Mercedes-AMG S65 Cabriolet, The Drop Top Powerhouse To Soothe You Past 300km/h

Mercedes-Benz has always made its fast coupe and cabriolet versions that wear the S moniker a bit bonkers, pairing huge power with nerve-numbing comfort to fashion a car that’s defined by its polarity. 

And its new S65 Cabrio follows this pattern, a precedent set most recently by the AMG version of its S 65 coupe. With its 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 engine churning out a 620hp and 1000Nm of torque, the convertible needs just 4.1 seconds to reach 100km/h from a standstill. Curiously, that’s the same figure for the coupe which weighs a whole 175kg lighter. 

That mirrored sprint time matches up with the top speed too, which in its normal spec is electronically limited to 250km/h but can be raised to 300km/h should the owner opt for the AMG Driver’s Package. Mercedes-Benz isn’t disclosing how fast this car can truly reach should it be fully delimited, though, but we reckon it’s immaterial in a car like this. 

Wanting this S 65 Cabrio to be a more emotive driving experience, Mercedes-Benz have swapped out the usual torque converter 9G-TRONIC transmission with AMG’s Speedshift 7G-TRONIC transmission which adds that dramatic crackle and pop on gear shifts. Something to remind you that you are travelling along in such a powerful machine, capable of face-ripping speeds - especially with the roof down. 

We’re sure that upon first glance on the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabrio, the expected visual drama that usually accompanies the more powerful AMG versions doesn’t seem to be all that apparent. And apart from some minor exterior and interior giveaways, you’d be hard pressed to differentiate this one from its lower-tier siblings. There are “V12 BITURBO” emblems on each side, and those are about as obvious as it gets. 

Other differentiators are a twin-blade radiator grill, air intakes and front splitter finished in high-sheen chrome, as well as 20-inch wheels that mask an optional set of carbon ceramic brakes. 

The AMG S 65 Cabrio comes with a variation on Mercedes-Benz’s AIRMATIC airsuspension, with an added mode to activate a sports suspension setting to go along with the Comfort setting, with revised variable dampers that provide quicker reactions to keep the S 65 Cabrio level through the corners. 

The folding metal top has been a Mercedes-Benz trope for nearly two decades now, but in the AMG S 65 Cabrio Mercedes-Benz has gone for a multi-layer fabric roof that can be retracted or extended in just 17 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h.