Wolfman

I wanted to post my first impressions on our AMG GTC roadster, our new top-down car specifically for SL drivers as there have some more intense discussions about the future of the SL, soft tops and the like. I am making a point of not being technical but rather just list the impression compared to the SL. I hope this might be of some interest.
I am comparing this to our 2017 SL550 which is pretty well optioned and may not compare in some details with yours.

No side by side pics yet as the SL is dirty from our less than ideal weather. Spring has not fully arrived in Minneapolis…

I love the look of the AMG so I won’t spend any time talking about the exterior but Mercedes took many design elements of the AMG GT when facelifting the SL (M&17+)
The front facia and trim elements were copied and while they couldn’t re-body the car for a mid-life update, the changes made the car look more flowing and update. I like both but the GTCis better looking.



Many on this forum will say after reading my comments that this is why they like the SL better but the most important difference between these cars is that they were designed for a different audience and different purpose.
There is surprisingly little overlap between models and there will probably not be a lot of switchers between the two.








Interior:
The AMG interior is quite tight and feature adjustable bucket seats that provide an excellent snug fit but along with the A-pillar angle make it difficult to enter and exit the car. No easy slipping in/out.
It gets worse when the door can’t be fully opened due to a car next to it. The SL has better entry and exit comfort. I am 6’3” and I have to duck more when getting into the AMG with the top up as well. Flexibility helps





Our SL has exclusive Nappa interior which means the true full leather treatment on seats, dash, door panels, handles and rear panels. Same on the AMG. Quality seems the same but the AMG’s leather smells a bit better. The SL non-AMG seats are more comfortable and the dynamic bolster function works very well. The massage function is weak and worst than in the first gen. R231.
The AMG performance (Bucket) seats have no massage but have heat/cool and and good adjustability. All controls and memory functions are on the lower side of the seat and placement is quite inferior to the SL. One can only feel the button for seat memory, not actually see them.
The SL’s cabin is airy and really provides very good surround vision. The AMG less so. A higher hip line provides less side view and the rear view is downright horrible. Due to the lower seating position and the high rear panels inherent to the soft top design, half the rear view of the car is a black box. You can literally only see the upper half the rear window.
Front vision is good but seeing traffic lights is tricky at times.

The AMG has focus on driving and proper distance to steering wheel is better than in the SL. Steering the car just feel very natural while the SL invites more casual driving position. The SL has a larger cabin. The AMG literally has zero space behind the seat.
The GT also has a large center console which feels like having a third person in the car. The console is wide and the shift lever too far back. But it looks really good. I also like the shift lever on the SL; not a huge fan of the column shifter in the sedans.

There is definitely less storage in the AMG and the car has some funky soft pouches as door pockets. There is only the center console storage. The glove box is useless as in the SL but there is literally no place in the car for the manual pouch
Unlike the SL which has soft-close doors, the doors of the AMG need to be closed with some energy. Not quite slammed but a light pull will not close the doors. The non soft-close SL doors are also easier to close than the GTC’s.

Here I was complaining about the measly 3 color ambient light on the SL vs. the 64 color LED’s in the E/S Class. GTC colors? Zero…

Trunk:
There is no lever or handle to open the trunk manually. It can only be opened from the exterior only by key or by swinging your foot under the car. Or using the button on the dashboard inside.
The trunk pops open only by half an inch or so and then you have to manually lift the trunk. Nothing automatic up or down. Hands down better on the SL. The SL trunk is huge and quite practical for a convertible. Like the doors, the trunk has to be closed with some energy. Otherwise it won’t lock shut.
The worst part of the trunk is that it is super shallow. Grocery bags will be crushed. There are some deeper spots but a case of wine is impossible (I think) but wine bottles will fit standing up. Unlike the SL which has more storage if needed by removing the trunk cover and carpet to expose the lower storage area, the AMG has none of that. Below in the cooling ducts for the transmission.

