Tested: 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Plug-in Hybrid Is Freakin' Insane

• The Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance pairs a twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor.
• The result is 805 horsepower, 1,047 lb-ft of torque and a sub-3-second 0-60 mph time.
• This is the quickest Mercedes-Benz we've ever tested.

Hold on to your butts

Look at those stats! This 4,805-pound roadster went from 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and finished the quarter mile in 10.4 seconds at 134.4 mph. This makes the SL 63 S E Performance the quickest Mercedes-Benz vehicle we've tested to date, besting the non-hybrid SL 63 by 0.6 second in the 0-60 sprint and nearly a full second in the quarter mile. My goodness.

Then again, considering this droptop makes 805 horsepower and 1,047 lb-ft of torque, are these acceleration numbers really a surprise? The SL 63 S E Performance combines a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine with an electric motor fed by a 4.8-kWh battery located in the trunk. The result is instant thrust off the line, plus supplemental power for passing. You think the 0-60 sprint is quick? The 40-80 mph jump is just as wild.

"Our VBox data recorder measured 1.23 g of acceleration, which has to be one of the highest ratings I've seen/felt," wrote senior vehicle test editor Kurt Niebhur. "Acceleration in launch control is on par with some of the quickest EVs, but what's wild is the utter lack of drama that accompanies this speed. The SL 63 doesn't squat down when it takes off, and it has zero wheelspin. You're just gently but rapidly pushed back into the seat. 75 mph comes and goes well before most cars have even sniffed 45 mph, and the SL 63 positively rips through the quarter mile at speeds that put our dearly loved Shelby GT500 to shame. 134.4 mph? That's outrageous."

With handling chops, to boot

The SL 63 S E Performance's accolades don't just extend to straight-line speed. On our 200-foot skidpad, the SL 63 ripped off 1.03 g of lateral acceleration, which is supercar stuff. Sure, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires take a lot of the credit, offering a tremendous amount of grip. But the SL is really special when driven hard — more so than you might expect.

"There's not only some impressive grip on tap, but the dynamics of the SL 63 are a little mind-boggling," Niebhur added. "Around our skidpad, where most cars, even fast ones, tend to require delicate balance to keep the front tires from losing grip, the SL requires that same deft touch to keep from drifting. Must be the 1,000 lb-ft of torque. The steering is quick, and with the rear-axle steering, the SL moves quickly toward the apex of any turn. It's not darty, per se, but you will need time to adapt to how athletic the SL feels when driven hard." 

The greatest SL

What's amazing is that none of the SL 63 S E Performance's, um, performance, comes at the expense of the SL's inherent goodness. It's stiffer than your standard SL, but not so much that it'll punish you over broken pavement. The interior is exquisite, with comfortable and supportive seats and every creature comfort you could ever want. It's a bona fide grand tourer with supercar aspirations. This is Mercedes' most impressive SL to date.

Photos by Keith Buglewicz