So Mercedes-Benz has finally given up trying to hide its upcoming SLS supercar? These pictures you see here are official “spy” photos from Merc themselves showing their new Lamborghini slayer. Previously Merc was producing the SLR McLaren with the McLaren team of Woking but that partnership has now been dissolved. McLaren is also working on their own supercar codenamed the P11.
The SLS is the first ever car fully developed by the performance division of Mercedes, AMG. It features hi-tech aluminium construction which keeps the weight down to 1620kg (without the driver). This is about as light as a luxury German sedan. Weight distribution is 48/52 which is really good and is typical of a great sports car.
Planted under the bonnet is a naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engine. At its peak it produces 420kW (571hp) at 6800rpm and maximum torque of 650Nm at 4750rpm. Through its new 7-speed double-clutch gearbox the SLS is said to be able to accelerate from 0 – 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Top speed is 315km/h.
One of the car’s wonders are the “gullwing” doors which hark back to the original 300SL from 1954. The doors open like wings on the sides. The other thing is the 3-stage ESP system which allows for three settings of ESP ON, ESP SPORT and ESP OFF, the last one being for those who are confident enough to handle 570 horses with no traction on the wheels.
Speaking of wheels, these measure some 19-inches on the front side and 20-inches at the rear. Mercedes-Benz won’t say exactly when the SLS will go on sale and if there will be a right-hand-drive version. It doesn't matter anyway, guys like Lolly Jackson will just buy it left-hand-drive and import it through Botswana or Swaziland, which is legal.
But we can speculate with some surety that it will appear either as a concept or full production model at the New York Auto Show in April. Thereafter we will probably see it at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and maybe at the Tokyo and LA Motor Shows after that.
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