SouthernNC

Anyone else in the same boat (so to speak)?

Estimated arrival 2/20, then a few days for transport to MB of South Charlotte. Hopefully, spring will arrive early, but I don't care if it's 20 degrees -- if there's no precipitation, that top is going to be down, with the heater and "Airscarf" cranked to max.

iridium Silver over red/black with carbon fiber trim; performance and premium packages; carbon fiber exterior package; black alloy wheels (19 front, 20 rear); and as soon as possible, a dealer-installed concealed Passport 9500ci.

Pix, amateurish though they will be, will be posted when possible.

Already feeling a bit nostalgic about trading in my 2007 BMW 335i hardtop convertible, which I have enjoyed immensely. But I expect I'll get over it soon, because it's not in the same league as the new ride.

BigHat

That's a great configuration you opted for in that SL63. I opted for Steel Gray in my ordered SL 550, but it was 51% vs 49% over Iridium. One of the first SLs I saw at the dealership was precisely like yours. Awesome. Good luck with it.

SouthernNC

I've owned five BMWs, and this will be my fourth Mercedes, but I've never before owned a silver car. Silver of some sort has, I think, been the top seller for both brands for a long time, and was Mercedes's official racing color. I've always liked silver, but for whatever reason, it kept coming in second when I made my choices. So, I'm looking forward to this one.

Also, for whatever reason, I've always liked a conservative exterior color with a bright interior, so I think the red leather will work for me. Colorful leather interiors are not available on CLS models sent to the U.S., so that's why I have Diamond White over Grey. Nice looking, but rather sedate and stately; had a red, maroon, or navy interior been offered on the CLS, I would have ordered it. But the choices were black, grey, and beige.

BigHat

I have Fox Red in my current M3 with the Silverstone II exterior. I get lots of positive remarks on it. The M6 was the other car in the mix this time around and had spec'd out an individual brown with a navy blue (Imperial) exterior. The only "red" interior is actually orange and I thought it too garish. I love the red in the SL. Almost a maroon. With any of the silvers or grays it's an ideal interior in my view.

I drove dark blue/black BMWs and MBs until a '07 Space Gray 650. Keep lots of wax on the silver and grays and they both look classy and hide dust a bit better than others.
I had also thought the metallic white at a small price premium would go great with the red too, but harder to keep nice.

California John

I'm wondering about the speed and handling of the SL63. Since the car mags gave 0-60 times for the SL550 at 4.0 and 4.1 and had a skidpad of .94 - I'm wondering with the extra horsepower of the SL63 what sort of 0-60 times we'd get - and with the massaged ABC what skidpad numbers we'd get. I wonder if the SL63 gets the same tires?

Interestingly enough RENNtech, who has a number of performance options for the SL550 - including an ECU upgrade - says that the factory under-reported the HP and Torque numbers. RENNtech says that the HP number of a stock SL550 is 460 and that their ECU upgrade boosts it to 530. They also say that the stock torque is really 526, not the 516 the factory says and that their upgrade boosts that to 606 LB-FT of torque. Yipes!

Please keep us informed SouthernNC.

Ssgdk

Great selction of options SouthernNC. I have diamond white SL63 over black/red with carbon fiber trim, black wheels, and magic sky. I didn't opt for the performance package...but I wish I had in retrospect. I also have a Passport 9500ci. I didn't spring for the Mid City Engineering module so I have to keep K band turned off because of distronic interference. Most law enforcement where I travel use Ka, so keeping the K band off isn't as problematic as I originally thought. Good luck with your new ride. Keep us posted.

SouthernNC

I just got the word that my car arrived in Brunswick as scheduled early this week, but shipment to MB South Charlotte has been "delayed" -- no further explanation offered. It will be ready "next week."

It should look just like this:



Polo ponies not included.

BillyD

The SL63 does not get run flats. The hard rubber compound cannot handle the SL63's extra power. It also doesn't get Tire-fit or a compressor.

This info comes from a South Florida MB salesman.

SouthernNC

Here at last, and well worth the wait.

For some reason I'm having trouble getting pics to load; the shot below got through, but others keep failing. I'll try to post some more later, but they're only phone pics anyway, and don't do the car justice.

SL63, Iridium Silver, red/black leather with carbon fiber trim, sports package, all driver safety nanny devices, "magic sky" sunroof, black AMG forged wheels -- 19f/20r, exterior carbon fiber package.

BigHat

Congrats!! It looks great. I opted for the same interior colors on a 550. Looking forward to you posting a few more pics.

I opted to pair my interior with Steel Gray. Hope it contrasts as nicely as yours does.

Wolfman

Congrats!!
Beautiful car! Have the same color combo and will put on the same forged wheels (in silver) this week!

Wish the carbon package would have been available for the 550. Very cool.

Love to get your impressions compared to the CLS63

BenzV12

Congrats, very handsome car indeed

SouthernNC

A view of the interior is below. I agree with others who note that the red in real life is a bit darker than it shows in photos -- more like crimson than fire-engine red. It's a great color, bright without being obnoxious (the opposite of me, in other words). Extraordinarily good detailing, both with respect to the leather and elsewhere. For example, the speaker grilles, of which there are a bunch, match the leather perfectly -- you can see one in the pic if you look closely, on the passenger door, just below the seat controls.

The engines in my 2012 CLS63 and this car, both with performance package, are fundamentally the same (though "only" 550 hp in the CLS, and 557 hp in the SL). With the top up, the engine sound and the driving "feel" are somewhat similar, but with the top down, it's a different world. Well, of course, you may say, it'll feel and sound different with the top down. Granted, that's obvious, but the difference on this vehicle is jaw-dropping.

One significant difference between the CLS and the SL: the active bolsters and massage features apply only to the driver's seat on the former, but to both seats on the latter. A passenger not prepared to get a hug from the active bolster when the driver takes a curve can have some funny reactions.

Helmut430

Congrats, SothernNC!! What a good looking car! Enjoy many gorgeous days of driving around those winding roads of NC with a car that feels like it'll drive on rails! Envious.

Gunther

Congrats Southern - finally drove a 63 last week. It was the last decision, 550 or 63 (but I was leaning 63 already), before finalizing my order. Now we just have to wait for the 2014's to come online....and the wait may kill me.

Daytona-flyer

You are really going to enjoy it.

SouthernNC

A few pics in larger format, now that I've figured out PhotoBucket:












No kind of weather for top-down motoring (or for more pics) recently here in NC, but I'm confident things will improve before long.

California John

Totally gorgeous!

Gunther

Looks great

Gunther

Southern - what is that in the carbon fiber trim to the left of the steering wheel, above the lights??

SouthernNC

It's a Cognac dispenser. Hahaha, no, really, it's the radar detector controls. I had a Passport 9500ci installed by the dealership.

Daytona-flyer

I have a 9500IX. I had to shut off X band. Did you have to do the same?

SouthernNC

I get more false alarms on the X band than I'd like, but it has not been bothersome enough for me to shut it off. Not yet, anyway.

Daytona-flyer

I was getting constant false x band alerts from the cars radar system.

No Sheriff or State Boy cars around here uses x band. So I just shut the x band off.

I thought car generated false alarms would be locked out just as other false alarms, such as supermarket doors. It didn't happen.

California John

I have a Valentine 1. I haven't had any problems with the radar. On any band. And it is mounted on the windshield right next to the car's radar unit.