Mercedes-AMG SL 2022 Review – International

The arrival of this sleek, luxurious, high-performance roadster on Australian shores is still some way off, expected in the latter half of this year.

As such, details are scarce on exactly what flavours of 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 4MATIC+ are coming and what they’ll cost, but they’ll be primed to take the fight up to rivals from Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW and others.

Two variants were on the international launch in California: the SL 55 and SL 63. Both are propelled by the same biturbo V8 and 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system, but with a few tuning tweaks and equipment differences between them.

There will be a choice of black or red automatic soft-top, which can go up or down in 15 seconds and while driving up to 60km/h.

A soft-top was chosen over a folding hard-top to save weight and lower the centre of gravity. It also leaves more useable space in the boot, which is always good to have.

Top up or down, the new-generation R232-series AMG SL sports a smooth silhouette, and its looks are more striking in person than in photos.

Standard features include sport seats, Nappa leather upholstery, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry/start, an internet-connected voice assistant, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless phone charging.

An 11.9-inch touch-screen seems to lean back against the centre console. It’s the main interface for fiddling with most of the Mercedes-AMG SL’s infotainment and vehicle systems, including the climate control.

The screen tilts from 12 to 32 degrees to help avoid sun glare when the top is down. You’ll still get an eyeful of blinding light when you pass through a direct-hit sunbeam, though. You’ll get a good look at a lot of fingerprints from some angles, too.

Several active aerodynamic features around the exterior are also standard, along with adaptive suspension and rear-wheel steering.

Gobs of standard safety and driving assist technologies are aboard the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL.

Systems include an attention monitor, steering assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign monitoring, lane keeping and lane change assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and blind spot monitoring.

One weird bit of tech was a front camera view that popped up on the infotainment screen at strange times, like sitting at an intersection and approaching your destination while navigating.

What’s the point of showing a picture of what you can see in front of you on a screen that’s harder to look at? It feels like an added distraction.

A head-up display is optional, but if you wear polarised sunnies often you might not always be able to see it clearly.

The instrument cluster is fully digital and can be switched between several different designs. Discovering how to operate this tidbit of functionality without help is nigh impossible. The only way to do it is by swiping a finger across one of the haptic touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons. (You’re welcome!)

Other than that, the main MBUX infotainment system interface is intuitive and easy to use.

Official safety ratings aren’t available yet, but they’ll likely be good. The steel windscreen frame is designed to offer rollover protection along with an automatically deployed roll bar hidden behind the rear seats.

The long, broad front-end of the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 4MATIC+ hides a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 within.

The engine is rated at 350kW and 700Nm in the SL 55 model, supposedly good for a 3.9-second dash from 0-100km/h.

In the SL 63, increased airflow, a bump in turbo boost and a software tuning tweak squeeze the V8’s output up to 430kW and 800Nm. Mercedes-AMG says that shaves 0.3sec off the SL 55’s 0-100 time.

Power delivery through the nine-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission is obscenely quick and mostly smooth, with almost imperceptible upshifts after third gear.

The Sport and Sport+ driving modes automatically blip the throttle on downshifts and enable multiple downshifts when coming aggressively into a corner. The transmission’s ability to choose just the right gear feels darn near telepathic.

Paddles behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel allow manual control of the gears, but the auto mode is so good that you probably won’t feel the need to shift your own. There are so many gears that it feels almost too fiddly to tap through them anyway.

The difference in power is noticeable when a mashed throttle pins you to the seat, but even more so in how each roadster sounds. The SL 63’s exhaust note has a distinctive crackle and snarl, especially in the Sport driving modes, while the SL 55 rumbles in a subtle manner.

Aside from the Sport modes, there are Comfort and Slippery drive modes for more relaxed or slick situations, and a fully customisable setting you can tune to your liking. The SL 63 includes a Race mode, which is optional on the SL 55.

Standard all-wheel drive on a drop top like this is a rarity, and this is the first time it’s ever been on any Mercedes SL model. The 4MATIC+ system can vary torque completely between front and rear wheels, offering tenacious grip and a surefooted drive.

A common complaint about convertibles is that they can feel shaky or wobbly on-road, but that’s not the case here. The 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL has an exceptionally stiff structure that keeps it amazingly free of flex and cowl shake.

The adaptive suspension is firm but comfortable in every mode, yet still communicates the road surface to the driver.

The roadster handles curves at speed with stunning aplomb. Its flat cornering attitude and willingness to turn-in completely belies its 1950kg-plus kerb weight.

Active rear-wheel steering and a hydraulic anti-roll system no doubt have a lot to do with how agile the hefty SL feels. It’s quite a smile-inducing experience to zip it around a twisty mountain road in the open air while the transmission rips through gear changes.

However, joy turned to fear when I went to the brakes hard and the pedal felt just as hard and unforgiving. The SL has huge AMG brakes, and they slowed the car down without any outward drama. Better brake pedal feel would be welcome when you’re pushing things, though.

The front sport seats have large bolsters to support you in the corners, and the bottom cushion is firm but surprisingly comfortable even on longer trips.

Yes, the rear seats are tight, but if you get a surprise call to pick up a couple of munchkins less than 1.5m tall, the SL can do it.

The convertible soft-top consists of three layers with an acoustic mat sandwiched somewhere between them, so top-up cruising is pretty quiet considering the low-profile 21-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

Electric top operation is accessed with one of the few dedicated buttons under the centre screen.

With the top down and the rear wind blocker in place there’s minimal buffeting of the driver and passenger. Mercedes’ famed AIRSCARF vents in the front seats can blow air down your shirt collar at the touch of a dedicated button, making open-top cruising comfy in any temperature.

Shoppers looking for a convertible of this calibre will find a lot to like about the clean-sheet, new-generation 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL.

Aside from a few tech quirks, it’s a lovely and engaging ride.

You’ll never regret having rear seats, even if they don’t get used much.

Best of all, this pumped-up SL is as capable of seriously spirited driving as it is civilised around town.

How much does the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 4MATIC+ cost?
Price: From $370,000 est (SL 55), $400,000 est (SL 63)
Available: Second half of 2022
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 350kW/700Nm (SL 55), 430kW/800Nm (SL 63)
Transmission: Nine-speed multi-clutch automatic
Fuel: 11.8-12.7L/100 km (WLTP)
CO2: 268-288g/km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested