Here’s Why The Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance Is A Future Classic

By Jeremy Taylor & Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby

1 hour ago

This £200,000 hybrid convertible uses battery power to maximise thrills

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Here's Why The Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance Is A Future Classic

Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby drive the high performance Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E to Heveningham – a country fair with a difference.

Review: Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance

JT-P – What makes this Performance model different to other versions of the seventh generation Mercedes SL?

JT – Good question. The Performance uses the same twin-turbocharged V8 engine as most other SLs but adds a punchy 201bhp electric motor. That results in a massive power boost up to 801bhp!

OK, that’s an awful lot of grunt! 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and a top speed limited to 199mph says it all. No wonder out test car was over £200,000, that’s hybrid Bentley Continental GT money.

It’s a plug-in hybrid too, capable of 10 miles on battery power. Not much but very handy for silent running when the opportunity arises.

You probably want to bark about the size of the engine in a convertible like the SL.

The Performance is a fast car but remains fundamentally an open-top grand tourer. It isn’t as surefooted as a class-leading Porsche 911 hybrid and feels heavy in comparison.

The tiny back seats are pretty pointless, too. At least they compensate for the lack of boot space, which is miniscule. At least front seat passengers will find themselves well-protected from the elements roof down in a sumptuous cabin.

It’s clever the way the infotainment screen angle automatically adjusts to avoid glare when the roof is down. The seats are super comfortable, too.

Great for an epic cross-country drive to Heveninghall Hall Country Fair in Suffolk. I get to watch a falconry display, sheep dog trials and knights in shining armour, while you can ogle the cars.

Heveningham has been running since 2016 and incorporates a concours of elegance event for cars and aircraft. It’s far more relaxed than Goodwood Festival of Speed and includes a mini hill-climb, Grade I Listed historic hall backdrop and spectacular views.

Enhanced by the fact that the cars are displayed on a terraced garden behind the main house. The setting couldn’t be better – throw in vintage aircraft overhead and the atmosphere is terrific. Who won this year?

I have no idea how the judges decide, but choosing between a 1909 Rolls-Royce and a Bugatti Type 37 must be a nightmare! In the end, the top prize went to a 1920 Sunbeam 350hp owned by Lord Montague. Also known as Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird, the 18-litre monster broke the land speed record in 1925, the first car to achieve 150mph.

Book early for next year!