In a new video posted on the carwow YouTube channel, hosts Matt and Yianni put four impressive convertibles to the ultimate test. The star of the show is the new Mercedes-AMG SL 55, but how well does it compare to the other cars in the group?

Getting To Know The Cars

First up is the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 with its 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and 476hp. It’s got all-wheel drive, weighs in at 4,300 lbs, and costs a whopping $178,500. The Porsche is the lightest of the bunch at 3,560 lbs and with a price tag of $151,557. Its 3-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine can deliver 480 hp, but it only has RWD, which is a big disadvantage. The BMW M850i has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that boasts 530hp, and it weighs a staggering 4,685 lbs. It does have all-wheel drive though, and comes in at $144,756. Last on the list is the all-wheel drive Jaguar F-Type R at 3,946 lbs. It’s got a 5-liter Supercharged V8 engine that can deliver 575 hp and is the most affordable of the group at $131,234.

Putting Them To The Test

First up is the all-important roof race. That’s right, all four cars will race to see which roof goes up the quickest. Matt was on course to win in the Mercedes but took his finger off the button before the roof flaps had closed. Yianni was next, so would have won by default had he not left his back windows down. That brings us to our last two cars, and a DNF for the Jag meant victory for the BMW.

Next is the sound check, which requires a simple rev of the engine. Matt says the AMG has a soft limiter and sounds a bit fruity, but that it’s still better than the Porsche’s “boring” sound and that of the BMW. The Jaguar is the clear winner with the best-sounding engine, but Matt tells the viewers to vote for their favourite in the comments.

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The Four Cars Drag Race It Out

Carwow Drag Race Mercedes-AMG SL55, Porsche 911, BMW, Jaguar Type-R
Carwow Youtube Channel

First up we have a standing-start race over a quarter mile. The first round sees a very poor start off the line for the Porsche, which falls behind the other three cars. It doesn’t take long for it to catch up and pass, all bar the Jag, which narrowly beats it over the line. The Mercedes falls off considerably, finishing in last place after a strong start.

The second race bares near identical results, with the AMG finishing in last and the Porsche and Jaguar tied for first place. The third race sees a third consecutive loss for the Mercedes and a clear win for the Porsche, which gets an excellent start off the line and finishes two-tenths quicker than the Jaguar. This is a very impressive feat for the only car without all-wheel drive.

The cars are then tested in a rolling race over the same quarter mile, then over a half mile in manual mode. Both of which see the Porsche continue to obliterate the competition, and the Mercedes-AMG fail to deliver.

The final test is the brake test, which sees the Mercedes-AMG finally get a win. It narrowly beat the Porsche, which is the lightest car of the group.

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Is The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 Worth The Price-Tag?

Matt and Yianni both agree that while the AMG looks great, its performance was disappointing. Matt speculates that Mercedes have held back on the AMG SL 55 because they have the SL 63 coming soon. He does feel that the performance of the car does not justify the price tag. Let’s hope the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 has more to offer.