Top-Up Driving:
The car is loud with the top up. The top is lined but not insulated like the cabriolets soft tops. The GTC cabin will feel very tight for SL drivers and shows that it was designed strictly as a means to protect you from the elements. This is not meant to be a 4 season car and feels best top down. We have Alcantara on the SL and AMG. A glass roof is nice and I love the Magic Sky electro-chromatic roof option. Nothing beats the SL hardtop!
Driving the AMG will give many on this forum nightmares of the next SL





Top-Down Driving:
I have always stated that the SL is the best top-down drivers I know of. And we have driven a lot of convertibles; many more expensive than the SL. The R230 however, is still a bit better with less air coming past the rear windows but the R231 automatic windscreen is much more elegant.
The AMG looks like the poor cousin with a tiny clear plastic wind screen/shield that can be manually removed if so desired. Big locking mechanism makes it more unattractive. That said, the car is a very good top down car as well. There is a bit more pull on the hair at the back of the head but it’s a different experience. Since the hipline is high with a lower seating position, It drives well top down. SL beats it though.

Given that the GTC soft top is smaller and lighter, it can be opened while driving (up to 30mph). The facelift SL has improved too over the original R231. To initiate opening the SL's top, the car has to stand more or less but you can then drive up to 30mph while the mechanism opens the roof. GTC is clearly better here.



Both cars have Air scarf and work very well on both cars.

Sound system:
We have the base Burmester (There are 3 audio options for the GT line) in the GTC. It’s the middle one. While many complain about the SL’s audio I am fine with it. It’s a convertible after all. The AMG Burmester sounds better and has a strong bass but the car ends up vibrating out of the rear wheel well. I will have to address that.

Steering:
The AMG steers much better which is due to the design, having rear wheel steering but also having a lighter car and having the engine placed behind the front axle, rather than over it. Think of the thread of the SL450 vs SL550. The AMG steers more precise and with more ease under any condition. In fact the whole car just moves with you through curves. Much better than any model of the SL.

Suspension:
Just like the base SL on springs, the AMG has springs too. In this not for cost savings but for it being a sports car instead of a GT. Like all AMG’s the cars are setup too stiff. I would compare the Comfort mode on the GTC to the Sport mode on the SL63 and stiffer than Sport Plus on the SL450/550. Race mode on these cars require good roads and no fillings in your teeth
This sounds bad but one has to recognize that the cars purpose is different. As a sports car, the suspension setups are expected to be firmer. A Porsche GT3 will drive nothing like a regular 911. Porsche however has a better, more compliant suspension than AMG so their comfort mode is more forgiving.

Braking:
Our GTC has the optional Carbon Ceramic Brakes and the car stops on a dime. When I switched to SL after driving the GTC it felt literally like the brakes on the SL weren’t working right. Significant difference. Positive side effect; zero brake dust Both the SL and the GTC have 19" wheel in front and 20" in the rears.




Sound:
The sound track is a highlight on a sport car. The AMG is unapologetically loud. I personally love it on the AMG and it can be made quieter with the exhaust button or individual settings. SL drivers may not like the sound although the SL450 is louder than the SL550 for a more sporty sound experience.

Electronics/safety:
Both cars have 8 airbags and safety is assumed to be excellent on both cars, even in roll-over events.
Both cars have Distronic Plus but the GTC is missing the auto-steering feature. Lane keep assist doesn’t pull the car back; you only get the steering wheel vibration. No Apple CarPlay; the GTC comand is somewhere between first gen. R231 and the facelift model.

Quality:
The manufacturing quality of the car is excellent a low volume production car. There are some off-design choices that won’t be found on a E or S class. Equals the SL.

Handling and acceleration:
Won’t get much into it but the car is fast and wicked fun to drive. If one likes sporty driving, the car is an absolute joy and at your command. These cars are faster than expected. Even though it is rear wheel drive and can’t compete with an all wheel drive car like the E63s, it is fast. It will likely beat a Huracan on the highway.

I find the SL on springs not as handling as well as a prior gen. R230. The R231 SL with ABC easily beats the R230. It is also a very fast car with good steering but it feels more labored on curvy roads than the GTC. Having forged wheels on the SL felt like a nice improvement to make it feel nimbler and the car is a grand cruiser. Interestingly, the GTC feels quite comfortable over time but the simple lack of storage would make road trips a bit more tricky.

