My FH5 Log: The Mercedes SL - Then and Now

First emerging in 1954, the SL rewrote the rules of grand touring for seven decades from the gullwing-doored first-generation W198 model to the current-generation Mercedes-AMG SL W232 range. How does it start and go? Let's find out.

For seven decades, the lineage of the SL, ranging from W198 to W232, has epitomized the enduring legacy of one of Mercedes-Benz's most celebrated grand touring automobiles. This remarkable journey highlights the impressive design evolution and engineering prowess of the SL and its unwavering status as a symbol of luxury and performance.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL, codenamed W198, was introduced in 1954 as a coupe with fascinating gullwing doors and later an open roadster. This car is a softened road-legal version based on the company's successful 1952 race car, the W194. It comes with the 3.0L M198 SOHC I6 engine fitted with a Bosch mechanical gasoline direct injection system that generates about 212-222 hp. It was mated with the 4-speed manual transmission.

What about the W232 model? No longer called the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, the first-ever Mercedes-AMG SL continues the SL lineage in a new approach.  Sized and styled to AMG GT standards, the Mercedes-AMG SL is powered by the same 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine as the said model. In the SL63, it produces 585PS of power and while mated to an AMG Speedshift 9G and 4MATIC+, it does 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds and 315kph of top speed.

I'm going to the sandy Bahia de Plano to see how much the Mercedes-Benz SL has evolved from the W198 to the W232. Let's roll the tape and find out!

Here are the results...

300SL (W198) - 1m14.908s

SL63 (W232) - 0m57.741s

According to my Forza Horizon 5 standards, it took over 17 seconds for the Mercedes SL to evolve from the W198 300SL to the Mercedes-AMG SL63. Impressive, I dare say.

The Mercedes-Benz SL has been around for a long time, and it's one of the longest-running nameplates in Mercedes history. As I've said before, the SL rewrote the rules of what a grand tourer should be in terms of elegance and performance. The W232 Mercedes-AMG SL is the pinnacle of the SL lineage, and with its elegance and performance inherited from its ancestors, the star is reborn after all.

With the SL's evolution check sorted, it's time for my little surprise for the Mercedes-AMG SL63. As I said before, my brain just hatched an idea. What role will the Mercedes-AMG SL63 4MATIC+ play in Horizon Mexico? It's long overdue but here goes...

Ight, this is what happens when you let an AiPri character, Airi Mitsuba of Quartet STAR, overcook my SL63 with power similar to today's SL63 S E Performance but with less torque and added anti-lag trickery to shoot some flames from its exhaust. This is like the time she called her cleaning robot Samba. Thanks, Airi-chan.

With trickery provided by Airi-chan, my SL63 is taking on an EventLab creation by AndyPsBack. It's based in the Playa Azul area but with some added high-speed straights and stuff inspired by the Singapore Marina. This player called his EventLab invention "Azul Bay" and I'm here to sample it. Roll the tape.

I guess this is what the journey to the mind of Airi Mitsuba feels like. Arriba!

There you have it, folks. The SL of the new normal. The Star is Reborn. I have nothing else to say but right now, if you have a backstage pass, now's the time to get one. 

It's nice to see prize cars in FH5 permanently stay in the game's Backstage Shop, where you can spend your Backstage Pass for one prize car from past updates. The list updates regularly just so you know.

My FH5 Log: THE STAR IS REBORN

The SL-Class rewrote the rules of what a grand tourer should be in terms of elegance and performance. It's known to be one of the longest-running names in Mercedes's history.

The age of the new normal deserves a new SL for this generation and here it is.

You're looking at the Mercedes-AMG SL, the latest chapter of the SL-Class lineage and I got one from Forza Horizon 5's European Automotive Dry Season Playlist.

So, what's it all about the Mercedes-AMG SL?

No longer called the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, the first-ever Mercedes-AMG SL continues the SL lineage in a whole new approach.  Sized and styled to AMG GT standards, the Mercedes-AMG SL is powered by the same 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine as the said model. In the SL63, it produces 585PS of power and while mated to an AMG Speedshift 9G and 4MATIC+, it does 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds and 315kph of top speed.

Is the Mercedes-AMG SL a revolution or a sacrilege to the SL lineage? To prove my point, I've pitted against the most powerful SL from the distant past, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series. V8 vs. V12. Which one is superior? Let's roll the tape.

And now the results...

SL65 Black Series - 1m16.093s

SL63 (R232) - 1m15.626s

It's a close result! Despite being less powerful than the SL65 Black, the all-new Mercedes-AMG SL63 barely defeated it close-shave!

Undoubtedly, the Mercedes-AMG SL is the pinnacle of the SL lineage, and with its elegance and performance inherited from its ancestors, the star is reborn after all.

