Top-down, wind in the hair, screaming exhaust-motivated open-air thrills and spot-on agility – for a lot of us, there aren’t many better on-road thrills offered than there are by driving a convertible sports car or roadster through the twisty back roads. When we think of some of the most legendary roadsters ever, images of the timeless classic that is the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the BMW Z3, the Honda S2000, the Porsche Carrera GT, and the AC Shelby Cobra spring to mind – all of them are small, two-seated, lightweight machines with awesome credentials.
But this year, the ever-impressive Mercedes and AMG partnership has brought a massive, heavy, and long roadster to market with 2+2 seating, oodles of luxurious style, a beast of a V-8 under the hood, performance features that prove that you can have agile fun with a larger size, and a healthy price tag that screams wealth. If size is your penchant, then this luxury roadster proves that bigger can be better, and it isn’t necessary, when you know what you are doing, to keep roadsters to small dimensions and stripped of all the luxury additions you want.
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-AMG Models On The Used Market, Ranked
These are the most reliable used Mercedes-AMG models you can buy today; get yourself a potent machine that will spend more time on the road.
2+2 Seating And A Massive Bonnet: The Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Roadster
The luxury market’s newest gargantuan drop-top is the 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Roadster: a four-seater, long-hooded, expensive, low-to-the-ground beast that throws its weight around in the segment and shows other marques how a grand-sized roadster can do a bit of everything in one luxe package.
Who says roadsters have to be small and nippy anyway? Especially when you can have speed, luxury, and fun dynamics in something that stands out a heck of a lot more on the road.
The Mercedes-AMG SL 63’s Dimensions Are As Opulent As They Should Be
Luxury cars aren’t exactly known for their “blend-into-traffic” designs, and the new SL 63 embodies that wholeheartedly with a bold design all over, and most importantly here, huge dimensions inside and out.
The SL 63 rides on a 106.3-inch wheelbase (so the same as a Honda CR-V) and boasts dimensions of 182.5 inches x 53.5 inches (with the roof up) x 82.7 inches. Regardless of the crackling exhaust system, you’re going to notice this animal coming. The front track width sits at 65.4 inches, and the rear track width measures 64 inches, while it weighs in at a gargantuan 4,321 pounds.
In comparison, models like the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet ride on a 96.5-inch wheelbase and boast dimensions of 177.9 inches x 79.7 inches x 51.1 inches, while the 2025 BMW Z4 rides on a 97.2-inch wheelbase and sports dimensions of 170.7 inches x 73.4 inches x 51.4 inches, so the SL 63 dwarfs them.
Lots Of Room For You, Not So Much For Your Passengers
Considering the huge stature of this year’s iteration, you’d expect there to be oodles of room inside for you and your passengers, but that isn’t exactly the case. The maximum cargo capacity you get is 7.5 cubic-feet (which is beaten even by the 2025 718 Boxster, which boasts 9.7 cubic-feet of room), and while you get a decent front headroom of 37.7 inches, a front shoulder room of 56.3 inches and roomy legroom of 41.5 inches, the rear passenger room isn’t as vast.
There is room for you and three passengers in the SL 63, but the rear headroom only measures in at 32.7 inches, and the rear shoulder room is only 44.1 inches. Rear legroom hasn’t been released by Mercedes yet, but current reviews have already said that the 2+2 seating is much more useful for luggage and smaller passengers on short trips. But that is still a bit more in the way of practicality than there is in a two-seater roadster.
Best Of The Best: Greatest Mercedes-AMG Models Of All Time
The combination of Mercedes and AMG has been one of the greatest partnerships in automotive history. Here are the greatest Mercedes-AMG models.
It’s Not Just The Size Of The SL 63’s Body, But Also The Engine
|
Engine |
Horsepower |
Torque |
0-60 MPH |
|---|---|---|---|
|
4.0-Liter Bi-Turbo V-8 |
577 HP |
590 LB-FT |
3.5 Seconds |
Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Performance Specifications
So it looks grand, it very much personifies what a luxury car should look like with its bold front grille, cutting-edge lines, sleek and rocket-shaped silhouette with the roof up or down, and sloping short deck, but what really counts for your speed demons out there, and what has helped to put AMG on the map, is how it performs.
