2024 Mercedes-AMG SL63 adds 600kW V8 plug-in hybrid power
Thanks to hybrid assistance, the most powerful Mercedes SL roadster of all time can hit 100km/h from a standstill in a claimed 2.9 seconds.
Mercedes-AMG has revealed the SL63 S E Performance, a plug-in hybrid version of its latest SL63 V8 roadster with more performance than any SL ever sold to the public – though Australian arrival plans are yet to be confirmed.
The SL63 hybrid – badged SL63 S E Performance, to use its full name – combines the 450kW/850Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 engine from the standard SL63 with a 150kW/320Nm electric motor on the rear axle.
The combined outputs are rated at 600kW and 1420Nm, sent to all four wheels through a nine-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission.
Mercedes-AMG claims the roadster is able to hit 100km/h from a standing start in 2.9 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 317km/h.
These figures not only make the SL63 S E Performance the most powerful SL model the German brand has ever sold, but also the quickest.
The 6.1kWh battery – small, compared to the 10kWh to 20kWh offered by most plug-in hybrids – enables an electric-only driving range of only 13km in lab-testing conditions.
The onboard charger is capable of up to 3.7kW AC, allowing the car to be topped up at a public AC charging station, home wallbox, or conventional wall power socket.
Ceramic brakes are standard, using 420mm front and 380mm rear rotors.
Rear-axle steering, adaptive suspension, and an active aerodynamics system which lowers the front splitter by 40mm at 80km/h is also standard on the SL63 S E Performance.
On the outside, the SL63 S E Performance can be distinguished from the regular AMG SL 63 through the red badging, the charge port at the rear, and tweaked exhaust tips, according to Mercedes-AMG.
Inside, the interior is largely the same as the SL63, with AMG Performance sports bucket seats being available as an option.
Mirroring the standard version, the E Performance benefits from unique functions and displays specific to the Mercedes-AMG hybrid within the infotainment system.
Mercedes-AMG says buyers can take their SL63 S E Performance through the company's Manufaktur program, allowing customers can choose additional exterior and interior specification options beyond the standard specification list.