Although it still feels natural enough to lament the passing of the SL55, there’s no denying the SL63 is a better car in almost every respect. The engine is extremely flexible and is finally matched to a gearbox whose response and intellect allow its potential to be fully exploited. The drivetrain is so good that, rather than notice that there is less torque than before, you simply find yourself in the right gear more often.
The rest of AMG’s take on the SL remains similarly impressive, so long as you know what to expect: the gearbox’s abrupt step-off and the unsettled low-speed ride mark this car out more as a sports car than a boulevardier. But the SL has retained its ability to crunch through miles with the minimum of fuss.
Being picky, we’d like it to use less fuel and cost less to buy, but even with these things taken into consideration it is excellent.