Under the excessively long hood is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that is good for way over 500 horses and shoots the SL 63 Roadster to 60 MPH at times indicative of something a lot smaller and lighter.
With an SUV-esque weight of 4,321 pounds and a 577-horsepower mill, this year’s AMG SL 63 boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 0.136-horsepower-per-pound and beats out other sportier, lighter models to 60 MPH, such as the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera, which weighs 3,472 pounds and can sprint to 60 MPH in four seconds, the BMW M2, which weighs 3,814 pounds and can complete the dash in 3.9 seconds, and the BMW Z4, which weighs in at 3,514-pounds and sprints to 60 MPH in 3.9 seconds as well.
The 4.0-Liter V-8 Under The Hood
Central to this electrifying performance is the handcrafted AMG-tuned powertrain under the hood. In typical German fashion, it is meticulously designed with a “Hot-V” configuration, which sees the twin-scroll turbos fitted within the V of the cylinder banks, resulting in a compact design, enhanced turbo responses, and optimized exhaust airflow.
The whole construction is built around a die-cast aluminum crankcase to minimize weight, while inside, the lightweight forged pistons run in Silitec-coated aluminum cylinder sleeves to ensure a smooth operation; dual overhead camshafts that boast CVVT on both intake and exhaust sides offer precise valve control; and fuel delivery is handled by direct fuel injection utilizing piezoelectric injectors, allowing for ultra-fine atomization of the fuel for a more complete combustion cycle.
Additionally, the SL 63’s powertrain is equipped with a dry sump lubrication system to make sure you get optimum lubrication under high loads – so you can keep pushing it all day long, and you get multiple independent cooling circuits to handle the intense heat that is produced, which includes a high-temperature loop for the block and turbos, a low-temperature loop for the charge air system, and a dedicated oil cooler with a heat exchanger.
AMG has thrown an awful amount at the SL 63 and is bringing track-ready performance credentials to the road to make sure that it can still perform with its heavy weight and verging-on-luxury-sedan dimensions.
This AMG Mercedes May Be The Best Convertible On The Planet
Genesis wants to make truly world-class luxury sedans and convertibles. After driving the AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet, we can say the bar is very high.
The AMG SL 63 May Be Big, But It Can Still Perform
You’d be forgiven for thinking that something of this size and weight would be pretty cumbersome along the canyon roads and on the track, but this is AMG we are talking about – the folks that brought us the insatiable Black Series lineups, so they have also got the driving dynamics dialed in to ensure that SL 63 can still perform and handle with a fair air of agility.
Standout Performance Features Of The AMG SL 63
There is almost too much to mention about what makes the AMG SL 63 a true performance demon, but some of the standout features that are included as standard include the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system, which sends torque to the right corners for peak traction and balance to ensure stability whether you are launching off the line or on a twisty road, and AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension which features active hydraulic roll stabilization and replaces traditional anti-roll bars with hydraulics.
The system continuously adjusts depending on how you are driving and what road you are driving on – offering minimal body roll and delivering a comfortable ride and tidy in fast corners.
Rear-axle steering is equipped to give you an agile feel thanks to the rear wheels being able to pivot in harmony with the front ones, while sporty aerodynamic credentials are handled by integrated active aero elements that include an adaptive rear spoiler and an active underbody air management system that both work together to provide the SL 63 with some intense downforce. We are waiting for numbers from M-AMG about the drag coefficient, but from what it looks like at the moment, it is going to be one planted roadster.
To top it all off, the AMG SL 63 showcases the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G transmission – a nine-speed multi-clutch automatic box that is built for performance. Replacing a traditional torque converter with a wet start-off clutch, it offers you quicker gear changes and very direct power delivery, while the different driving modes, which are selectable via AMG DYNAMIC SELECT, give you a choice of refined and relaxed or razor-sharp and seat-pinning. Also, if you get bored with letting the auto transmission do the work for you, you can opt for paddle shifters and get a real race-inspired feel as you gun through the gears yourself.
