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The latest Mercedes-AMG SL goes back to its roadster roots. This time it’s a sophisticated 2+2 soft-top road runner that takes just 15 seconds to get topless, and it can do this at speeds of up to 60 kilometres an hour. It also retains its classic roadster proportions — the hood seems to stretch out ahead of the driver for a time zone!

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When it’s launched in Canada this year, the SL will be offered with just one engine — a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. This hand-built unit generates 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque anywhere between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. The fury is then fired though a nine-speed automatic transmission with a wet multiplate start-off clutch in place of the usual torque converter and, for the first time, all four wheels.

The 4Matic+ AWD system is fully variable and changes the manner in which it splits the power based on the drive mode selected. In Slippery mode it adopts a more even power split to prevent unwanted wheelspin when pulling away on a wet road; in Sport and Sport+ it shifts to a rear-drive bias, but still has power flowing forward so it hauls out of a corner in fine style.

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This combination proved to be very fast. It runs to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, although this is not where it truly impresses. Keep the hammer down and the SL pulls hard and fast as it races towards its 315 km/h top speed. It is a true test of the driver’s nerve!

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Partway into the drive, it dawned on me that this could be the SL’s last hurrah. With the electric vehicle push at full chat, I wondered if a twin-turbo V8 would survive beyond the end of this decade. I sincerely hope so!

While AMG’s all-electric EQS 4Matic+ is a road warrior in its own right, it will never make the owner want to hammer the accelerator to listen to its “crickle-crack” on overrun. The SL is simply sublime in this regard — it made this driver actively seek out tunnels just to hear the exhaust’s glorious symphony echo!

Key to SL’s sophisticated driving feel is the fact the composite aluminum structure beneath the brightwork is 18 per cent stiffer torsionally than the out-going GT Roadster. It is rock solid and so there’s no cowl shake, a side-effect caused when the strength of the roof panel is removed. On the drive route, there were some pretty rough sections of road. In spite of this, there was no shake or shimmy — the SL just hunkered down and drove on as through the road were pristine.

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Next up is a trick suspension. The SL is one of the very few cars that does not have anti-roll bars. AMG’s Active Ride Control suspension marries steel springs with adaptive dampers. The active setup not only controls the compression and rebound aspects of the ride and handling, the hydraulics double as the roll control system. It works a treat, as the SL stays flatter than gravy on a plate when pushed to the max through a corner.

This and the aforementioned lack of cowl-shake eliminated the jittery sensation exhibited by many soft-tops when the wheels encounter broken pavement mid-corner. With the SL wearing P275/35ZR21 front tires and P305/30ZR21 rears this could have been an issue. Not here — the SL’s composure under these conditions is confidence-inspiring to say the least!

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Another advantage is the standard four-wheel-steering set up. At speed, it turns the rear wheels is the same direction as the front wheels, which brings a much crisper response to driver input. In spite of its imposing size the SL feels like a much smaller car such is the manner in which it whips through a corner.

At slow speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, which cuts the turning circle to 12.8-metres. The other parking environment plus is another AMG first — a front-axle lift system that can raise the front-end by 30-mm when needed. Now, there’s nothing new here, however, in this case the driver can store the locations where it has been deployed — from now on whenever the car returns to a stored location the front-end automatically lifts, which prevents a bruised chin!

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Slip inside and that mess of buttons and knobs has gone in favour of a digital future. The SL’s cabin is dominated by an 11.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. It looks after all the usual vehicle and infotainment functions, including the sweet-sounding Burmester audio system, as well as the climate controls. However, it goes one further by adding a twist. In most convertibles, when the top is down the screen washes out the instant the sun strikes it. This is true here, too. However, the driver can change the screen’s angle over a 20-degree range. It runs from its laid-back start position to a more upright position that cuts the glare and washout. A small touch, but one that makes a big difference.

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Then there are the front seats. Not only are they perfectly sculpted and deliver superior support, they include M-B’s Airscarf. Here, warm air flows from the headrest vents, which keeps the rider’s neck and shoulders toasty. In Canada, this extends the top-down season.

Now AMG says the SL is a 2+2. Up front, there’s no question it’s a delight. The +2 back seat is said to accommodate people up to 1.5-metres tall. Good luck with that one — the reality is this is where you put your briefcase or purse because the is precious little storage space up front.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL a truly delightful machine. It’s very fast, equally agile and it’s truly luxurious, at least for the front seat riders. Find a twisty road, drop the top and let it rip, and you’re off to have about as much fun as you can have while wearing loafers!

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+ will hit Canadian roads late spring or early summer. Pricing and full specifications will be announced closer to the launch.