ON THE ROAD: MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG

I can’t decide. Is it the most beautiful car in the world or is it just plain and familiar?

Or it could just be the gullwings. I can’t say. All I know is I’ve never driven a car that attracted so much attention. Neighbours who’ve never spoken a word to me suddenly became interested in discussing issues surrounding the Guptas and Gaddafi, curious little kids whipped out their cell phone cameras and strange women even smiled randomly at me.

That’s superstar status.

Good thing it wasn’t me but the car. Those doors certainly have an attraction. But more on them later. We can talk about the general look of the car first. Obviously inspiration comes from the old 300 SL (gullwing). A long bonnet, short overhangs, a large front grille complimented by an even larger Mercedes-Benz badge, two interior seats, and a really roomy boot.

Is it not cramped?

Unless you are well over 1.8m tall, no, it’s actually quite comfortable. The roof is high enough to take even the biggest head and seats are adjustable up to the point of resting at the back. Finish is top class of course, although designwise AMG could have relied a lot less on the Merc parts bin. If you like the familiarity of other Mercs in the range then it’s fine. Otherwise I reckon they missed a creative opportunity. Splashed out in the latest gadgetry and creature comforts (sat nav, cruise control, Bluetooth etc) , the SLS is not just for going fast. It’s also for going fast for a long time.

Why the 6.2-litre V8?

Can’t say why. Maybe they designed the car with that engine already in mind. Absolutely nothing wrong with it in this application, especially since power is upped considerably over the SL 63 AMG and others which share it. Traction is exceptional once the engine temperature is correct and revs come freely soon after the engine start button is pushed. Dials dance for a second while the engine finds its first rhythm. Soon 420kW is available with 650Nm on the rear axle, and very little will stop the going. I had been concerned about the handling but was duly surprised and relieved to experience some of the best cornering feedback from any car. Regular IN4RIDE readers will notice this is the fastest car we’ve ever strapped with our VBox performance testing equipment, at 4 seconds flat for the 0 – 100km/h sprint. Had we been at the coast Merc’s claimed time of 3.8 seconds would have been dispatched quite easily I believe. But 4 seconds at a 1600m altitude is damn quick nevertheless!

About those doors

Yes, all car makers should invest in gullwing doors. Tell you why. No other door mechanism opens so well under the tightest spaces. A much smaller car once parked too close to me and her passenger struggled to open the door without touching the SLS. That got me sweating a bit and I opened as slowly as possible. To my amazement the gullwing door didn’t even come close to touching, and left me so much space I could have come out comfortably with a suitcase too! The secret is the doors are designed to cut into the roof, thus creating not just an outward motion upon opening, but more an upward one. Just like a seagull.

I guess Merc has a winner in its hands

That is the absolute truth. The resurrection of the “gullwing” concept was a masterstroke that should impress even those who were around for the original 1950s car. It truly is a super car in most senses, except for the part about being uncomfortable and crampy. Plus it sounds all gruff and aggro, just like a true supercar should.

QUICK STATS

MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG

ENGINE: 6.2-litre (6208 cc) V8

GEARBOX: 7-speed DCT

POWER: 420kW at 6800rpm

TORQUE: 650Nm at 4750rpm

0 – 100KM/H: 4.0 seconds

TOP SPEED: 250km/h limited

FUEL AVERAGE: 19.0 l/100km

FUEL RANGE:  447km (combined)

CO2 e: 308 g/km

PRICE STANDARD: R2 536 080 (C02 tax excluded)

NATURAL RIVALS: Audi R8 V10 Coupe, Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, Porsche 911 Turbo S

*PRICE RIVALS: Mercedes-Benz CL 65 AMG

BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Hyper High

*A price rival falls within R20 000 or so of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars over R350 000, R10 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R5 000 for cars below R250 000.