Mercedes AMG-SL63: A Brilliant Sports GT That Can’t Quite Keep Up With The 911 Turbo S
Pitting these two compatriots against each other shows us how the 911 still has an edge over the SL in some key areas
High-End Luxury Appointments Fit For A Big Roadster
As standard, aside from the raucous V-8 under the hood and track-ready specs, the cabin is adorned with Nappa leather upholstery on the seats, while an AIRSCARF neck-level heating system offers gentle, warm airflow around your neck when you’ve got the roof down, meaning you don’t need to just reserve open-top fun for hot days, a 64-color LED ambient lighting system is included, and you also get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an adjustable 11.9-inch touchscreen to keep you connected and in control of the SL 63’s settings.
So, you are getting a heck of a lot from this colossal roadster. It is opulent, it can push some serious numbers, it is comfortable, it looks the part of a snarling , it embodies everything AMG stands for, and you’re going to hear it coming down the road thanks to its visceral note, but, in typical AMG fashion, your pockets are going to have to be quite deep to jump into one.
Quality And Rapid With High Prices To Prove It
The starting price of the 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Roadster is $187,850, and that is before adding anything extra or paying to run it. That means you are paying a rather luxurious $325 per horsepower kicked out of the beefy 4.0-liter V-8, and in true luxury car nature, it is going to cost you dear in fuel costs as well. There are no 2025 figures available, but Fuel Economy.gov holds records on the 2016 model and says that it can achieve a combined MPG rating of 16 MPG, which the 2025 model has also been rated at.
That equates to 21 MPG on the highway and 14 MPG in the city, costing you, on average, $3,850 a year on gas or $10,750 more over five years compared to the average modern vehicle. Additionally, if the starting price wasn’t enough, and you want to enhance the SL 63 even more, a whole host of extras are available to help you drain your wallet a bit quicker. You can choose to add:
- A choice of different paint jobs with prices ranging from $1,750 for MANUFAKTUR Alpine Gray to $6,500 for MANUFAKTUR Signature Cirrus Silver.
- Different wheel options range from $200 for 20-inch 10-spoke AMG alloys to $3,500 for 21-inch AMG forged cross-spoke alloys.
- The AMG Night Package, which will cost you $750 and includes black accents for the grille, window trims, and mirrors.
- The AMG Exterior Carbon Fiber Package, which includes carbon fiber front bumper inserts, wing mirrors, trunk spoiler, and rear diffuser, costs you $3,500 extra.
- Inside, the MANUFAKTUR Signature Interior Package will cost you $9,250 extra and includes Signature Nappa Leather Upholstery, MANUFAKTUR high-pile mats, MANUFAKTUR Nappa leather steering wheel, and MANUFAKTUR illuminated door sills.
You can also opt for the Performance Package ($1,800), which includes a front axle lift system, the Driver Assistance Package, which includes features like Active Steering Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, and Active Distance Assist, and the AMG High-Performance Ceramic Composite Braking System for $8,950.
What was already a very expensive roadster can be turned into an insanely expensive one with lots of add-ons and options, but if you want everything that AMG can throw at it, we say have at it.
Other Luxury Roadsters And Convertibles For Sale In 2025
If Mercedes-AMG is not really your thing, or it is slightly out of budget, the luxury roadster and convertible market is still relatively well-catered for. They may not be as big or grand-looking size-wise, but these luxury convertibles and roadsters still hit the spot for luxurious additions and potent performance, and come in under the price of a new AMG SL 63 Roadster.
- 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata. MSRP: $29,530. Maximum Horsepower: 181 Horsepower.
- 2025 Ford Mustang. MSRP: $40,120. Maximum Horsepower: 480 Horsepower.
- 2025 BMW Z4. MSRP: $54,050. Maximum Horsepower: 382 Horsepower.
- 2025 Porsche 718 Boxster. MSRP: $74,900. Maximum Horsepower: 500 Horsepower.
- 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet. MSRP: $140,900. Maximum Horsepower: 388 Horsepower.