Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance unleashed with 600kW

The flagship 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance has been revealed and it brings unprecedented levels of power to the German car-maker’s glamourous new roadster, which will be one of the quickest convertibles money can buy when it lands in Australia next year.

Smashing the recently-released SL 63 for not only power and pace but efficiency, the new Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance is the latest beneficiary of AMG’s big-bore plug-in hybrid powertrain seen in the four-door Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance.

It blends the company’s twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with a 150kW electric motor and a 6.1kWh battery that provides an EV range of up to 13km.

But the big news is that, in total, the SL 63 S E Performance produces an incredible 600kW of power and 1420Nm of torque – enough for AMG to claim a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 317km/h.

Those figures mean the mightiest SL is significantly quicker than the 430kW/800Nm V8-powered SL 63 (3.6sec), but matches the Ferrari 296 GTS for acceleration and is beaten only by the Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, which can hit 100km/h in a claimed 2.8sec.

Helping provide such ferocious thrust off the line is the fact the electric motor is bolted directly to the rear axle, assisting acceleration not only from a standing start but during high-speed overtakes too.

Featuring its own two-speed transmission, which is combined with the combustion engine’s seven-speed auto, the electric motor can even shuffle its torque to the front axle if slip is detected.

The rear axle also gets a mechanical limited-slip differential to further boost traction.

As standard, a rear-wheel steering system is said to increase both agility and stability, while huge carbon-ceramic brake rotors with bronze callipers have been developed especially for the plug-in SL.

The same Mercedes-AMG F1 team-developed 400-volt battery that’s already seen in other plug-in AMG models like the GT 4-Door is claimed to be both lightweight and able to discharge and charge at higher rates than its rivals.

The same battery is said to help the SL 63 S E Performance develop maximum power without any drop-off in performance.

Eight different driving modes – Electric, Battery Hold, Comfort, Smoothness, Sport, Sport Plus, Race and Individua – offer different calibrations for the throttle, gearshift speed, steering weight, dampers and engine sound.

Drivers can also dial up (or down) brake regen, with the hybrid said to be capable of clawing back up 100kW of power for the small battery that lives under the floor.

Externally, the differences between the plug-in SL and the already-powerful 430kW SL 63 4MATIC are best described as subtle.

There’s a charging flap on the rear bumper, E Performance badging at both ends and a set of aerodynamically optimised 20-inch alloy wheels, with the option of larger 21s.

Other tweaks include a new carbon-fibre front splitter that extends by up to 40mm at speeds of above 80km/h, when a new ducktail spoiler is also deployed. That rear spoiler can adopt one of five different positions favouring either downforce or reduced drag.

Inside, AMG’s next E Performance model – following the four-cylinder C 63 PHEV – is identical to the non-hybrid SL 63, but the 600kW roadster does gain hybrid-specific displays for the MBUX infotainment system, which can show the power flow of the drive system, as well as speed, power, torque and even battery and motor temperature.

As well as one of the fastest convertibles available, Mercedes-AMG says the SL 63 S E Performance is surprisingly efficient, capable of averaging just 7.7L/100km while emitting 175g/km of CO2.

Those figures are a big improvement on the slower SL 63, which consumes 13.9L/100km and emits 319g/km of CO2.

Commenting on the new Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance, AMG chief Michael Schiebe said: “The SL has always been an icon in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio. The latest version of the legendary roadster transfers this status into the future.

“With this unique concept, we offer our customers not only superior performance but also the option of all-electric driving. Extensive equipment options and the high-quality materials used also make the SL one of the most exclusive roadsters on the market – a real dream car.”

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