 kilometers per hour (197 miles per hour), which is two clicks better than the ICE-only 63 series.
One-pedal driving is – curiously enough – possible, with the SL 63 S E PERFORMANCE offering no fewer than four levels of recuperation intensity. Gifted with an underbody aero element that automatically extends at speeds in excess of 80 kph (50 mph) to create a Venturi effect, the SL 63 S E PERFORMANCE further sweetens the deal with semi-active roll stabilization in the form of displacement dampers with interconnected hydraulic elements.
Rear-wheel steering, ceramic brakes with bronze calipers, 20- to 21-inch alloys and forged wheels, and a silent start mode also need to be mentioned. Pricing information, however, isn’t available at press time. A rough estimate would be around 200 big ones, for the gas-only 63 currently starts at $183,000.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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