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Mercedes-AMG SL to be recalibrated; will be softer, smarter, yet still seriously fast

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:30:15 +0000

The Mercedes-AMG SL is about to rediscover its roots. The performance wing of the German auto giant is reworking the SL into a more traditional open-top grand tourer, clearly separating it from the sharper, coupe-focused Mercedes-AMG GT.

Arriving with a mid-cycle facelift next year, the changes go deeper than just styling. While the SL and GT currently share much of their DNA, Mercedes-AMG is now dialling up comfort and refinement, inspired in part by the positive reception to the ultra-luxurious Maybach SL.

Inside, the updates bring the SL in line with Mercedes’ latest tech-forward direction. Expect a revised cabin featuring the brand’s new MB.OS infotainment system, paired with a sharper, more responsive central display. Subtle tweaks to materials and finishes aim to elevate the sense of luxury, while a redesigned steering wheel and updated interface promise a more intuitive driving experience.

The shake-up is significant in the engine department. Everything will be mild hybrid. The entry-level SL 43 and its 4-cylinder engine are on the way out. In its place comes a new SL 53, powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six pushing around 449 bhp. Higher up the range, V8 models are evolving too, switching to flat-plane crankshafts for improved efficiency and compliance with stricter Euro 7 emissions norms.

Power isn’t taking a hit, though. The SL 55 is expected to produce over 530 bhp, while the SL 63 could push close to 650 bhp. A flagship Maybach version will sit at the top.

Source: Autocar UK

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Mercedes-AMG teases racier GT Track Sport

admin — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 01:24:55 +0000

Mercedes-AMG has dropped a new teaser on social media, clearly hinting at a new track-focused version of the AMG GT, dubbed the Track Sport.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Track Sport will be based on the second-generation AMG GT coupe. It will feature several performance upgrades, including a bespoke high downforce package.

Mercedes-AMG has confirmed that the model will be powered by the same V8 engine which also powers the brand’s GT Series racecars. That being said, the exact technical specs are still unclear.

As far as aero is concerned, the Track Sport will feature a massive swan-neck rear wing and a prominent front splitter. It will also get a more aggressive-looking front fascia and a vented hood, among other modifications.

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Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe interior revealed; It’s a screen fest

admin — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:14:08 +0000

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the interior of the upcoming AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, and as expected, there are a lot of screens.

According to Mercedes, the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe offers a sporty driving position with a low-set seat and a driver-oriented cockpit. As you can see, the 14-inch central touchscreen is angled towards the driver. There’s an additional screen on the passenger side.

On the driver’s side, you have a typical AMG 3-spoke steering wheel and a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster. The thick centre console houses a couple of wireless charging pads and cup holders, and three rotary switches: Response Control, Agility Control and Traction Control.

The AMG GT 4-Door Coupe comes with AMG Performance seats with integrated headrests. There’s a stylish quilted pattern on the door pads and carbon fibre trim all around. Another highlight of the interior is the electrochromic panoramic sunroof.

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is expected to be derived from the GT XX Concept. The latter had a 1322 hp tri-motor setup and an estimated top speed of 223 mph. The exact technical details of the production version are unknown.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Audi RS 5 vs BMW M3 vs Mercedes-AMG C63: Who Wins on Paper?

admin — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:39:26 +0000

A Heavyweight Challenger — Literally

Yes, we’ve seen all the memes and stories about the all-new RS 5’s weight, but we’re still glad that Audi makes such cars. Even better, it still has six cylinders, so it’ll at least sound decent. It also means that the battle for (not so) high-performance compact executive sedan supremacy lives on, and that’s good news for everyone.

For over 30 years, Audi has been butting heads with BMW and Mercedes-Benz in this category. And while comparison tests will have their own declared winners, all the cars in that class have their rabid fans. In the case of the RS 5, its main target is the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63.

We’d like to point out that the current iterations of the M3 and C63 are on the way out. The BMW is taking the six-cylinder plug-in hybrid route, while the AMG is ditching the four-cylinder soon. Mind you, it’s AMG that started the whole plug-in hybrid thing in this class of car in the first place.

Audi

Pulling Power

The Audi RS 5 wades into battle with a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 just like its previous generation. But this time around, it gets a plug-in hybrid system bolted on, giving it class-leading horsepower and torque. Those powertrain systems combined deliver 630 hp and 608 lb-ft of torque. The engine alone makes 503 hp, a significant increase over last year’s model’s 444 hp.

However, those stats are still eclipsed by the Mercedes-AMG C63’s total combined output. Affalterbach’s hot PHEV sedan makes 671 hp and 752 lb-ft of torque. We’ll address the elephant in the room: it’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, boosted to kingdom come. Yes, it makes the power, but where’s the soundtrack?

As for BMW, the current M3 sticks to a tried-and-true recipe with no electrification tricks whatsoever. There’s the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six, good for 473 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, and the Competition version, which raises that to 503 hp and 479 lb-ft. Go for xDrive all-wheel drive, and you get an extra 20 hp. It’s the least powerful on paper, but that’s just one part of the equation.

Weighing the Scales

We now live in a day and age where anything under 4,000 lbs is considered light for a performance sedan. With that, the flyweight of this group is easily the BMW M3 with the standard non-Competition model at ‘just’ 3,890 lbs. That’s as light as they come in this group, but it’s actually (slightly) heavier than an E60 M5, which tipped the scales at 3,869 lbs — with a stonking V10 under the hood. Oh, what a world we live in today.

The next car is nearly 1,000 lbs heavier than the M3, and that’s the C63 at 4,817 lbs. Do the math, and that’s exactly 927 lbs more than the BMW. Of course, the reason for that is the plug-in hybrid system. Batteries and motors are not light, folks. But the AMG is a featherweight to the new RS 5.

The all-new RS 5 weighs a whopping 5,129 lbs. The Avant version, which America won’t be getting in the near future, drives up that number to 5,225 lbs. It’s even heavier than the RS 6 Avant, and just a few hundred pounds away from the much larger SQ7. Impressive, but for all the wrong reasons.

Keyboard Drag Race

There is a spread of about 200 horsepower between the least-powerful and most-powerful models. With that in mind, acceleration times should be straightforward, right? Well, no. Also, remember that there’s 1,239 lbs between the lightest and heaviest cars here.

Audi claims a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 3.6 seconds for the RS 5, so its 0 to 60 mph time is probably around 3.4 to 3.5 seconds. As for the C63, AMG lists 3.3 seconds for its official 0 to 60 time. BMW’s claimed numbers for the M3 are 4.1 seconds for the base RWD manual and 3.4 seconds for the Competition xDrive. All that horsepower advantage, and they’re all virtually tied to get to 60 mph. Weight, in this case, is the great equalizer here.

Audi

Final Thoughts

For the RS 5, we’ll reserve judgment until we get to drive one. That said, we do have several things to say about the M3 and C63 in their current forms.

We had rather mixed reactions in our C63 review, mainly because of the car’s complexity, and the feel behind the wheel was best described as competent but not exactly thrilling. It’s fast, yes, but it doesn’t deliver much drama. At the other end of the scale, the M3 was fun and engaging while making the right sounds. We want the RS 5 to be more like the M3 than the C63.

More specifically, we want all three cars to be more like the soon-to-be-outgoing M3. Admittedly, the next-gen M3’s shift to electrification has us a little worried, as it’s inevitable that it’ll gain a lot of pounds in the process. As for the AMG, the return of six-cylinders is welcome news, but we won’t know for sure how it drives until the updated C-Class appears later this year.

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