Man, I would like to end my impression with the Mercedes-AMG SL but...my brain just hatched an idea. What role will the Mercedes-AMG SL63 4MATIC+ play in Horizon Mexico?

Watch this space...

My FH5 Log: Darker Than Black

The AMG Black Series lineage is known for pushing beyond the limits with its race-bred performance and dynamics only the privileged can enjoy.

So, what makes the AMG Black Series, pun intended, darker than black? I got three AMG Black Series vehicles in Forza Horizon 5 to make statements.

Let's begin with the SL65 AMG Black Series. Using the R230 SL65 AMG as its basis, the Black Series is an upgraded version of the said model which comes with an improved version of a 6.0L V12 twin-turbo engine mated with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic transmission. With the engine developing 661HP of power, it is the most powerful V12-powered AMG vehicle ever. 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds and top speed limited to 199mph. Aside from its raw power, the Black Series is 250kg lighter than the regular SL65 because of the use of light carbon fiber composite (CFRP) parts and replacing the foldable hardtop roof with a fixed roof.

Next is the C63 AMG Black Series, a beefed-up version of the C63 AMG Coupe. It is armed with an improved AMG 6.2L V8 engine producing 517PS of power and 620Nm of torque. Apart from the performance, it also comes with 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 wheels, black diffuser insert from SLS AMG GT3, chromed twin tailpipes, AMG sports suspension with AMG rear axle differential lock, 3-stage ESP, and others. Mercedes-Benz limits production of the C63 AMG Black up to 650 units but with high demand, it was extended to 800 units, and all of them bought one of these.

Lastly is the most powerful AMG Black Series vehicle ever made; the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. It features aerodynamics inspired by the Mercedes-AMG GT3 racing machine, making it a road-legal track toy in its own right. Apart from the race-inspired aerodynamics, the 4.0L V8 BiTurbo engine has been tuned to produce 730PS of power output, making it the most powerful ICE-powered AMG model ever built. 

Mated to a 7G-DCT, it has a top speed of 325kph. It lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:48.047, which is faster than the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, although beaten by a modified Porsche 911 991.2 GT2 RS, which was later beaten by the FH5 hero car, the Mercedes-AMG ONE.

With all three gathered around Copper Canyon, it's time to find out which of the AMG Black Series lineage is the best, and as always...

...fastest time wins. This comparison will demonstrate how much progress AMG has made with the Black Series lineage from the V12-powered SL65 AMG Black Series to the road-legal track car that is the AMG GT Black Series. Let's roll the tape.

And now the results...

SL65 Black Series - 1m07.134s

C63 Black Series - 1m06.917s

AMG GT Black Series - 59.743s

As expected, the AMG GT Black Series not only is the most powerful Black Series vehicle ever made but also the quickest because of its Nurburgring credentials. Exceptional for a road-legal GT3 car. It really is.

Because of the AMG GT Black Series' exceptional performance against the other two Black Series vehicles, it's time to reward this car with something gorgeous. So gorgeous, it makes me want to say "forget my husband, I'll go make money".

Finally, the AMG GT Black Series shows its true colors. Oh, Shuka-sama. You never fail to impress me. Shuka who? Shuka effing Hanazono! That's her! Sorry about that but hey, her look and feel suits its personality. It's got the impression of a seductive villainess from a steamy webtoon. Wait, what?

Steamy aside, our Shuka-sama prepares to unleash some unreasonable force against street racing veterans in reserve around what seems to be a re-enactment of Tokyo's Daikoku parking area. 

Interested in this EventLab creation by someone named Mojo5290? Here's the share code: 117 535 418

Anyway, let's get this sideshow on the road.

This reminds me that I would make a webtoon out of this experience; Lady Shuka used unreasonable force with her AMG GT Black Series. That would make a great title for my potential webtoon masterpiece.

Having respect with the AMG GT Black Series, it's sad to see that the entire AMG lineup is AWD only, making this the last rear-wheel-drive AMG vehicle ever made. Of course, BMW's M division got rear-wheel-drive vehicles like the M2, the M3, and the M4, but they've ended up like they're the only ones in the yard. So sad.

Still, no regrets. I'm glad I got to experience the last rear-wheel-drive AMG vehicle ever made. Even Lady Shuka's impressed with it.

Auf Wiedersehein, rear-wheel-drive AMG cars like the AMG GT Black Series. You made us proud.

My FH5 Log: Community Day Classic (PART 3)

The Pagani Huayra and the W113 Mercedes 280SL are the highlights of the Forza Horizon 5 Community Choice's Dry Season playlist. Get your Pagoda air fresheners ready because these expired goods are going to be fresh.

