Mercedes-AMG S65 cabriolet joins Bentley and Rolls-Royce club of 12-cylinder cabriolet 4-seater

How many brands of cars are there in the world currently which offer this ultimate combination:  12-cylinder engine + cabriolet + seating for 4 people?  Well, now there are 3.

Mercedes-AMG joins Bentley and Rolls-Royce club

Mercedes is not new to the V12 cabriolet thing at all.   In the 1990s they surprised many when it created the first modern-day open-top car with a 12-cylinder engine:  the 600SL, or later SL600, had a V12 engine which gave it performance and smoothness unlike any other cabriolet on the market.  The Jaguar XJ-SC also had its 5.3 V12, but was on its last legs.  Mercedes-Benz was alone in this segment for years, way before the company started rolling out their AMG V12s as the SL65 AMG, and before Bentley and Rolls-Royce started producing their V12 cabrios.

Thus far only upper-echelon cars were available in the exclusive world of 12-cylinder open-top motoring nirvana:  Bentley with their Continental GT W12 convertible and Rolls-Royce with its Phantom Drophead Coupé, and the company will now add the new smaller (but still big) Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible, as per this news report.

Now Mercedes is combining the best of what its got:  V12 AMG engine, S-Class cabriolet, and seating for 4 people.

Open-top driving prestige and performance for discerning automobile enthusiasts

The prestige of the S-Class is strong, and increases in scale from sedan to coupé to the recently-introduced cabriolet (the 1st S-Class cabriolet since the 1970s story here).  The launch models were S500 cabriolet and Mercedes-AMG S63 cabriolet… and they made us wait for the flagship deliciousness:  Mercedes-AMG S65 cabriolet.

The customer who buys an S65 expects the ultimate in every respect, including relevant criteria such as top performance, superb driving experience, and exquisite appointments.  These customer criteria are why the V12 AMG engine is now offered for the 1st time in an S-Class cabriolet too.

The 463kW and 1000Nm sees to the top performance part – the engine is so powerful and loaded with torque, even the extra weight of the cabriolet over the coupé does not deduct from its acceleration time of 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds… but this sprint is not the most important pleasure in the S65, as it can actually struggle to get the tyre grip down – the best part is its in-gear thrust.  Open up the AMG S65 cabriolet by folding away the long soft-top roof, and the extra air is added to the equation… and the V12 blowing exhausts could be heard better.

The same distinguishing S65 features like the high-sheen chrome add the flagsip top-status bling:  chrome front airdam, chrome inserts on the doors, chrome multi-spoke wheels, V12 Biturbo side badge, and a list of extra expected features which Mercedes likes to add to its V12 cars.  Don’t forget its Zwarovski crystal LED headlights.

World’s most comfortable cabriolet?

Quite possibly.  Magic Body Control leans into corners so driver and occupants stay level and comfortable, made possible by air suspension, which also looks ahead for speed humps to simply glide the car over (by smoothly lifting the front then the rear suspension to “flatten” the speed hump).  Aircap creates better airflow over the car for better wind protection, and the headrests have AirScarf to blow out warm air.  The cover in the boot is automatic, so you no longer have to move it by hand, or stop to attach/detach it to operate the roof.

The driving experience is sure to be even more elaborate than in the coupé – of course the roof seals with the same triple-layer density cloth, so closed-roof driving is on par with the coupé serene quietness.  The roof inner lining (headlining) is also trimmed in leather or, optionally, in suede-cloth, unlike in many other upmarket cabriolets where this is reserved for a coupé lining, so cabriolets have only plain cloth.

The S65 cabriolet joins its S65 coupé brother.  In this review this question was asked:  “Can this car’s magic change your view of the world?”  The cabriolet adds to this the pleasures of drop-top drives and even more luxurious appeal… for 4 no-doubt affluent occupants.  Wondering if there will be a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class cabriolet…

Club of 12-cylinder cabriolet 4-seater new membership approved. Now 3 members.