Compare the2024 Mercedes AMG SLVS 2023 Ford Mustang

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG SL have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Ford Mustang doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The AMG SL’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Mustang doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The AMG SL’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Mustang doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The AMG SL offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Mustang doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The AMG SL has a standard Maneuvering Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Mustang doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The AMG SL offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Mustang doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The AMG SL has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Mustang doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

The AMG SL has a standard Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Mustang only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the AMG SL and Mustang have rear cross-traffic warning, but the AMG SL has Rear Cross Traffic Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Mustang’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the AMG SL and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

The AMG SL comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Mustang’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The AMG SL has more powerful engines than the Mustang:

	Horsepower	Torque
AMG SL 43 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	375 HP	354 lbs.-ft.
AMG SL 55 4.0 turbo V8	469 HP	516 lbs.-ft.
AMG SL 63 4.0 turbo V8	577 HP	590 lbs.-ft.
Mustang 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder	310 HP	350 lbs.-ft.
Mustang 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder	330 HP	350 lbs.-ft.
Mustang GT 5.0 DOHC V8	450 HP	410 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach 1 5.0 DOHC V8	470 HP	410 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the AMG SL 55 4.0 turbo V8 is faster than the Mustang GT 5.0 DOHC V8 (automatics tested):

	AMG SL	Mustang
Zero to 60 MPH	3.6 sec	4.2 sec
Quarter Mile	12 sec	12.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	114.8 MPH	114.5 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the AMG SL gets better mileage than the Mustang Convertible:

			MPG
AMG SL
RWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	20 city/27 hwy
Mustang Convertible
RWD	Manual	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	19 city/25 hwy
		5.0 V8	15 city/24 hwy
	Auto	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	19 city/26 hwy
		GT 5.0 V8	15 city/23 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the AMG SL’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Mustang doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The AMG SL has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mustang EcoBoost’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 15.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The AMG SL has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mustang GT/Mach 1’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 16 gallons).

The AMG SL has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Mustang. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG SL higher (5 out of 10) than the Ford Mustang (3 to 5). This means the AMG SL produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Mustang every 15,000 miles.

The Mercedes AMG SL comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Mustang.

The AMG SL offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Mustang doesn’t offer an SMG.

All wheel drive, available in the AMG SL, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Ford Mustang is not available with all wheel drive.

For better stopping power the AMG SL’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Mustang:

	AMG SL	AMG SL CCB	Mustang	Mustang V8 PP/Mach 1
Front Rotors	15.4 inches	15.8 inches	12.6 inches	15 inches
Rear Rotors	14.2 inches	14.2 inches	12.6 inches	12.6 inches

The AMG SL offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Mustang doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The AMG SL stops much shorter than the Mustang:

	AMG SL	Mustang
70 to 0 MPH	150 feet	165 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	111 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the AMG SL has larger standard tires than the Mustang (F:255/45R19 & R:285/40R19 vs. 235/55R17).

The AMG SL 43’s standard 255/45R19 front and 285/40R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mustang’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the AMG SL 43 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang. The AMG SL’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Mustang.

The AMG SL offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Ford doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Mustang.

The AMG SL’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Mustang doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the AMG SL is 3.1 inches wider in the front than the track on the Mustang.

The AMG SL 55 handles at 1.04 G’s, while the Mustang GT Premium Convertible pulls only .96 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The AMG SL 55 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Mustang GT Premium Convertible (23.3 seconds @ .85 average G’s vs. 24.3 seconds @ .82 average G’s).

The AMG SL is 3.3 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the AMG SL easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

With its convertible body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the AMG SL offers cargo security. The Mustang’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the AMG SL’s available trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Mustang doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The AMG SL uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Mustang uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Mustang Premium/Mach 1, the AMG SL has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The AMG SL’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Mustang, and is not available on all models.

The AMG SL offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Mustang doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The AMG SL’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Mustang has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The AMG SL’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Mustang’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the AMG SL the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Mustang can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case of a sudden change of weather, the AMG SL has a standard remote convertible top that can be raised from a distance to protect the interior of the vehicle from damage. On a hot day the AMG SL has a standard remote opening feature, to lower the top from outside. The Mustang doesn’t offer a remote top, so the driver will have to run to the car, get in, turn the ignition on and raise the top to prevent the interior from being damaged.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the AMG SL to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Mustang doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the AMG SL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Mustang doesn’t offer cornering lights. The AMG SL also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The AMG SL’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Mustang Premium/Mach 1.

When the AMG SL is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Mustang’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The AMG SL’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Mustang has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The AMG SL has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Mustang.

The AMG SL has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Mustang doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The AMG SL has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Mustang.

The AMG SL has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Mustang.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes AMG SL has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Mustang doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The AMG SL’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Mustang doesn’t offer an automated parking system.