MODEL TESTED 63 4MATIC+ PREMIUM PLUS
Price £171,965
Power 577bhp
Torque 590lb ft
0-60mph 3.5sec
30-70mph 2.8sec
Fuel economy 19.7mpg
CO2 emissions 299g/km
70-0mph 42.1m
Mercedes' 'W194' endurance racer left an indelible mark on motorsport in 1952. winning Le Mans, the Nürburgring Eifelrennen and Mexico's Carrera Panamericana, and it finished second on the Mille Miglia. It was retired after only a season, but such was the interest it caused that Mercedes' US importer Max Hoffman (who would later prove key in the genesis of so many Porsches) suggested Mercedes should make a production version. So it did: in 1954, there followed the 'W198' 300 SL 'Gullwing'.
Six further generations of what would become known as the Mercedes SL followed, the longest-lived remaining in production for a remarkable 18 years. But over the decades, the SL has been defined very differently, swinging all the way from motorsport exile to thick pile-carpeted, gently wafting, drop-top luxury icon.
Mercedes says it's going back to its roots. The new R232-generation car has officially become a Mercedes-AMG SL. Designed and developed exclusively by Mercedes' own factory tuning department, the car comes in AMG-badged forms only and features several technical departures aimed at not only cutting weight and enhancing performance, handling and driver feedback but also boosting the daily usability for which the SL has become so well known.
This story is from the July 26, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 26, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models
