SLS rekindles Mercedes' legend

Nov 16 2009 Chris Russon

A GULLWING supercar is back in the Mercedes stable some 50 years after the original became a living legend.

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is every bit a modern reincarnation of the famous 300 SL first created in 1954.

The iconic SL - which spawned racing machines driven by some of the greats including Moss and Fangio - is now one of the most sought after cars in the world.

Only 1,400 were made and those that remain command prices in the region of £250,000 at auction.

The 197mph SLS is a relative snip at £150,000 and will ply its trade against the likes of the Audi R8, the Aston Martin DBS and the Ferrari California.

Little surprise then that Mercedes chose the west coast of America to launch its new creation at the Laguna Seca raceway near Monterrey.

The circuit, complete with the famous Corkscrew opposite camber downhill S-bend, is one of the most demanding and proved the SLS AMG will be one of the greats of modern motoring.

Until now AMG has been known for its high performance engines and is Mercedes' in-house tuning company producing thoroughbred sports cars out of everyday models such as the latest C63 and E63 saloons.

The SLS uses the same 6.3-litre V8 engine which at 571 horsepower is the most potent normally aspirated engine in the world.

But the SLS is a pure AMG creation - the first car it has designed from the ground up - and it's an absolute thriller.

An all aluminium construction, with the exception of the windscreen pillars which are steel for safety reasons, the SLS weighs in at just 1.6 tons.

It has super quick acceleration - 0 to 60mph in 3.8 seconds and can hit 125mph just eight seconds later.

The 197mph maximum is electronically limited so the SLS does not encroach on the 200-plus mph territory of the SLR supercar developed by Mercedes and McLaren.

The thunder from the exhausts as the SLS goes about its business will enthral any petrol head while inside the cockpit is made with precision in mind.

It's a blend of luxury and functionality with carbon fibre trim and leather upholstery while the instrument panel is simply laid out but fully kitted to include sat nav and even a 1,000 watt Bang & Olufsen sound system.

To the side of the driver is a bank of buttons to vary the suspension and traction control settings for performance work. Various configurations can be stored electronically to be re-engaged as required and there's even launch control for maximum take off power.

That's for track work - as realistically is the optional sports suspension and carbon ceramic brakes - but underlines the awesome abilities of the SLS.

Paddle shifters are fitted for manual operation of the seven speed auto box and a bank of LEDs flash from white to yellow to red to prompt the rapid fire gear changes, complete with automatic double declutch.

The car is beautifully balanced - weight distribution is 47/53 front to rear with a low centre of gravity - while it is incredibly nimble and agile despite its blistering straight-line acceleration.

Away from the track and on the open road the SLS is easy to keep in check. Touring it can average a claimed 18.8mpg and for such a performance car the CO2 emissions of 308g/km are cleaner than many of its peers.

This is technical excellence on a grand scale and much has been taken from current racing technology. The SLS has a carbon fibre drive shaft as used in the Mercedes DTM cars while the suspension geometry is from Formula One.

A rear spoiler pops up at motorway speeds with a rear diffuser and smooth underside helping aerodynamics.

AMG's masterstroke has been to house all the technology in a wonderfully retro shaped body.

The long snout and rearward cockpit are pure flashback to the original gullwing as are the side vents in the wings. Sharp lines at the front of the SLS are smoothed out at the back which is set off with LED lamp clusters.

If there is a compromise then it's the 176 litre boot - smaller than a supermini - and a lack of storage places inside. There may be a centre console and door pockets but there's no room for anything of size - even a jacket.

Shorter drivers - and that's anyone under 5ft 8ins - will have to get used to grabbing the doors on the way in to lower them as once seated they will be out of reach. Electric closing was dismissed to save weight.

The sill may be high but it's easy to get in and when parked the doors need some 15 inches clearance to open - less than a conventional side opening door. When open the gullwing doors rise to 1.7metres which will fit the average garage or multi-storey car park.

Exotica and high performance may abound with this car but there had to be some practical touches. It's on sale next summer and with no production limit Mercedes is out to cater for a very special breed of motoring enthusiast with a very special car.