Mercedes Jellinek and Carl Benz existed in a different era than Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, but the 2022 Mercedes AMG SL63 is a car they would all very much enjoy. Had their lives overlapped, these key characters in the Silver Arrow story would have loved a drive together in this new droptop 2+2—Mercedes and Benz stuffed in back, fathers of AMG up front.

This hypothetical seating arrangement represents the new attitude of the redesigned SL-Class. Prior iterations of the Sport Leicht were cushy grand tourers that occasionally got sent off to AMG boot camp. But for the latest SL63, the AMG training came first, and it has proved transformative. It bristles with a frenzied edge, sacrificing some of its traditional comfort on the altar of dynamism. The result is a roadster that feels more AMG than Mercedes-Benz and is indisputably the highest-performing SL ever.

SLS, GT, One, and now, SL: That it joins the hallowed ranks of AMG-exclusive models underscores the sporting intentions of the new R232-generation model. The lineup’s entry-level SL43 also serves as a bellwether of AMG’s march toward electrification, utilizing a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that’s been enhanced by Formula 1 tech.

But it’s the M177 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that remains the most enticing and, for now, only engine option available for SL AMG models sold in the U.S. It makes 469 hp and 517 lb-ft of torque in the SL55, which is further boosted to 577 hp and 590 lb-ft in the SL63 thanks to the addition of larger turbochargers and upgraded software.

A nine-speed MCT (wet-clutch launch) automatic transmission routes this output to an AMG-massaged version of the Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel-drive system—a combination never before seen in an SL. These elements unite to deliver ferocious launches with devious simplicity.

Engage one of the Sport drive modes and stand on both pedals. The tachometer holds 3,500 rpm amidst a foreboding exhaust growl. Release the brake, the wet clutch drops, and the SL63 rips to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, 100 mph in 7.3 seconds, and the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds at 124.0 mph. Acceleration continues past 200 mph, joined by a distinctly AMG roar all the way.

Though more powerful and torque-rich SL models have existed in the past, none of them was quicker than the new SL63. The closest any of them came to matching its 60-mph time in our testing was the 3.5-second sprint from an SL63 equipped with the bygone 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 packing 664 lb-ft. The previous SL title holder to 100 mph and the quarter mile was the legendary SL65 Black Series, which hit those marks in 7.8 seconds and 11.6 seconds at 123.9 mph, respectively.

Flawless traction enabled by the new SL63’s 4Matic system is a crucial factor here. However, when easing away from a stop, the transmission can stutter slightly as its clutches mesh. Beyond that, its shifts are immediate with an affirming shove under power, although sometimes inconsistent automatic gear selection makes manual mode preferable for performance driving.

The 2022 SL63’s enormous optional carbon-ceramic brakes function as a worthy counterforce to its raging acceleration. Measuring some 16 inches in front and 14 inches at the rear, their 105-foot 60-0-mph stopping distance is duly impressive, though not record-setting for the SL or AMG; a previous-generation R231-series SL63 we tested stopped in 102 feet, and the GT Black Series did it in an astounding 93.

Still, these brakes feel fantastic. Pedal travel is short, sensitive, and remarkably progressive, returning stops that correspond precisely to the driver’s input—serving chauffeurs and racers equally well.

Wrought from aluminum, steel, magnesium, and carbon composite, the new SL’s body structure resists twisting and bending forces far better than the outgoing model. So capable is this architecture that it will be shared by the next-gen AMG GT—and even without a roof, the SL63 posts handling numbers not far off from our 2015 Best Driver’s Car-winning AMG GT S.

On the skidpad, the SL63 gripped to 1.03 g average, becoming the first-ever SL to rise out of the naughts; an R231 was the next closest at 0.99 g. Various tests of the AMG GT S ranged from 1.03 to 1.09 g. Likewise, the 2022 SL63 shadows the GT S around the figure eight, completing the lap in 23.6 seconds at 0.87 g average. That’s within four-tenths of a second of the GT S—and a full second ahead of the SL65 Black Series.

Beyond the ZR-rated 275/35 front and 305/30 rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires wrapping our test car’s 21-inch wheels, new hardware aims to enhance this SL63’s handling acumen. Rear-wheel steering is felt most in two scenarios: when it seems to magically bend around tight corners at low speeds, and when it can’t quite match the front wheels in rapid side-to-side transitions, such as through a racetrack chicane.

AMG’s Active Ride Control suspension, which replaces anti-roll bars with interlinked hydraulic lines, keeps the SL63 eminently composed—and impacts its ride quality. Gone is the smooth glide that made past SL models supreme cruisers. A decided stiffness takes its place, incompliant in a way that’s livable yet not plush.

Objectionable as that may be for Mercedes-Benz traditionalists, the SL63’s handling outcome will delight enthusiasts whose grand touring routes are optimized for twists and turns. Even so, the SL63 can’t quite be classified among elite sports cars—despite its AMG zeal, a dulling layer of Mercedes remains. Advanced as the chassis is, nothing hides its size or 4,239-pound curb weight. Nor is its steering as sensitive, engine as responsive, or transmission adroit as the sharpest track weaponry.

With 4Matic now on board, deliberate provocation is needed to rotate the SL63; otherwise it takes curves with predictable balance. Sport, Sport+, and Race modes unlock increasing levels of rowdiness, and an Individual mode allows for a tailored selection of powertrain and chassis responses. If the Basic stability control mode is too staid, AMG goads the brave with Advanced, Pro, and Master settings. Even in those, though, true synergy between driver and machine is incomplete.

None of this prevents the SL63 from being an absolute thrill. Attributes that compromise its ultimate poise nevertheless deepen its involvement. The SL63 challenges its driver to match its aggression, to fight its imperfections.

Those who do will find themselves pummeling corners and obliterating the stretches between them. Its disposition demands intensity and focus, making any squiggle of tarmac a pathway to exhilaration. Top-down driving is a must if for no other reason than to revel in the V-8’s bassy crackles and turbocharger chirps—a noise that adds to the impression this is a four-wheeled chainsaw built to cut a road to shreds.

Savage as it is, the SL63 carries materials, technologies, and amenities that range from dazzling to ornate. That’s reflected in its price, which is significantly higher than before: Starting at $180,450, the SL63 tested here was richly equipped with options like alluring $1,750 Hyper Blue paint, a $2,850 aerodynamics package, a $4,500 Burmester audio system, and the aforementioned $8,950 carbon-ceramic brakes, bringing its total to $212,585.

Yet even that searing sum can’t buy a few buttons that would curtail digging through digital menus to find basic operations, not least of which is raising and lowering the folding soft top.

A trifle, perhaps, as items like its genius head-up display, steadfast semi-autonomous assists, and trick tilt-adjustable touchscreen combine functionality with delight. Never have there been front seats like these, that support so resolutely and massage so vigorously while blowing warm air around the necks of their occupants. These luxuries uphold what’s expected from something so lofty in the constellation of three-pointed stars.

And indeed, the new Mercedes-AMG SL-Class still does what the longest-running nameplate in Mercedes history has become famous for: treat its occupants to open-air opulence. It will settle down and jaunt about, but even light prodding evinces its irascible nature. Now fitted with two tiny back seats, more can marvel in its capabilities. Granted, the four aboard will be extremely close together, as would the quartet whose names adorn this car. In the 2022 SL63, AMG drives as Mercedes-Benz rejoices, integrating the utmost of both brands like few vehicles have before.