2014 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Convertible

Automatic

WDDJK7EA0DF011579

Clear

Gasoline

2013 SL63 Original owner, my wife drove the car. (557 hp top speed 186 mph)20400 miles (In premium condition)Diamond white Porcelain/black premium leatherBlack ash trimMagic Sky Control $250020" AMG Wheels $2500Bang & Olufsen Sound System $6400Soft Close Doors $450Special Order (I have no idea what this was?) $1500AMG Performance Suspension $4300AMG Performance Package $9000Driver Assistance Package $2950TOTAL MSRP $177,050. CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW: One of the most important things for our customers is the sound,” says Tobias Moers, who heads vehicle development at AMG. And despite having a couple of turbos diminishing its exhaust-gas energy, the 5.5-liter in the SL63 positively blares out of its square tailpipes. It has an almost marine-engine quality, with a deep burble at idle that implies positively cavernous cylinders despite giving up 0.7 liter of displacement to the old engine. And that’s not its only trick: When the seven-speed so-called Speedshift automatic upshifts, the exhaust produces a gratifying pop like a single handclap of applause. It invariably makes passengers say “oooooh.” It is also carefully orchestrated by AMG. Some software code in the engine-control system cuts two or four cylinders (depending on load) on upshifts to produce the sound. “It is for emotion,” says Moers.We’re guessing most owners will love the trick and the engine’s performance. It’s a sort of mobile tsunami of torque. It churns out 590 pound-feet between 2000 and 4500 rpm. That’s a whopping 125 more than the 6.2-liter, which delivered its torque peak at a comparatively high 5200 rpm. If it isn’t as pure and linear as the old engine, this new one is devastatingly effective. Thanks to this engine and a launch-control system, the SL63 should pop off 0-to-60-mph runs a bit below 4.0 seconds. Opt for the AMG Performance package (an extra $9000 on top of the car’s $146,695 base price), and AMG turns up the turbo boost, resulting in a total of 557 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The package also brings red brake calipers, a speed limiter pushed from 155 mph to 186, a steering wheel partially covered in synthetic suede, and a locking limited-slip differential. Mercedes officials acknowledge that the take rate on previous boost packages has been minuscule. But let the record state that it is available and not just something that appears on test cars built for the press (although it surely does appear on most of those). Anyway, an SL63 with the AMG Performance package should produce 0-to-60 times of about 3.7 seconds. Also, Mercedes estimates that the new SL63 (thanks in part to an annoying but easily defeated stop-start system) gets significantly better fuel economy than before.