There are more than a few good reasons to live in Southern California. Watching winter on television, awesome Mexican food, and outstanding driving roads all come to mind. Once we figure out that drought and traffic stuff, we’ll be set. In this latest video->ke278 from Drive, Mike Spinelli and Alex Roy stretch the legs of the new 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S on the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu and nearby canyon roads in the Santa Monica mountains.

Of all the cars on sale today, there aren’t many better suited for the area than the Mercedes-AMG GT->ke4853 S, though with a starting price of just $130,000, well-heeled Malibu residents might take you for a charity case. Even so, its drop-dead gorgeous shape fits right in with the scenery and its agile chassis devours twisty roads. The 503-horsepower, twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 creates a wonderful cacophony that probably sounds pretty good bouncing off canyon walls.

If you’ve never been there, it really is an amazing area to explore. The PCH offers incredible ocean views and the real estate in Malibu is absolutely gobsmacking. While you’re there, check out Malibu Seafood (Pro tip: It’s BYOB. Do we need to tell you not to drink and drive?) and The Getty Villa for some culture. Traffic can get pretty bad on weekends, but the scenery is spectacular to the point that it’s impossible to get frustrated. Besides, you can always peel off to one of the excellent canyon roads, like Deer Creek, Latiga Canyon or Topanga Canyon, and head over to Mulholland Highway. Stop at the Rock Store while you’re there for possible Jay Leno sightings.

On a personal level, these are some of my favorite roads in the country, right up there with the Lewis and Clark Highway in the Columbia River Gorge and Route 129 ‘The Tail of the Dragon’ straddling the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Visit all three if you can.

2016 Mercedes AMG GT S

Read our full review here.