Mercedes-Benz Showcases S63 AMG Cabriolet “Edition 130” At Detroit

Being the oldest car manufacturer in the business comes with its perks, as Mercedes had 130 years at its disposal to develop the automobile concept as much as possible.

The latest S63 AMG “Edition 130” Cabriolet celebrates the German automaker’s heritage at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

At a first glance, this S-Class drop-top appears to be like any other AMG-branded S Cabriolet, but its high-gloss “alubeam silver” special color paint finish, Bordeaux red fabric top and matte black 20-inch 10-spoke wheels with high-sheen rim flanges makee it an exclusive version of the open-top four seater. Mercedes is limiting production of this particular edition to only 130 units worldwide, and a badge in the center console and an engraving on the steering wheel bezel highlights this fact.

Like the exterior, the cabin comes with subtle changes, as it can be commissioned with the exclusive Designo nappa leather upholstery (in Bengal red/black or, optionally, crystal grey/black), as well as the trim elements in AMG carbon or piano black.

To top it off, every customer receives a tailor-made AMG indoor cover with the embroidered lettering “Edition 130 – 1 of 130” to protect his/her prized possesion from dust in the garage – or so Mercedes says. Furthermore, at the handover of the keys, the customers apparently will receive the “Welcome Package”, with an Edition 130 badge key ring and an aluminum box for the handing over of the vehicle’s key.

Under the hood there are no surprises, as the 5.5 litre V8-biturbo develops the same 577 hp and 900 Nm (663 lb-ft) of torque as the regular S63 AMG. That’s enough to catapult it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The S Cabriolet was chosen to represent the car maker’s heritage because it’s body style is reminiscent of the first automobile, according to Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

“The first automobiles from Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler were open vehicles. Mercedes-AMG honours this achievement of the founding fathers with this highly exclusive cabriolet, and demonstrates the developments the automobile has undergone in the last 130 years, developments which would have been inconceivable at that time.”

Pricing is €226,457 ($246,362) in Germany, with the car hitting the market in April 2016.