////AMG

I really don't see how an 03 SL55 can compare to todays 2009 SL63. I went from an SL55>SL65>SL600>SL65>SL63. It's fair to say I have driven the majority of the SL series out there, and the 63 is by far MY favorite SL to date. Its only an opinion though!? I concur.

It's tough to compare our SL's and our 612's in reliabilty. We both drive different amount of miles, different situations, and I could probably predict we had different driving habits and styles. I can also state my Ferrari has required much more service than my 05 65. Yet, we can't compare and contrast each of our cars because they have been handled differently. At one point I thought my 612 was a lemon so I would go weeks without driving it. One person may experience more service with one car, and the other may experience more trouble with the opposite.

It has also become evident that you are yet to drive any of the 2009 models as you can only hope they have gotten better. Have they? YES! We are talking about a 5 year different between your 03 SL, and todays SL.

My suggestion would be to go and test drive the 63 and report back to us.

Thericker

C&D August tested the 09' SL63 it's Curb weight 4468 lbs..

0-60 mph 4.4 sec

1/4 mile 12.9 @ 112 mph

Sorry it's SLOW......
Thy upped the gear ratio to 3.06 to try & make up for the lacking torque 465 ft lbs @ 5200 rpm's

It may feel faster to some due to the gearing, but it's slower than it's predecessors! w/SL63 lower torque. Esp noticable on the bottom end..

2003 SL55 will get down the 1/4 in 12.5 @ 113 mph

MikeRPA

lol yes sl63 is not anywhere as fast as sl65 , but it maybe just more fun to drive the sound , the transmission , the whole thing thats all

yaroslav

Lets ask the owner of SL63 - How it feels on the straight road,highway,bumpy roads and in corners?

Germancar1

That is just one test and you're splitting hairs at best. For those precious for tenths of a second you're getting a vastly improved car overall in the SL63. Better gearbox, better quality, better handling, better telematics, better everything compared to an 03 SL55. Besides, the SL63 just tested by Road and Track beats your numbers for the SL55 anyway.

0–60 mph: 4.0 sec
0–100 mph: 9.5 sec
0–1320 ft (1/4 mile): 12.4 sec @ 115.3 mph
Top speed: 186 mph


http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=6893


M

jmf003

Let's go magazine racing!

For the SL55:

• 13.0 seconds @ 110 mph, Car and Driver
• 12.5 seconds @ 116 mph, Motor Trend

For the SL63:

• 12.9 seconds @ 112 mph, Car and Driver
• 12.4 seconds @ 115 mph, Motor Trend

And the winner is the SL63 by a car length!

Lizard

////AMG never said that his 63 was faster than any other cars. He just said that it was his new favorite. Speed is not the only reason you'd by a car. Seem like some of us are hung up on how fast we can go and not considering the total package of a vehicle.

novabenz

Great looking new SL - enjoy it!
How do you feel about the stock silver color of the side grills?
Are you keeping them that contrasting color, or are you considering painting them to match the body?

bfnnrgn

Magazine numbers are quite meaningless. Things like temperature, altitude, humidity have a great affect on a cars times. Unless they're done at pretty much the same time the comparisons are useless.

AMGTTV8

Hey awesome car!! Absolutely gorgeous...any way we can get you and your son to do a video of the race start function? would love to see that in action...

Thanks!

Chris

////AMG

I am still in the break-in period and will be for the next 1100 miles or so. Thus, I try not to pass 4500 rpms nor will I full throttle. However, I can comment on what I have experienced so far. The exhaust sound makes everything seem quicker and meaner, and "gurbles" on downshifts and when letting off the throttle. Less body roll than my 65 especially in sport mode, but a bit more slippery around tight hairpin corners even at low speeds. Being a high revving car, you can continue to push the car even in first gear to 7000 rpms, compared to my 65 where red line comes around 5000.

I am regulating myself to 85mph per the instructions for break in, so I am unable to report how this car manages at higher speeds and the responsiveness. But, what I love about this car so much is that you can drive hard and rip it, and then sit back and enjoy the open air experience.

