The AMG SL and AMG GT both overflow with power, though they approach their sporty demeanor differently. They are also everyday comfortable. We rate them a 9 out of 10 here.
It starts out with rear-wheel drive. 4Matic and S E Performance models have all-wheel drive that can disconnect the front axle.
How fast is the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL-Class?
With a minimum of 416 hp and max of 805 hp, these sports cars range from quick to brutally fast. It starts with the 43 models driven by a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that spits out 416 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharger is aided by an electric motor to help make that power and to reduce turbo lag. These models can accelerate from 0-60 mph in as little as 4.5 seconds. We haven’t driven a 43 model, but this engine has proven strong in other models.
We have driven the SL 55 and 63. The 55 models use a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 that makes 469 hp and 516 lb-ft, which cuts the 0-60 mph run to just 3.8 seconds. SL and GT 63 models use a higher tune of the same engine. It produces 577 hp and 590 lb-ft and cuts the 0-60 mph time to as little as 3.1 seconds. The AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+ is tuned for even more power at 603 hp and 627 lb-ft.
The V-8s are strong throughout the rev range, but the 63 models’ additional power feels stronger in the midrange, when passing, or when accelerating out of a turn on a track. These engines sound great, too, with a guttural burble at idle, a roar during acceleration, and pops and crackles between gears.
All engines are mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission that keeps the engines in their power sweet spots, especially in Sport and Track modes.
The top of the heap is the 63 S E Performance powertrain. It gets the V-8 with the Pro’s tune and a rear-mounted motor, and they combine to make the quickest and most-powerful Mercedes ever. The numbers are astounding: 805 hp and 1,047 lb-ft, and a 0-60 mph run of just 2.7 seconds. Its power comes on even harder than the already sudden V-8 models, as the electric rear motor provides an immediate jolt of thrust off the line. It’s a plug-in hybrid, too, with a 6.1-kwh battery that unlocks a short electric driving range.
Power feels the same with all engines between the SL and GT, but these cars approach ride and handling differently. While the SL is sportier than it has been in the past, it’s still tuned as a grand tourer. It has sharp, quick steering and agile moves, but compared to the GT it has noticeable lean in turns and a ride that makes it easy to drive every day.
Both cars have five-arm multilink suspensions front and rear, an available linked hydraulic suspension that helps fight body lean without hurting ride quality. The brakes are strong in any model, available rear-wheel steering aids stability at speed and shortens the low-speed turning radius, and an available limited-slip differential controls power at corner exit.
The AMG GT offers all those optional features but it’s tuned with a firmer suspension and much sharper responses. It’s more trackworthy, especially the 63 Pro 4Matic+ model, and while the ride is firm it’s not too harsh.
