Meet the White Knight: A One-of-Eight AMG Unicorn

One of the rarest pre-merger SL models sports a roaring V8 engine and looks that kill. The White Knight is a dream come true. 

We’re no strangers to seeing a rare and collectible Merecedes-Benz around these parts. With the insanity of things like a junkyard 300 SL Gullwing that had been sitting for decades, we’re admittedly a bit jaded. It’s hard to find something that really turns our heads in the world of wild and rare Mercedes vehicles. The White Knight, though, is more than sufficient to drop our jaws to the floor.

A lovely YouTube video by Supercar Advocates outlines this glorious car. The SL60 AMG, which goes by the name “White Knight,” is one of only 50 ever produced. It’s even more rare, too, because only eight examples were right-hand drive. This gorgeous slice of history, fresh out of 1993, is truly a unique and outstanding AMG vehicle, and we’re more than happy to check it out.

Pre-Merger Powerhouse

The White Knight is part of the prestigious and desirable lineup of pre-merger cars (cars built before Merecedes-Benz bought AMG) with brethren like the SL70 and SL72. However, unlike those V12-powered icons, the SL60 AMG uses a six-liter V8 engine. Don’t worry; there’s more than enough power on tap.

The pre-merger cars are identifiable by their three fender slats, deeper dish wheels, and, most prominently, their wider bodies. They indeed are gorgeous and have withstood the test of time with grace and elegance. Moreover, they’re far from being “all show and no go.” Supercar Advocates’ Lee Khouri gives the lowdown on the limited-edition 6.0L V8.

“Mercedes told AMG that they couldn’t produce more than 390 horsepower, which was the [power output of the] V12 found in the SL600, but what they did was they under-quoted their figures, and these, in fact, actually produce 400 horsepower at the crank,” says Khouri.

Truly an Icon

Throughout his Drive, Khouri explains that it has phenomenal handling characteristics and a much more notable exhaust note than the SL500, thanks to the AMG-developed titanium exhaust. It truly is a heavenly sound. Unfortunately, it’s one most of us are doomed to only hear on video.

Overall, the SL60 is representative of a time when AMG was operating as a rebel with a noble cause. Taking an already phenomenal car in the SL platform and turning it into an angry, loud, and remarkably capable car that held its own with supercar icons of its time, like the Lamborghini Diablo, is more than enough reason to love this car. If that doesn’t do it for you, though, the drool-worthy styling should set you straight. If neither of those things is exciting to you, well, check your pulse.