GULLWING MERCEDES-BENZ SHOWS INTERIOR, INITIAL SKETCHES

Interior pictures and sketches of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLS supercar have appeared on various websites on the interweb. The SLS replaces the old McLaren SLR and was developed by AMG. It harks back to the old SL Gullwing with its doors that open outward like a seagull, hence the nickname. We’ve seen the SLS before in these “spy” pictures which were released by Mercedes. Now there are early sketches too.

I must say the interior doesn’t exactly inspire. There’s very little that says “this is a supercar”. Most of the switchgear is from “lesser” Merc models like the A-Class and E-Class. I like the gear lever area though, including the stalk itself. It’s thick and brawny while the air vents are classic Mercedes-Benz.

On one of the pictures you can see the speedo goes up to 360km/h. Merc says true top speed will be 315km/h. The pictured car is obviously on a dyno as the speed indicates 243km/h at about 7300rpm in 5^th gear. Typical of the German automaker the engine does not seem to be able to rev very high. Torque is rather the main focus for its performance.

The engine used in the car is the 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 that makes 420kW (571hp) and 650Nm of torque. It’s coupled with a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox which assists it in dashing from 0 – 100km/h in a claimed 3.8 seconds.