The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a luxury grand tourer automobile developed byMercedes-AMG to replace the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The car is the first Mercedes automobile designed in-house by AMG and is described by Mercedes-Benz as a spiritual successor to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 IAA. Sales began in mid-2010 in Europe with MSRP of €177,310 (including taxes) and in the United States in mid-2011 for less than $200,000. The SLS AMG is featured as the cover car for the PlayStation 3 racing gameGran Turismo 5, and is the safety car for the 2010 and 2011 Formula One seasons.
In the video game Forza Motorsport 4, Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear comments "This is not just the greatest car Mercedes makes; right now, I think, it's the greatest car in the world."
| Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz |
|---|---|
| Production | 2010–present |
| Model years | 2011– |
| Assembly | Sindelfingen, Germany |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarenMercedes-Benz 300SL |
| Class | Supercar and GT |
| Body style | 2-door coupe 2-door roadster |
| Layout | Front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive,Transaxle |
| Engine | 6.2L, V8, DOHC |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic |
| Wheelbase | 2,680 mm (106 in) |
| Length | 4,638 mm (182.6 in) |
| Width | 1,939 mm (76.3 in) |
| Height | 1,262 mm (49.7 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,620 kg (3,600 lb) |
The SLS AMG is designed to be a modern 300SL Gullwing revival by Gorden Wagener. The car has a long bonnet, the passenger compartment is close to the rear axle and the rear of the car is short. The SLS AMG has also adapted the feature of wing doors that will swing open upwards on gas struts, not in a mix of upwards and forward like the SLR. The doors must be closed manually as AMG engineers decided against auto-closing systems because the systems would have added 90 pounds (41 kg) to the car. In case of a roll-over, the doors can be fully detached to allow the occupants to leave the vehicle.
The SLS AMG will be made in at least four different versions. The first to launch is the coupe with gullwing doors. In 2009 a Desert Gold version debuted at the Dubai International Auto Show, in mid-2010 a FIA-GT3 racing version. For 2011-2013 Mercedes will also be releasing a roadster (with conventional doors and a soft top), an electric powered E-Cell version (most likely to be a coupe), and there will be a Black Series version, which will see its weight being reduced by as much as 300 kg (661 lb).
The SLS AMG Roadster was unveiled by Mercedes-Benz via press release on May 5, 2011. It retains the same specifications, dimensions and drivetrain as the Coupe but is a more traditionalconvertible with a power folding fabric top and conventional doors
