Holed up in another hotel on a business trip splurging on Popeye’s fried chicken and thought it’s time to revisit the mild and spicy post from August. Here’s the link if you missed it. The theme was just like Popeye’s, there are some pretty good cars out there in a reasonably fun version and the same car a bit hopped up – spicy. Well, here’s two more – a pair of Mercedes hardtop convertible unicorns! “Super Leicht”…or SL’s.
Above we have the relatively mild 2013 Mercedes SL550, with a ridiculously low 6,927 miles on it! Ten years old and hardly driven. Below, a spicy 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG with more mileage, but cheaper than the SL550.
These are sixth generation SL’s, R231 models which were made from 2012 to 2020. The SL550 sold new for at least $106,000, the SL63 for more than $150,000.
The cars are similarly, but not identically equipped. The cheaper SL63 has adaptive cruise control and massaging seats, and the SL550 does not. The SL550 has the Harman Kardon audio and the SL63 the Bang & Olufsen (although CarMax lists it as having both the Harman and the Bang!)
That’s the SL550 wheel above, and the SL63 controls below.
Both convertibles have the wonderful Air Scarf neck warmers below.
What distinguishes the two the most are the motors – both twin turbo V-8’s. The “mild” motor is the 4.7 liter, 429 horsepower one in the SL550, with the SL63 sporting the “spicy” 5.5 liter, 530 horsepower engine. The SL550 takes just over four seconds to hit 60 mph – the SL63 just under four. Both have seven speed automatics and are governed to 155 mph top speeds. Reviews suggest the SL63 has an almost marine engine sound to it. Interesting.
At the moment, the 2013 Mercedes SL550 is on its way to Salem, Oregon and is selling for $41,998. Again, it has less than 7,000 miles on it and of course MaxCare is available up to 125,000 and another five years. Makes a nice sleeper. You can track it with this link.
Stock No. 25135608 VIN WDDJK7DA6DF019221
For me, the 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG is the menu choice I’d make. It’s only $37,998 but does have 56,000 miles on it – and one minor accident involving the driver’s door. It’s currently reserved here in Sacramento, California. Of course, I’d rather have the best of both world’s – a low mileage SL63, but Isaiah bagged that one over a year ago! Here’s the link to that story.
Stock No. 25051893 VIN WDDJK7EA4DF006630