////AMG

+1, I am not saying the 63 will beat a 65 or even pull away from a 55, I am simply expressing my absolute love for this car and the engine. At the very beginning I was set on the 65, but after taking delivery of the E63, the smooth engine and refined driving feel won me over.

sammy1

Great car congratulatons. It is getting really impressive press reviews, especially the new trany is regarded as the BEST out there, including Audi's twin clutch sytem. AMG has found a magic formula for making true sports cars that rival the hard core exotics, instead of super fast grand Touring vehicles. As for the comments about the car being a fraction of a second slower to.......

EXECMALIBU

Got out of my SL65 into a test drive SL63. I was more impressed then the first time I drove one. This car did not have the 030 package and with the 030 the car is probably amazing! But still not the BEAST that the SL65 is!

I think that the 09 SL65 will be the best of both worlds (even without the new trans)...

I have owned a lot of exotics and I look forward to driving my SL65 every day... The feeling of AMAZING ACCELLERATION NEVER GETS OLD!

Murtaza

+10000

sprins

And don't forget the perception in everyday use caused by the torque (and power) graph being different.

Nevertheless (I'm going to drive the SL63 extensively in September) I'm pretty sure that technically (and whilst driving on the edge) the SL63 will pwn the SL55, but that's just a hunch. And I'm driving a butt old (2003MY) SL55 that has had many minor and major upgrades over time

Carl Lassiter

You really believe this? Driving enjoyment and handling is the area where AMGs still fall short, with the sole exception being the Black Series CLK, though even that still suffers from a slush box.

OP- nice SL.

bltserv

I test drove the SL63 at the AMG event Saturday before last at Fletcher in Newport Beach.

I like the car overall. The interior changes are just fine. The new launch control and the tranny are great improvements. The Exhaust note is excellent.

But from the seat of the pants. My SL has that low end torque and power curve I have become spoiled with. Sure the SL63 will rev out more.
It does have a higher red line. But you need to really change your driving style to keep the Revs up to get the same HP that my SL55 kicks out
in the lower RPM range. I am still not liking the "Mustang Like Hood" they put on the new R230.

Personally I will upgrade to an out of lease 2007 or 2008 SL55 before I dump a ton of extra cash on a new SL63.

sammy1

I beg to disagree with you that ALL AMGs fall short in the handling department excepting the black series; the new C63 handles just as good as any sports sedan in the market today.
As far as the SL goes, I have not driven the new SL63 therefore I can only quote what I ve read; every single editor has noticed a sharper steering feel and a car that is more balanced compared to SL55.
///AMG stated the same in his thread and since he drove both models I would have to take his word for it.

Thericker

I know he didn't, this guy did LoL....

sprins

This is the biggest misconception there is. AMGs are most (if not the most) enjoyable cars to drive on mostly any occasion compared to the competition (well, Brabus has good cards too). Sure, you can nitpick about handling and (other peoples) Nürburgring times. But that's irrelevant since the fun is what counts most on the street.

And yes I've driven Porsches and BMW Ms. Great cars but (IMO) less fun compared to their AMG counterpart.

////AMG

First rational post by a 65 owner! I will agree that the 65 is a complete and utter beast, but the MCT trans, refined engine, and the exhaust note pushed me over the edge. I also thought why not try something different? I have owned the 65 for three years and really looked forward to what the 63 had to bring to the table. I also looked at the '09 65 this way; they just threw the same engine into a different car. The 63 is a completely new car, and that appealed to me.

jmf003

Maybe the context for my comments was a little too obscure. I didn't introduce the magazine times, other posters did. My use of the phrase "magazine racing" was tongue-in-cheek.

That said, both C&D and R&T adjust their measured results for air density. They don't post raw numbers. That adjustment corrects for differences in temperature, altitude, and humidity.

So, no, magazine times aren't meaningless; they're just magazine times. An actual car on an actual track can run quite a bit faster or slower depending on the air density and driver skill.

////AMG

They have grown on me. At first I was disappointed and hated how they suddenly stopped at the door, I would have preferred them to be tapered off. If I had gone with a black or a pewter I would have changed them. I originally imagined the steel grey to be ALOT lighter almost like a silver w/ a hint of grey, but I really liked how it turned out with the side grills.

////AMG

I'm thinking about buying a stalker sports radar to test the 0-60. I'm pretty sure it has a timer and stops when it hits a pre-set speed.