2026 Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance Test: Sound and Fury
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...
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-pops 63 S E Performance setup, a plug-in hybrid powertrain that produces some positively aggro 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 stonkin' 805 horsepower and 1047 pound-feet of twist, which is fed to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission.
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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. To 60 mph, that time is just 0.1 second off the mechanically identical and 68-pound lighter GT63 S E Performance coupe's, yet both cars mirrored each other over the quarter-mile. 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.
HIGHS: Seemingly endless power, neck-craning good looks, tackles corners with above-average aplomb.
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. The official EV figure for this SL is a mere 1 mile, though it did at least manage to cover four miles on our 75-mph highway range test before the gas engine kicked in. Over that 200-mile run, it averaged a middling 24 mpg and 35 MPGe.
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The SL doesn't limit itself to straight-line performance. Wearing a set of 21-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires (sized 275/35ZR-21 in front, 305/30ZR-21 at the rear), the SL63 whipped its way around our skidpad at 1.02 g's. Standard 2.5-degree rear-wheel steering helps the SL feel even more maneuverable; turn-in is nice and sharp. The chassis clearly prioritizes composure over comfort. Body motions are kept well in check in the twisties, though that does incur the side effect of some additional chassis communication around town. Between the SL's fat, grippy tires and its suspension setup, the SL63 definitely is not the smoothest cruiser out there, but that's the trade-off for being ready to party at a moment's notice.
LOWS: Useless rear seats, rounding-error EV range, USB ports stuffed behind the cupholders.
Part of being ready to party means always being dressed to the nines, and the SL fits that bill. This is a shapely, attractive car, losing none of its proportional gravitas by adding two seats (seats that are, in effect, only useful for things without legs). The power soft top picks up new switches for 2026, and while we think it's silly that there's one switch for raising the roof and another for lowering it, the switches are an improvement over the previous method of swiping on the touchscreen.
The interior is on the tight side, though the center console has some usable stowage space under the armrest. If only Mercedes had thought to put the USB-C ports there; instead, they are just behind the cupholders, which becomes frustrating once you put anything in said cupholders. We love that the portrait-style infotainment screen can change its tilt angle to avoid glare from the sun, and the system will be as easy to master and use for most folks as it is in other modern Mercs. The optional $4500 Burmester sound system had no problem overpowering wind rush when we wanted to mix top-down driving with some tunes.
VERDICT: The SL offers whole bucketfuls of performance and poise in equal measure.
While it may fit a little snug, the Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance is still quite the finely tailored suit. It's lithe enough to be exciting to chuck around, especially when you're able to push the right pedal past the halfway point, and it's decked out in all the top-tier modern trimmings you'd expect from a six-figure AMG. If you're after a bit more outright comfort, Maybach's take on the SL is only about a $20K jump away, but you'll have a lot more fun with this one.
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Specifications
Specifications
2026 Mercedes-AMG SL63 S E Performance
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $209,250/$229,010
Options: Manufaktur Exclusive Steel Blue paint, $9900; Burmester High-End 3D audio system, $4500; Driver Assistance package (route-based speed adaptation; adaptive cruise control with active distance assist; active emergency stop, blind spot, steering, lane keeping and changing, braking, and speed-limit assist), $1950; 21-inch AMG Forged Cross-Spoke wheels in silver, $1700; AMG Performance steering wheel in microfiber/carbon fiber, $900; Magic Vision Control windshield wipers, $350; dash cam, $200; Energizing Air Control, $150; AMG fuel cap, $110
POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.0-liter V-8, 603 hp, 627 lb-ft + AC motor, 201 hp, 236 lb-ft (combined output: 805 hp, 1047 lb-ft; 5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; peak charge rate, AC: 3.7 kW)
Transmissions: 9-speed automatic/2-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 16.5-in vented, cross-drilled, carbon-ceramic disc/14.2-in vented, cross-drilled, carbon-ceramic disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
F: 275/35ZR-21 (103Y) MO1A
R: 305/30ZR-21 (104Y) MO1A
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.3 in
Length: 185.2 in
Width: 75.4 in
Height: 53.3 in
Trunk Volume: 4 ft3
Curb Weight: 4811 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.5 sec
100 mph: 5.9 sec
130 mph: 9.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 10.4 sec @ 135 mph
150 mph: 13.1 sec
180 mph: 23.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.1 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.8 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.1 sec
Top Speed (mfr claim): 196 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 150 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 303 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.02 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 41 dBA/3 sone
Full Throttle: 91 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 74 dBA/30 sone
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 17 MPGe
75-mph Highway Driving, EV/Hybrid Mode: 35 MPGe/24 mpg
75-mph Highway Range, EV/Hybrid mode: 4/440 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/16/22 mpg
Combined Gasoline + Electricity: 29 MPGe
EV Range: 1 mi
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Cars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree.