The SL63 S E Performance's potent plug-in hybrid powertrain generates some serious numbers, at a cost. The Mercedes SL-class underwent a major change in its latest generation, ditching its roadster form in favor of a four-seat convertible layout. It also started sharing its powertrains with the fixed-roof AMG GT coupe, including the top-of-the-line 63 S E Performance setup, a plug-in hybrid powertrain that produces some positively aggressive power numbers.
Of course, reaching for the gold ring of all-out performance requires some sacrifices to the SL's inherent luxurious nature, but it manages to balance everything quite nicely. Even ignoring its $209,250 base price, the SL63 S E Performance is a truly extreme machine. Under the SL's long hood lies a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 producing 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet. Add to that a 201-hp, 236-lb-ft electric motor and a battery with 5 kWh of usable energy, and you get a stonking 805 horsepower and 1047 pound-feet of twist, which is fed to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Tipping our scales at a substantial 4811 pounds, the SL63 S E Performance proved both a mouthful and a handful, besting its manufacturer-estimated 60-mph time with ease. Instead of taking a positively glacial 2.8 seconds to reach that mark, our test car managed it in just 2.5 seconds and then slammed through the quarter-mile in 10.4 seconds at 135 mph.
As you might expect, the SL's acceleration hits like a ton of bricks. The EV motor provides instant response from a stop before the V-8 reaches a boil; hell, even when we puttered around in Electric mode, the e-motor provided above-average get-up-and-go for blasting through traffic. With the throttle pinned to the firewall, that V-8 barks with 91 decibels of gusto, rising to almost 93 decibels when in Race mode.
Somebody call Faulkner—we figured out where all the sound and fury went. Of course, buying an AMG with a 63 badge means you probably like noise; in that case, we recommend Sport mode over the default Comfort, to keep the engine on. Should you tire of the exhaust's bassy drone while idling at stoplights, of which there is plenty, you can always switch back to a mode that prioritizes electric-only operation.
Stopping the SL from 70 mph required a tidy 150 feet; pedal action is firm but easy enough to modulate, and you won't notice much, if any, transitioning between the friction and regen braking. We do wish that the SL's battery were larger. At 5 kWh, you won't be getting far on electrons alone; it's a contrast to the S580e sedan, which has a battery with nearly five times the capacity and an EPA electric range estimate of almost 50 miles.
Source: caranddriver.com