Costs:
The car is pricey and options are pricey. Even Keyless go are options on these cars. You pay more for less…
It is interesting to see that despite its low production volume, the SL offers excellent options packages at good prices. A quick comparison with Porsche will show how much is included and how reasonable options are. Even though there is a lack of interior/exterior options you get more in the SL than a 911.

Overall I am very happy with my switch and enjoy the differences to the SL. At the same time I am looking forward of what the next SL looks like.

There will be more side-by-side pics added soon. Just waiting for a sunny day

Patric

Excellent comparison. I have a question about your stating both cars have eight airbags and safety assumed to be excellent in both cars, including roll over events. Are those protrusions behind the seat headrests the roll over protection?

Thanks

Wolfman

Yes, they are. The rollover protection is fixed behind the headrests which is a bit more typical than the pop-up bar of the SL's. Interestingly, the R231 SL is also the first SL to have the rollover bar completely hidden under a cover.

Shot249

Wolfman
Thanks for your post. Very informative!

branmin

Just seen this thread, not sure how I missed it.........................beautiful car Wolfman. Wish you well and happy driving. Bet when you get a chance to put your foot down, it just takes off and smooth with it as well, but can hear the roar.

mbsl550.19

Thx for the comparison. I agree about different type of buyer for the SL cars. I had Porsches for years, my last one was a
2015 Turbo S, a beast of car to say the least. But it was comfy just driving for coffee in the morning. I just traded it in last week
for a 2019 SL 550. Big issue about trading it in for me was moving to SW FL. There is just no place down here to drive the car, everything is flat
and straight, sure it can do 0-60 in 2.7 sec, but so what. When I lived in Mass it was great in the turns and hills of NH. I agree
about the ceramic brakes, the 911 stopped incredible quick. The SL 550 well it does stop, but nothing compared to the 911.
But the SL 550 is a GT and all about the drive. Take the top down and it feels and sounds great. The vented seats are a joke
in the SL 550, they maybe cool but don't help much. The 911 was super cold. But the SL 550 is all soft leather. Yeah and the PDK on the Porsche
shifted in a microseconds, the 9 speed in the SL 550 is a tad slower, but again not a sports car a GT cruiser.
Still liked the SL 550 a lot down here, perfect to cruise around in.

Wolfman

You now have the best top down cruiser with the SL550. This is an excellent all year car with coupe-like qualities and solidity and top-down comfort at any speed. We have had three of R231 SL's and driven more in Europe. There is no environment where the car doesn't perform. Congrats on your new SL!
We are on the list for a Taycan. That will be something different

threeMBs

Wolfman, its off topic, but you have too many post to find the info

What did you use to keep the "white" interior of your formers SLs clean/protected? TIA.

Streamliner

Now that you have had the new car for a few weeks, please give us your thoughts on the Ceramic Composite Brakes. How do they feel compared to your SL? Any squeaking or other noises? How is the brake dust?

Wolfman

The Carbon Ceramics on the GTC feel even better than on our E63s. Of course that cars weights almost 1000 lbs more. Both cars use the exact same brake rotors/calipers as does the SL63.

The brakes are so strong on that car it feels like the SL brakes were broken My wife constantly reminds me to keep more distance to the car in front of us because if we would have to make a hard stop, the car behind us likely couldn't brake in time. In short, the brakes are awesome!
No brake dust. There can be an occasional squeal, but our new SL's brakes made more noise...

Wolfman

Simple. Water and good cotton rags. No cleaner or any other protection I do clean the interior every week so that dirt doesn't have time to work itself in.
No microfibers (bad for leather).

I do wear a lot of jeans but the majority of them are stone washed. Deep blue ones can definitely leave some discoloration. When I see that, a quick wipe with a wet (not moist) rag followed up with a dry one and it's gone.
SL leather has a special UV reflective coating which makes its easy to clean and it can also be damaged by harsh cleaners.

I know that people use ceramic coating, etc. but I never bothered to look into that. Here is a pic of our SL interior after 21,000 miles and 30 months of use...