16 Blocks: Mercedes Benz 63 AMG (2009)

If you’re flying halfway across the world just to drive a car, that car has to be extra special. After all, you won’t go through jetlag, obnoxious flight attendants, cramped economy seats and terrible plane food just for a Ford. Perhaps karma was rewarding me for being a little bit patient with a particular flight attendant (you know who you are), but a black Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG awaited one snowy overcast afternoon in a city south of Boston.

Now, the story of this AMG drive started weeks before I even boarded the “Northworst” flight. In order to save on traveling costs, my fiancée suggested that we stay with her aunt. After some grumbling, I agreed. Apparently, staying with future relatives-in-law does pay off (well maybe this time) as my fiancée’s uncle works in, of all places, one of the largest Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Massachusetts. Tito JC Cabanos is one of the dealership’s top sales personnel and a certified Mercedes nut. So in a male bonding moment, he offered me the keys to the aforementioned SL 63 AMG. I had the afternoon to play with it with just one condition: I bring it back in one piece.

I didn’t know what to expect with the SL 63 AMG, since I’m not a big fan of its recent facelift. But in the flesh, the revised styling cues actually do great justice to the SL’s classic lines—something first seen way back in 2001. The turn of the century Mercedes-Benz design cue, the four individual ovoid headlamp units, have been shown the door in favor of the new angular lamp treatment. This easily modernizes the stance of the SL and keeps it in touch with the rest of the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range. At the back, generous use of LED replaces the traditional bulbs for tail and signal lamp units.

Of course, no AMG transformation can start unless you tack on the prerequisite visual package. For the SL 63 AMG, this equates to putting on mesh-type grilling on just about every front orifice. This is magnified even further because of the enlarged air intakes and side air outlets on the front apron. The hood features a macho power dome and though it’s not noticeable on the black colored model, the grille is actually painted black with a high-gloss chrome strip serving as a visual highlight. The rest of the car isn’t as loud with just minor changes here and there. The side skirts are deeper and at the back, the rear bumper features a large black diffuser and a boot lid lip spoiler. It’s simply hard to hate the SL 63 AMG’s purposeful design unless your eyes got focused on the cheesy matt-silver painted trim on the front wings. Apparently, the quad tail pipes weren’t enough to distinguish this car over the regular SL. They just had to tack on “6.3 AMG” in large bold letters as well.

However, once I pushed the starter, there may be a reason to AMG’s design tackiness. Mercedes-Benz and AMG engineers have huge reason to be proud of the 6.3-liter V8 unit. First, it’s filled with race car inspired technology from the lightweight crankcase to the revolutionary coating used in the cylinder walls. Then you have the power figures which are mighty impressive: 525 horsepower and 630 Nm of torque. But above all, what makes it extra special is the monstrous sound it makes. As the engine breathed to life and settled to a smooth idle, it sounded low and angry, producing a bass-heavy brrrr maybe akin to James Earl Jones snoring. Tap the throttle and it becomes the voice of god: this is the best damn exhaust note I’ve never had. No other car made me this teary-eyed standing still.

With the roads lined with fresh snow, it was imperative that keep the revs down as I exited the parking lot. Even at these slow speeds, you’ll notice that the steering is quick-witted and sharp though the small-diameter AMG steering wheel with its flattened bottom takes some getting used to. Since I wasn’t used to this neighborhood, I kept the test route in a roughly circuitous suburban road. Going around in what left like laps around an F1 circuit, I eventually became more comfortable with the roads. Soon, I was looking for potential police radars and speed camera. And when I found none, I nailed it. The SL 63 AMG quickly downshifted and the rear swayed at the effect of 630 Nm of torque transferring through rubber no more than 285-mm wide per side. The retuned Electronic Stability Program or ESP didn’t cut in, so it required a quick flick of the steering wheel to correct. The speedometer rose as quickly as the tachometer: 40 (64), 50 (80), 60 (96)…and in no time, I was travelling at a law breaking 130 mph (204 km/h)! Not wanting to risk my license, I backed off and turned my sissy mode back on.

Those willing to put their license on the line will be glad to know that the SL 63 AMG comes with outrageous features such as RACE START. This computer-aided system allows the driver to call on maximum acceleration while optimizing tire traction. And this system will do all the shifting for you, all the way to the electronically governed 250 km/h speed limit. Even the transmission has been given the AMG makeover. Though it features seven forward gears like a typical Mercedes-Benz, the technology behind it is completely different. For one, it’s a multi-clutch system that disposes of the traditional torque converter. And there are four modes that vary shift times. In the sportiest ‘M’ mode, the transmission requires just 100 milliseconds to change gears.

Even at less than rocket-like speeds, the SL 63 AMG remains one remarkable car. For one, the ride is supple and comfortable. I purposely drove through manholes thinking it would upset the car. It didn’t. The secret to this car’s excellent ride is the use of Mercedes-Benz’s Active Body Control system. With AMG engineer’s magic touch though, the SL 63 AMG is like two cars in one. It can be driven comfortably over long distances or be transformed into a purebred race car all at the push of a button.

Perhaps the one spoiler to this entire experience has got to be the cabin. Looking quite like a run-of-the-mill SL is bad enough, but add the fact that the interior design itself is starting to date rapidly doesn’t help its case at all. We’ve seen the new Mercedes-Benz interior treatment with angular lines and chunky buttons. Unfortunately, this car has neither. Instead, it’s back to Mercedes-Benz circa early 2000’s with the curvaceous dash and rounded buttons. Even the full-featured COMAND system on the SL doesn’t yet come with a single knob control. It remains a confusing barrage of buttons scattered around the center console. Thankfully, the choice of materials is excellent (even the dashboard is lined with leather) and the build quality seems fine. Those keeping track of AMG changes will admire the revised sporty black-on-white instrumentation and sport bucket seats.

As the time to return the Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG drew near, I found it hard to part with this car. The entire experience barely lasted four hours, but it was one I will never forget. The sixteen hour hell of a flight was sure worth it. And I don’t mind flying back to Boston again, as long as there’s another black Mercedes-Benz AMG model waiting for me.

By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang