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Do you know how much they have this car insured for no okay? I think they just hope that it stays together. Welcome to hooves garage the dumbest automotive channel in all of youtube - and this is the all-new 2022 mercedes sl 63 amg, and these are not available in the united states. Yet they will be soon there's not even press cars for people to review in the u.s. So that's why i am in italy.
I was actually invited out by mercedes-benz to test drive this on the millimiglia rally, which is a 1 000 mile rally through italy. It's absolutely insane. The police escort you block traffic as you go throughout italy, this beautiful countryside, and i start in this new sl and then on the final day i get to drive in the original 300 sl gullwing yeah. Yes, yes, okay, it is absolutely real, yeah, not a dream.
Okay, you can quit hitting yourself now. This sl was developed quite differently than any other sl in the last 50 years. It's actually based on the amg gt, where, before the sl was its own platform, but it's actually kind of appropriate, because the original sl was developed on a race car. The 300 sl eventually convinced to sell to the public, and that's where the legend was born.
So now here we are 70 years later and the high performance racing version of a car has birthed the sl and it is supposed to be a little bit of a softer a little bit of an easier driving car than the amg gt. But honestly, when you turn all the knobs to sport plus racing everything else, it feels well almost exactly like an amg gt, but there's some bigger screens, a lot more tech and the look. Obviously i love the look of this thing. They definitely hearken back to the original sl.
You can see with the grooves here in the hood and they did add a lot of stuff, but there are a few things that they've taken away and with that, let's start a tour of the new sl here in serbia. Our lunch. Stop. It's been a few hours, i'm doing this partially because it's a really cool spot where the car stopped, but also uh, because i lost my gopro and i had already done a tour once so i'm having to do it for a second time, never lost a gopro.
Ever and i lose it in italy as the cars go by, but one thing i really love about this car is every angle. This thing is absolutely gorgeous. If i have one complaint on the exterior of this car, it is the badge because, yes, it is an sl super light sport light 63. It doesn't make any sense anymore when it comes to mercedes the numbers just everything's made up and the points don't matter.
No longer has a 6.2 liter v8, it hasn't for five six years. It now has a four liter deep v turbo, which i'll show you in a little bit, but also you can get an sl55 and it has the exact same engine. Just a little bit lesser tune, so this is a more refined softer amg than the amg gt and the big way that they do that with this one is the air suspension it's optional on the 55 it's standard on the 63, i believe, and that in comfort Mode gives it a soft cushy ride, but you can dial it all the way up to feel like well, a race car, another race, car thing. Look at these giant carbon ceramic brakes. I mean absolutely massive on beautiful wheels. They aren't one-piece knock-offs. This is just a cap, but another thing: that's different on the sl this year and no i didn't scratch it that's just dust and plants and things is it being a 4matic. So this is the first sl ever to be all-wheel drive and not only that it's four-wheel steering so you have an all-weather sl and, like i said from every angle, this thing is just absolutely gorgeous.
I love the classic grille. I love what they did with the hood. It just looks incredible now when you go inside well, it definitely looks like a modern car, the doors even pop out like a tesla, but when you sit inside it is a very nice soft, cushy, mercedes-benz, which is what they were going for and another way they Tried to make the sl feel more special was with the tech. You see the two screens here you started up.
You have a lot to well infotain you, i suppose, i'm a total dinosaur, so i have it in the classic gauge cluster, but you can change it to a bunch of different things: howe 9000 or super sport. But then you can do some weird ones like this. One is understated. Look at that kind of looks like the lake we were parked at earlier and, of course you can have the full navigation screen and the assistant screens kind of showing you the autopilot type system here the radar cruise control.
I am warming up a little bit to the ipads, getting glued to the center console kind of thing, and this one does have some cool tech. You see with the seats here. You have the seat kinetics on the lumbar the adjustment's pretty cool to play around with that, but also since it is a convertible, it is adjustable. So you can change the display angle and it does move, gets happy to see you and put it all the way back down and the top actually is controlled by this as well.
You have to slide it flip it this way and the top starts to go. I'm holding it see those wings come out and the soft top is deployed notice. I said soft top. This is the first time in, however long that mercedes.
How can i help? Did i say: hey mercedes, go away. What do you want to do? No, i i was explaining people the car and, i said, sort of hamer cities. I think, and then you started talking um. Okay, i think it quit.
One thing they took away is the hard top, but one thing they added which no noesl has had. Since i guess the 107 in the 1980s is a rear seat, not the most spacious rear seat, but it's usable for somebody like me who has two small kids. They can sit in the back. That is a total game changer for the sl.
The fit and finish as well in this thing is absolutely fantastic. You see the speaker covers for the burmeister stereo, these vents look like machine bladed wheels themselves with their plastic. It can open and close like that. Leather stitched, dashboard and then the seat. Adjustments just like a mercedes, has been forever, but they don't move. The seat is moving right now, but the button doesn't you just have to touch it for it to do something. It takes a little getting used to not having the tactile response of the switch moving for something to happen, and i showed you the two screens here, but there's also two more screens little circular ones down here where you can change the dynamics of the car. Oh, we do not want to turn that off back in comfort and then this one also changes the modes in the driving modes.
There's race, sport plus sport, and it changes down here as well, really cool and really cool how they integrated the spokes of the steering wheel with the controls as well. It doesn't look like a hodgepodge of buttons like most cars, now i'll show you the engine. It has a rev limiter when it's in park, so you can't really hear it that well, it does sound really really good, though you can hear the turbos pretty well, but under the hood like most modern cars, there is not that much to see here giant plastic Engine cover you can see the turbos here in the v of the engine, a lot of insulation, the heat shielding to keep it from heat soaking, the engine itself, 4, liter, v8. Still a v8 577 horsepower.
I've been enjoying this car for most of the day and i'm gon na enjoy some more so part of this is driving through you know: streets, ancient villages, you have it in comfort mode and obviously the ride is fantastic. For this. I'm currently slowing down a red going behind me and i don't want to do that. So i should probably pick up the pace because they're in a competition they're timed - i am not so let's get out on the open road and actually use some of this 577 horsepower.
I got passed by a 356 in a really really sketchy way. Man are people doing things in very expensive cars that i can't imagine doing speaking of the police there they are see, we can just give them a follow. It's just like that. No problem now the sl has been sort of dwindling in sales for a very long time, because mercedes is a victim of their own success in the competition within the brand they had the clk.
The slk came out that took away a lot of sl sales and then the amg cars, the amg gt, the sls, the roadster. So the sl became the less special car in line for so many others. Nowadays, like a c convertible, an e-convertible and s-convertible. So the sl: well, it's just one of many with this and all the refinements.
They made the all-wheel drive the back seat, uh the technology. The way this thing looks, i think sales will go way way up if they can build them in today's world. Let's see how this roundabout works here, usually the police block the roundabout for us and they are just nothing like this. I can't imagine the scenery on top of all that, there's the nannies thinking i'm going to crash into the police officer. Believe me, i will not, but i think we're finally clearing the urban areas and getting out into the open road where we can really open this thing up. Yes, i'll, flew past whatever the heck. This is so, let's try and catch up. Oh no problem and the all-wheel drive and the four-wheel steer wow okey-dokey, yes, there's tractors and police.
This is just a sensory overload, so the best driving roads in the world, some of the best food in the world, most beautiful places and the best cars it's overwhelming. I'm i'm okay, the fuses are popping honey. Sorry, we actually drove into some rain. Look at this.
The car is pulling over left and right to put their tops on. I've got 4matic all-wheel drive. I can't break the tires on this thing and any other amg sl before it is. It was so easy to get the rear tires to break loose.
You know the traction control would kick on now. I don't even notice it in the tunnel. You can see the mood lighting wow. This thing is really really cool and it's been great driving this thing all day and the longest day of the milly miglia, but uh next, it's the original.
I can try that. Well. That was an incredible experience. 14 hours in the all-new sl and it's nice to see the sl being the best of the best again and not sort of being kept around for sentimental reasons, so much tech, but so classy so comfortable.
So what a modern sl should be. But if you're sentimental just look at that now i haven't driven one of these very much. Basically, last year i went in monterey car week i was invited by mercedes classic to drive a roadster. It lasted all of 15 20 minutes and at the end of it i was so upset that it was over.
I almost cried, i mean literally almost cried, and apparently that worked because michael who rode with me and works for the mercedes-benz classic center said he would get me another chance and i never dreamed it would be coming here to italy to drive this amazing race variant Of the 300sl now to give you a little background on this race, it started in the 1920s and it was a full-out race through italy and it ended in 1957. After so many fatal accidents that killed well some spectators and some drivers, but in 1955 sterling moss took his 300 slr to a win at millie miglia. It was a very, very big deal and now we're at the 70th anniversary of the 300sl, which is why there are so many here now. Instead of 577 horsepower, i have 215 horsepower, but even though it seems low for modern standards, that's a lot.
It's one of the fastest cars in the rally this one's also hopped up with a racing cam. So probably quite a bit more power. You see no bumpers kind of giving it a racer, look the goal wing doors and then look inside here. The ivory steering wheel.
Black on black and the goldwing doors are actually somewhat practical because of the massive sill here a door wouldn't have done you much good. Also to help you get in the steering wheel does retract there you go, you can slide in for easier access, but i mean this thing is absolutely absolutely gorgeous and it is absolutely the most expensive car i have ever driven and they actually told me that i Need to drive this thing aggressively and at speed, or they will be offended now. I have a co-driver and guide karl wendingler to make sure i don't do anything too stupid and the cars should be good to go. They actually work on these overnight. You can see right here, they're working on this silver car. They were working on the white car last night, no major repairs, but i was told last year they were able to do a head casket in a hotel parking lot, so they work through the night. So we can be as confident as we can driving the 70 year old car in this rally. You can see these radiator hoses here.
They call it sort of the pool noodle trick to get extra ventilation into the engine bay, which i just messed up. I'm gon na have to fix that off camera because it is going to be very hot today, but i don't care all right swing in here: carl's going to drive to the starting grid down, we go and we're off. What's the small windshield, for i think this is for rain, and and how do you call this flies? Ah, okay, so now we'll head to the starting grid, i'll get a brief tutorial on the car and then i'd like you to drive all that noise. That's great! You know it looks.
It sounds like an old race car, but it doesn't really feel like it. That's what i remember from the last one, this much more modern than anything from the 1950s. You know, except maybe the brakes. I got used to those karma ceramics yesterday.
Do you know how much they have this car insured for? No okay? I think they just hope they stay together. Be careful yeah! There's no way you can do this in the united states, because it's not you know too many different states and attitudes and people don't pay attention over their driving. So you couldn't split a lane like this yup. You could not even do this.
It would not be allowed anyway by a traffic clock and if you also would not accept you know the weight bearer, because it's blocked for the middle and so on. You know right yeah well, in the united states everybody's on their phones while driving, so they wouldn't even be able to pay attention anyway. Here's the police to give us a hand. Yes, he always sometimes he moves forward.
Then he makes a real road clear. Then he drops back, then he moves forward. This mirror is the best one actually to watch the rear, yeah the open. This is crazy.
All right just finished my first leg in this thing and holy crap. Is it amazing and another good part about going fast faster than keeping you cooler and it's very fun? You also get longer breaks, so these folks are going in they're getting their next time card stamps. Since we are early, we get to take a half an hour break, so i'm gon na go in here and get some gelato and then our next stop is monza. Yes, the legendary racing track where i get to drive, drive that answering manza all right. Look at this now i just need to wait our turn to go, so you can't go as fast as you want. You have to go a certain speed, which is what 130. uh it's 230 yeah, but he's 22. 22..
Oh sorry, yeah! It's! Maybe three! Yes! 20. Okay. 23., i'm on monza and i'm going 23. there's still 30 seconds to go but 5 4 3.
2. 1. 0., average, 28 average. Okay, we're going up for some reason.
I expected this to be faster on monza, oh well, i'm still having a blast all right. Nine: okay, one two, seven, six, five, four, three, two and another one minute: five, four, three two and this one is now 2 minutes, 10, with an average of 50., the average of 50.. So i failed every single stage now, but i don't think i failed. It live yeah.
Well, i had one kind of not so good pass at the very end, which i should have done, i'm very sorry but other than that. How would you grade me very good, driving very fast excellent driver? Okay, thanks excellent, this last roof. We forget. No, you didn't put a dent in the floor trying to push the brake on your side, the imaginary brake.
You know, i wasn't sure, should i break or should i accelerate to go out of this situation? Well, thank you so much for riding along with me. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity: oh don't stall it on the ramp. Oh, that would be so embarrassing. I don't want to leave it's just absolutely incredible.
Thank you so much to the mercedes class center for letting me do this and you should follow them on social media instagram. They have a fantastic instagram page, which i will be on in a few videos and reels and photos. But oh goodbye old friend. How much surely there's a price? Surely thank you so much for watching.
So do you.
Nice z4 there
grats, glad you had fun doing something so unique. love the old SL.
Way to go Hoovie, you deserve to enjoy all of the good things that come to you ! Everything you do for others will keep filling your karma bank!
All I here is itโs gonna be expensive when it breaks
Yeah I would have done this too.
10 years after the 4 wheel torque vectoring eSLS AMG (watch Chris Harrisโ review on here) and theyโre still producing this when they should be beating Tesla. Pretty poor by MB.
It is actually pronounced migle โmiliaโ (miglia) ๐
Diamond studded Golden bucket list ๐
You forgot that you had to make this vlog didnโt you? ๐
Great video good for you that your privileged enough to enjoy the enormity of your cont. Success I bet you work hard too. Thank you for sharing your journey with us . I hope your ok & doing well. I have seen that look many times.
I am NOW going to have to hate you…. (so jealous) WOW HOW AWESOME and I bet your wife had a blast too.
In Italy, the police escort the rally. In the US, police wait to ambush the rally to impound cars and write huge tickets.
Great video, especially the end part captured the ambiance so well. I've driven the route myself in my CLS and this makes me want to go back immediately!
What a fantastic experience, congrats Hoovie! Donโt think Karl is much of a talker ๐
The montage at the end of this video is some of the best editing I've seen on your channel. Bravo sir ๐๐๐