Mansory Puts Carbon Fiber on the Hook, Catfishes a Mercedes-AMG SL 63

For the 1960s, Mercedes gave it a new design, improving every aspect, and they did the same in the '70s for the R107 generation, which was made until 1989 when the R129 was introduced. With design traits that inspired the iconic SLR McLaren, the R230 that followed it from 2001 to 2011 is one of the prettiest ever made, this writer thinks, and its successor, the R231, preceded the latest iteration.

Unveiled in the final quarter of 2021 (how time flies!), the R232 is the first one developed by Mercedes-AMG. It brings additional novelties, too, like the two seats at the rear suitable for kids, or people up to 1.5 meters (4 feet 11 inches) tall, according to the German premium car brand. It also features a rag top over the passenger compartment instead of a folding metal roof, which takes roughly 15 seconds to open and close. This is done via a switch mounted on the center console or via the touchscreen display, and it can be operated at speeds of up to 37 mph (60 kph).

Since it targets a different breed of customers, the new Mercedes-AMG SL can fit two golf bags in the trunk. As for the equipment list, this comprises the infotainment system with a portrait-oriented screen, digital dials, ambient lighting, leather upholstery, carbon fiber trim, electrically adjustable seats with a system that blows warm air through the headrests into the necks of its occupants, and many others. Therefore, you can consider it a bit soft design-wise compared to the previous generations, but it is better than ever. It is also much quicker, especially in the top-of-the-line configuration that retains the 63 suffix.

This version uses the ubiquitous 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8, which pumps out 577 hp (585 ps/kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. This makes it five ps (5 hp/4 kW) punchier than the rivaling Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, and it takes 3.6 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 kph). The SL 63 will mess your hair at speeds up to 196 mph (315 kph). The model uses the standard 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system, tweaked by the Affalterbach brand's engineers, with a dual-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission that directs the thrust to both axles. Variable torque distribution is on deck for improved traction. Therefore, you can consider it an all-weather roadster and an excellent daily if you don't have many friends who want to ride with you.

Over the last one and a half years, several tuners have left their mark on the SL. Mansory, for one, gave it its controversial looks, sprinkling the package with a generous power boost. In the P850 configuration, the model boasts 838 hp (850 ps/625 kW). Opt for the P720, and that number drops to 710 hp (720 ps/530 kW). The latter variant improves the sprint time by two-tenths, and with the former, you're looking at 3.2 seconds required to hit 62 mph. The top speed is 202 mph and 206 mph (325/332 kph), respectively.

Nothing to complain about so far, but we haven't mentioned the visual makeover yet. Mansory gave it all sorts of crazy upgrades up front. Modifying the grille and equipping it with a new hood and different side mirror casings was necessary, for whatever reason, and so were the add-ons at the sides and rear, including the fender flares. The SL 63 was already very aggressive with the stock diffuser and tailpipes, but the tuner left its marque on these too. They also installed a trunk lid spoiler and equipped the car with new 10.5x21-inch front and 12x22-inch rear wheels. Carbon inlays for the seats, aluminum sports pedals, new floor mats, and a few other things were added inside, where it has white leather upholstery with diamond quilting and dust-gathering piano black accents.

Drop the carbon add-ons on the outside, keep the wheels and the power boost, and you've got a great roadster that can take on the supercar establishment all day, any day. To be honest, we liked it better in all-black, like the one unveiled a few months ago. So, if you want to save this SL 63 and make it black or remove those weird add-ons, you should know it is for sale. We found it on Mansory's website here, accompanied by the images shared above, and no visible asking price. However, you don't have to be a connoisseur to tell that it is worth a small fortune. After all, the stock SL 63 is worth almost €200,000 (€194.535,25/$211,565) in its home market of Germany and starts at $178,100 in the US of A. If you contact the tuner, drop a line and tell us how much they're asking for it. We bet it's roughly twice the MSRP or slightly more.