2017 Mercedes-AMG SLC 43: Civil AMG

I’ve written a few news stories recently about the sales domination tug-of-war between the three German luxury brands, namely Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. One of the tricks to remain on top of shoppers’ lists is to have an answer to every vehicle the other guy has.

Case in point: the two-seater roadster. Audi’s TT squares off against BMW’s retiring Z4 that are both taken on by Merc’s SLC. However, the latter takes the “war” to a more civilized level.

• Also: 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet: Mercedes’ Top-Down Approach
• Also: 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet: When Too Much Isn’t Enough

Just enough attitude?

My tester was an AMG SLC 43, or the sportiest, most powerful version of the roadster. From the front, or the rear, the AMG treatment is superb. In fact, the 43’s front fascia is almost indistinguishable from the Mercedes-AMG GT S. However, the side view is tame, almost timid. Truth be told, this is a rare roadster that looks better and sportier with the roof in place.

There’s an aura of old and young with this car, as though it’s trying hard to please both age groups. This, to me, in part explains the exterior styling. It’s also how I would describe the cabin. The switchgear is from Merc’s older-generation cars, but the seats seem as though they were extracted from the GT S. The glossy carbon fibre trims mixes with supple leathers and soft-touch plastics. Despite this, it all works well.

Bi-Turbo

What does work extremely well is the SLC’s twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6. Its 362 horsepower and 384 lb.-ft. of torque are sublime. In fact, the BMW M2’s numbers are nearly identical, but the Mercedes dishes it out with poise.

The reality is that the SLC 43 doesn’t seem as fast as it is, but it will rip to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. This is only 0.4 seconds slower than the M2. The Mercedes’ acceleration is so linear, so flat that I was duped into thinking this was not a true AMG. The exhaust note is telling, but doesn’t send the same message as would an AMG 63. This ties into the old/young mix I was talking about.

Also, and most importantly—news flash!—the standard 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission is the best of its kind. I discovered a ‘box that would skip from 8th to 4th without choking or mashing two gears together in the process of a downshift. Flappy paddle response is crisp and immediate.

The ride quality is exactly what one would expect from a Mercedes with a retractable roof. Steering is sharp, the brakes are strong and the suspension delivers appreciable comfort and surefooted handling.

I’ll admit I was thrown off by the SLC 43’s rather subdued general styling, but by the time I needed to return it I wanted more. This is a true AMG. I was totally wrong. With a base price of just under $71,000 though, we’re likely not to see to many of them on the road…