Category: Exotic Sports 
Price Range: £59,975 to £153,050
Great automatic gearbox, endless supply of torque, surprisingly compliant ride.
Pricey, not exactly environmentally friendly, disappointing launch control.
One of the best open-top driving experiences (a lot of) money can buy.
AMG, Mercedes-Benz's high-performance division, has certainly raised its game in the last couple of years. It's become more focused (gone are the likes of the ridiculous R 63 AMG) and is now producing the kinds of sporting machines that turn heads.
And its latest car, the SL 63 AMG, certainly does that. It might be something to do with the glorious-sounding V8 engine, or the muscular-looking bodywork: either way, if you're ever lucky enough to drive one of these superb examples of German automotive engineering, be prepared to be gawped at. A lot.
No, this isn't a car for shrinking violets, especially if you're going to drive around with the top down. It's a loud, raucous, high-performance cruiser that is almost as happy on metropolitan boulevards as it is on twisting, turning mountain passes. If you're moneyed and happy to travel light (there's not much in the way of bootspace), it would be the perfect car to take on a trip to the Italian Riviera.
But enough of the lifestyle daydreaming, 'cos here the science. The SL 63 AMG is powered by the Affalterbach's naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 that produces 518bhp at 6,800rpm and 464lb-ft of torque, which peaks at 5,200rpm. This enables the car to leap to 62mph from a standing start in 4.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph, or a staggering 186mph if you fork out for the optional Driver's Pack.
The big news, though, is that there's a new Speedshift MCT 7-speed gearbox to help harness all this power - and it's a cracker. It has four different settings - Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Manual - and does a great job of bringing the best aspects of manual and automatic 'boxes together in one package.
The SL 63 AMG is available to order now for £101,975 OTR.