First up is the Pagani Huayra, which I snagged after hitting the 20-point mark on the Dry Season Playlist.

The Pagani Huayra is the Zonda replacement named after Huayra-Tata, the god of wind from the Aymara legends. It made a world premiere at the 2011 Geneva Auto Salon in March. It is powered by a 6.0L Mercedes-AMG M158 V12 twin-turbo engine, producing over 700BHP and over 1,000Nm of torque. It can go 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, and flat-out, the Huayra blows away at 227 MPH (365kph). It is mated with a transverse sequential seven-speed gearbox with an AMT robotized system. The Huayra weighs 1,350kg, and it has a 44:56 weight distribution.

Lastly, the vintage Mercedes-Benz 280SL, which I snagged after hitting the 40-point mark on the Dry Season Playlist.

The W113-spec Mercedes-Benz SL, built from 1963 to 1971 with 48,912 units made, was one of the most iconic Mercedes vehicles in history. It was nicknamed Pagoda due to its slightly concave hardtop shaped like a pagoda.

Most models are equipped with a water-cooled inline-six cylinder engine with multi-port injection with the range-topping 280SL producing 170PS of power and 240Nm of torque. Gearboxes are offered with either a 4-speed manual, automatic, or a 5-speed manual. The front suspension has double wishbones, coil springs, and stabilizing bars while the rear has a swing axle, radius arms, compensating springs, and coil springs. Aside from that, parts of its body are made of aluminum to save weight.

It was the first sports car with a safety body that had a rigid passenger cell and designated crumple zones with impact-absorbing front and rear sections built into the structure.

In the spirit of community service, it's time to take these two expired goods on a quick drive with the Huayra taking on a handmade circuit made by a certain player while the 280SL takes on a Gauntlet-style rally course situated at Copper Canyon. Let's roll the tapes.

Mission accomplished for these two. Well done.

Next time, let's sample the Fiat Dino and the Spania GTA Spano in the final playlist of the Community Choice series update.

My FH5 Log: "WE WON JUNK CARS AGAIN, WE DRIVE A LOT"

The collaboration between Forza Horizon 5 and Donut Media continues with the Upgrade Heroes series update where players gained full access to the Horizon Test Track feature, originally accessible only to the Donut Media Horizon Story last year, as well as the recent swarm of, you guessed it, JUNK CARS! LOTS AND LOTS OF JUNK CARS!

The highlight of the recent barrage of JUNK CARS is the arrival of the Donut Media Nissan 350Z (Fairlady Z) cars as featured in the Donut Media Hi Low segment. In case you don't know, the Donut Media boys ran the Hi Low segment where they buy two identical used cars and then modify them with a specified budget. 

Nolan's Z33 costs $20,000 worth of cheap modifications while James' Z33 costs $50,000 worth of "really nice" modifications. Both of these modified cars were booted with new coilovers, wheels, tires, new car paint, and some turbochargers. In typical project car fashion, both cars break down, but hey, long story short.

Both of these Donut Media Z33 cars can be won just by clearing both Hi Car and Low Car Horizon Stories. You can even keep your very own Z33 Fairlady Z after the finale as well as other prize cars in store for both stories.

Rather than comparing these two Donut Media Z33s just to determine "does more expensive really mean more better", I decided to let these cars enjoy themselves at the Horizon Badlands against the competition, just to experience the "MO POWA BABEH" mantra both Donut-modified Z33s had. (cue guitar riff noise)

MO POWA BABEH! Guess these Donut Z33s didn't break down just like what James and Nolan experienced during their little experiment.

The Donut-modified Nissan Z33 Fairlady Zs weren't the only junk cars in store in the Upgrade Heroes update. A trio of junk cars made a comeback in Forza Horizon 5 such as the Syclone, the Typhoon, and the SL65 AMG Black Series.

First up, the GMC Syclone that I won from the Storm Season Playlist. Based on the GMC Sonoma pickup truck, the Syclone has a turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine equipped with a Mitsubishi TD06-17C 8 cm² turbocharger and Garrett water/air intercooler. It develops 280HP of power and 475Nm of torque while mated with a 4-speed automatic. 0-60mph takes about 5.3 seconds and based on a Car & Driver test, it does a quarter-mile run in 14.1 seconds at 93 mph.

Next up is the GMC Typhoon that I won from the Dry Season Playlist. Based on the Jimmy SUV, the Typhoon features the same specs as its Sonoma-based Syclone pickup truck. It has a turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine equipped with a Mitsubishi TD06-17C 8 cm² turbocharger and Garrett water/air intercooler. It develops 280HP of power and 475Nm of torque while mated with a 4-speed automatic.

