Story | William Ha Photography | Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Jaguar Media
The magnificent V8 engine has powered many of the world’s finest vehicles for decades, and there’s no better way to appreciate its booming soundtrack than driving top-down. However, due to the push for greater electrification, the V8 is now endangered.
If you are shopping for a premium convertible this year and want it paired with the grandeur and performance of a V8, consider the 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+, Lexus LC500 or Jaguar F-Type R75. Each of these luxury grand tourers offer a different flavour of V8 coolness with an impressive soundtrack to match.
A Turbocharged, High-Tech Powerhouse
The SL 63 is the freshest, most powerful and most high-tech among our trio here with a hand-built, twin-turbocharged V8. Because it’s so powerful and the transmission shifts so fast, you never need to rev it high to get up to cruising speed. So to enjoy the car’s exhaust notes, you need to keep the engine revs high by using the paddle shifters to stay in a lower gear.
Sleek and upscale with understated good looks, it’s easily recognizable as a Mercedes even from afar, and comes standard with all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering to make it a great-handling convertible. However, the ride is quite stiff.
The interior is snug, but very high-tech, customizable and nicely finished with fine materials like metal paddle shifters, soft leather and a thick suede/leather steering wheel that felt nice in the hands.
Other notable features include:
– Air Scarf, which blows air from below your seat’s headrest to keep your neck warm during top-down autumn drives.
– An 11.9-inch centre touchscreen that can tilt to prevent sunlight from reducing screen visibility when driving with the top down, and it houses all the vehicle’s frequently accessed controls, like climate, audio and even operating the convertible top.
– A mere 15-second roof opening time that can be operated at speeds of up to 60 km/h vs. only 50 km/h in the Lexus LC500.
Get the SL 63 if you want Mercedes prestige, reams of raw power and don’t mind a vehicle with a ton of tech requiring commitment to learn and adapt to.
A Posh, Classic V8 Throwback
During our week with the rear-wheel drive (RWD) LC500, its near-exotic design turned more heads than the SL 63 and F-Type R did combined.
Its smooth, naturally aspirated V8 engine produces the least power of the trio, but makes up for the deficit with big-engine life force and a mean exhaust note that sounded the most like an American muscle car. At high revs, the exhaust produces a rapid-fire series of crackling sounds after upshifts that are both thrilling and shocking given Lexus’s reputation as a maker of smooth, quiet vehicles.
For such a heavy vehicle, handling was still sharp, thanks to an adaptive variable suspension, rear performance dampers and responsive steering.
The LC500’s cabin delights both visually and in comfort, with flowing lines and soft-touch surfaces. The sport seats are comfortable, but surprisingly for a six-figure vehicle, the driver seat can only adjust eight ways, lacking a thigh support extender and power side bolsters.
Other standout design features include:
– LED taillights featuring tapering layers of illumination that were inspired by the glow of a jet’s afterburners.
– Hand-stitched upholstery finished by Japanese Takumi craftsmen, including a specially hand-sewn leather shifter knob where the threads are concealed to produce a smooth, even surface.
– When you need to access the rear seats by pulling the seatback release to fold it forward, the entire seat moves forward electrically to provide more space.
Get this Lexus if you like Japanese quality, fine style inside and out, the classic RWD/V8 combo and want to drive it daily it will be the most reliable of this trio after a few years.
Supercharged Power and the Last of Its Kind
Sadly, 2024 is the last model year of the gas-powered F-Type before the Jaguar brand transitions to all-electric.
This sleek two-door cat is a docile luxury cruiser when driven normally, but sounds mean at 3,500 and up when its active exhaust system transitions from a subtle rumble to a shrill, head-turning roar. The exhaust crackles and pops authoritatively when you downshift, and are louder than those produced by the LC500 and SL63.
The engine feels strong at all rev ranges, and while it handles well around winding roads, it is a vehicle better suited for cruising and long drives. It comes standard with all-wheel drive.
Our test vehicle featured a beautiful shade of caramel on the dashboard and seating surfaces. Both the instrument cluster and centre touchscreen controls were intuitive and easy to use, but when you drive with the top down, sunlight can wash out the visibility of the centre screen and climate control displays.
One nifty interior feature is a power centre vent cluster that moves up electronically when you turn on the climate control. The cargo compartment is deep and can hold more than the LC500 trunk.
Get this Jag if you want a more exclusive weekend cruiser with rare supercharged V8 power, excellent comfort and one of the best-sounding factory V8 exhausts ever produced.
| Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+ | Lexus LC500 Convertible | aguar F-Type R75 AWD Convertible | |
| Canadian Price | $226,500 (as tested) | From $129,186 | $145,337 (as tested) |
| Engine | 4.0L twin-turbo V8 | 5.0L naturally aspirated V8 | 5.0L supercharged V8
|
| Transmission (all automatic) | 9-speed | 10-speed | 8-speed |
| Horsepower (hp) | 577 @ 5,500 to 6,500 rpm | 471 @ 7,100 rpm | 575 @ 6,500 rpm |
| Torque (lb.-ft.) | 590 @ 2,500 to 5,000 rpm | 398 @ 4,800 rpm | 516 @ 3,500 to 5,000 rpm |
| Fuel consumption (L/100 km)
(City, highway, combined) |
18.2, 11.8, 15.3 | 16.0, 9.5, 13.0 | 15.2, 9.8, 12.7 |
| 0 to 100 km/h acceleration (seconds) | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.7 |
