Verdict
The RM261,000 premium for the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL buys the rarer open-top grand-touring format, 375 hp, a 4.9-second 0-100 km/h time and a 275 km/h top speed. But the Mercedes-Benz S-Class makes the stronger Malaysian case for most owners: its 28.6-kWh plug-in hybrid battery delivers a claimed 100 km EV range, while five seats, a 350-litre boot and a 3,216-mm wheelbase suit passengers far better. Its RM2,128 annual road tax is steep beside the SL’s RM376, though.
AMG SL
Pick the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL if open-air motoring, 375 hp performance and the quicker 4.9-second sprint matter more than rear-seat space and plug-in range.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you want a five-seat luxury sedan with 100 km of claimed EV range, lavish rear accommodation and a RM261,000 lower entry price.
Key differences
- Price: Mercedes-Benz AMG SL RM999,888; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888.
- Powertrain: AMG SL has a 1,991-cc 375-hp mild-hybrid inline-four; S-Class has a 2,999-cc 362-hp plug-in hybrid inline-six plus a 147-hp motor.
- Performance: AMG SL reaches 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and 275 km/h; S-Class takes 5.2 seconds and reaches 250 km/h.
- Space: AMG SL has four seats, a 2,700-mm wheelbase and 240-litre boot; S-Class has five seats, a 3,216-mm wheelbase and 350-litre boot.
- Electrification: AMG SL has a 13-hp motor with no stated EV range; S-Class has a 28.6-kWh battery, 100-km EV range, 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charging.
- Road tax: AMG SL RM376 per year; S-Class RM2,128 per year.
AMG SL
- 375 hp and a 4.9-second 0-100 km/h time.
- Convertible body with 21-inch forged alloys and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres.
- 275 km/h top speed and 1,810-kg kerb weight.
- RM261,000 more expensive than the S-Class.
- Four seats and a 240-litre boot trail the S-Class's five seats and 350 litres.
- No stated EV range or battery capacity, unlike the S-Class's 100-km plug-in capability.
S-Class
- Claimed 100-km EV range from a 28.6-kWh battery, with 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charging.
- Five seats, 350-litre boot and a 3,216-mm wheelbase.
- Rear seats get heating, ventilation, massage, recline and a left-side ottoman with leg rest.
- Slower than the AMG SL, at 5.2 seconds to 100 km/h versus 4.9 seconds.
- Lower 250 km/h top speed versus the AMG SL's 275 km/h.
- At 2,385 kg, it is 575 kg heavier than the AMG SL.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM999,888 | RM738,888✓ |
| Body type | Convertible | Sedan |
| Segment | Grand Tourer | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM376✓ | RM2,128 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 12-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing with Mild Hybrid Assistance | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 1,991 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 375 hp at 6,750 rpm✓ | 362 hp at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 480 Nm at 3,250 rpm | 500 Nm at 1,600 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 83 mm × 92.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 13 hp | 147 hp✓ |
| Motor Torque | — | 440 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 28.6 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 100 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 11 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | AMG Speedshift MCT 9G | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 9 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Daimler | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.9 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 1 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 275 km/h✓ | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | — | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,705 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,915 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,359 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,700 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 1,810 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 70 litres | 67 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 4 |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 240 litres | 350 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 275/35R21 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 305/30R21 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | — | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Multi-Link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-Link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" AMG 10-Twin-Spoke Forged Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" AMG 10-Twin-Spoke Forged Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Sports Suspension | Adaptive Dampers |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 5 (Driver and Front Passenger, Curtain Airbags, Front Centre Airbag) | 14 (Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Rear Passengers, Front and Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Left Cushion) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point | 5 Three-point with Illumination and Rear Belt Bags |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Front Passenger Seat | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (up to 130 km/h) and Evasive Steering Assist (up to 108 km/h) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | Both Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Digital Light LED Projector | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | Full LED with Dynamic Light Design and Sequential Indicators | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | 50:50 Split-folding | Power Adjustable Outer Rear Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation, Massage and One-touch Recline Functions; Folding Rear Pillow Headrests with Built-in Neck Warmers; Powered Ottoman and Leg Rest for Left Seat with Massage Function; Centre Load-through |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Air Balance Perfume System and Ioniser |
| Rear Air-con | — | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 Front USB, 2 Rear USB, 1 Wireless Charger | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 11.9" Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Voice Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 17-Speaker Burmester Sound System | 12.8" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 11" Rear Entertainment Displays; 7" Rear Android Tablet; 15-speaker Burmester 3D Surround Sound System (710 Watts) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Driver Side Auto Up & Down | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist and Stop and Go | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | — | Soft Close Function, All Doors |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | MBUX Interior Assistant, Fingerprint Scanner, Front and Rear Qi Wireless Chargers, Rear Wireless Headsets |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 4 years | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 8-year/160,000 km Battery Warranty |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used AMG SL & S-Class for sale
AMG SL vs S-Class FAQ
Is the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The S-Class is the better all-round Malaysian luxury car: it costs RM261,000 less, seats five, carries 350 litres and can cover a claimed 100 km on electric power. Choose the AMG SL for its convertible body and faster 4.9-second sprint.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz AMG SL costs RM999,888 and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs RM738,888, so the AMG SL carries a RM261,000 premium.
Can the Mercedes-Benz S-Class be driven on electric power?
Yes. The S-Class plug-in hybrid has a 28.6-kWh battery and a claimed 100-km EV range. It supports AC charging at up to 11 kW and DC charging at up to 60 kW; no EV range is stated for the AMG SL.