Lastly, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series that I won from the Hot Season Playlist. Using the R230 SL65 AMG as its basis, the Black Series is an upgraded version of the said model which comes with an improved version of a 6.0L V12 twin-turbo engine mated with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic transmission. With the engine developing 661HP of power, it is the most powerful V12-powered AMG vehicle ever. 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds and top speed limited to 199mph. Aside from its raw power, the Black Series is 250kg lighter than the regular SL65 because of the use of light carbon fiber composite (CFRP) parts and replacing the foldable hardtop roof with a fixed roof.

Having gotten to know the recent swarm of junk cars, let's thrash them across the Horizon Badlands, and see if these clunkers have any chance of surviving these punishing courses...

Wow, these junk cars managed to survive. I guess immortality is their middle name.

As the Donut boys would say, "WE BUY JUNK CARS, WE PAY A LOT. DEPENDING ON THE YEAR THO". Judging by the recent swarm of junk cars looks like we're going to be sticking around with a potential next wave of junk cars until the final series update of FH5 before the transition to the 2023 Forza Motorsport game coming this October.

Could this day get any worse for me as the Horizon Mexico adventure is nearing its twilight? Ah, junk cars...

Forza Horizon 4: Pagoda Cold Wave

Congratulations, driver. You just managed to brave through the fall season just to get your hands on this classic 280SL "Pagoda" from Mercedes-Benz. So, now that you and I got your hands on one of Mercedes-Benz's timeless classics, let's have a quick look at the Pagoda.



The W113-spec Mercedes-Benz SL, built from 1963 to 1971 with 48,912 units made, was one of the most iconic Mercedes vehicles in history. It was nicknamed Pagoda due to its slightly concave hardtop shaped like a pagoda, of course.

Most models are equipped with a water-cooled inline-six cylinder engine with multi-port injection with the range-topping 280SL producing 170PS of power and 240Nm of torque. Gearboxes are offered with either a 4-speed manual, automatic, or a 5-speed manual. The front suspension has double wishbones, coil springs, and stabilizing bars while the rear has a swing axle, radius arms, compensating springs, and coil springs. Aside from that, parts of its body are made of aluminum to save weight.

It was the first sports car with a safety body that had a rigid passenger cell and designated crumple zones with impact-absorbing front and rear sections built into the structure.



So, now that we got to know more about this Pagoda, it's time to take this legend for a spin to see what's what.



Job well done, there's nothing else I can say.

Enjoy your new ride!

Forza Horizon: Black Monday, Black Friday, Black Saturday, Black whatever day it is...

The AMG Black Series models

The AMG Black Series models from Mercedes-Benz, once you go black with one of those, you'll never go back because you'll be always gone insane with one of those machines possesed by insanity done by the skunk works of the Mercedes-AMG. With weight reduction, bucket seats and exterior alterations, the Black Series models are always standing out the crowd and they always feel and sounds...GRRRR...like muscle cars because they're very angry.

Apart from the muscle car-esque sounds, they possess a very challenging handling and dynamic drifts, meaning most cars with dynamic feel tend to drift at high speeds but challenging to recover. It maybe challenging to handle a Black Series model but they're really are gut-wrenching screamers that can tear down Colorado into two.

The SL65 AMG Black Series is definitely a balls-out bone crusher. It's about 12 times the bone crushing power of 12 of your favorite female characters derived from random fighting games. Because this is the most powerful AMG model ever built, its V12 engine generates about 661HP of power and over a thousand Newton meters of torque. It may have more torque for shreds but it's performance is so bone-crushing, it's like you went home from the convention fractured after being crushed by some girl who dressed as Lili.

(laughing)

The C63 AMG Black though, this is like marrying a cannibal who ate two people. As I speak, this is the wildest C63 AMG Coupe I have ever seen in my life and with the matching gold paint on the body, it really is like Winnie the Pooh in road rage. It feels like I'm wrestling a giant yellow bear but this car's not a wild bear, it's a skunk. A Punky Skunk. (laughing)

With these cars, feels like everyday's a Black Monday, Black Friday, Black Saturday, Black whatever day it is...

Forza Motorsport 4: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

The German Screamer

Using the R230 SL65 AMG as its basis, the Black Series is an upgraded version of the said model which comes with an improved version of a 6.0L V12 twin-turbo engine mated with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic transmission. With the engine developing 661HP of power, it is the most powerful AMG model yet. 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds and top speed limited to 199mph.

Aside from its raw power, the Black Series is 250kg lighter than the regular SL65 because of the use of light carbon fiber composite (CFRP) parts and replacing the foldable hardtop roof with a fixed roof.

Jeremy Clarkson reviewed this on Top Gear Season 13 Episode 03 and when handed to The Stig, it set a lap time of 1:30 at the Top Gear Test Track.