Mercedes SLS Gullwing Review

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Article Author- Raj Mehta.
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The SLS AMG was a feature at the Frankfurt Motorshow 2009 and its Gullwing doors are a main feature and selling point of the car! Mercedes and AMG have produced a car that is exceptional in design, technology and performance. The Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing’s predecessor is the 1950’s SL 300 and the designers have inspired the SLS AMG with doors that are similar with fewer curves.

The SLS AMG was designed in Southern Germany (Stuttgart/Affaterbach) and the cost of this sportscar is £157,500.00 and will be going on sale in mid 2010.

This Grand Tourer reaches a top-speed of 175mph and produces a sound that is sporty and loud whereas its predecessor the Gullwing SL 300 produces a vintage sound that is also loud and distinctive. The car is compact yet has a bulky element to it with an extended bonnet whereas the compact element is provided by short overhangs, emphasising its motor sport heritage and dynamic driving performance.

There is an interior which is lavishly garnished with aircraft styled air airvents in the shape of jet engines and plated in chrome, the steering wheel is three spoked and has symmetrical buttons on either side, the seats have contrasting coloured leather and a heating system; there is also helpful storage space behind the seats and a glove box. There is a CD player/6 DVD player which is operated via the onboard computer. The dashboard is wing shaped keeping with the aero-plane theme. This Sports car has a race start function which is keyless, there are also rain sensors and cruise control and the steering wheel has paddles for quick gear changes.

The engine is a V8 with 4 cylinders per valve and the SLS AMG is quick and does 0–62mph in 3.8secs and has a top speed of 571 hypothec exterior is sporty in appearance combined with a stylishly retro look as the SLS AMG has a sculptured body with curved wings around the front lights which are square in shape and fitted with bright xenon headlights. The Gullwing doors make this car famous and the car has many tasteful features such as grill that has the Mercedes sign, there are also air-intakes on either side.

The 19” Alloy wheels are stylish in design and on the body of the car there is use of special paint. There is a spoiler below the rear window which makes the car further sporty in appearance and the rear of the car has dual square exhausts which are plated in chrome.


There are sports seats that have a heating system and are suitable for long-distance driving; the cabin is stylish in design with elements from aircraft and motorsport design such as air-vents that look like jet engines and there are chrome plated analogue dials which are placed behind the steering wheel.

The gullwing doors on the SLS AMG are a selling feature and also make entering and exiting the SLS AMG as natural as possible as well as exquisite.

The SLS AMG has a roomy aeroplane style cabin and the car is further lifted in keeping with high standards by providing “dynamic performance, impeccable, ergonomics, and exceptional luxury.”

The SLS AMG is a real sports car and some of the sporty features are the gullwing doors and the low roof, there are also strong shoulders with a small glass, whilst the wheels look sporty and are wide.

The rear of the car is compact and is further distinguished by a spoiler that is within the gently sloping boot lid and extends automatically once at the speed of 75mph providing stability and further grip to the road.

The exhaust system is a dual steel square pipe fan made from chrome, in the centre and low in formula one style is a LED fog light/back up.

The SLS AMG bonnet is contoured and has fine lines on either side of the centre giving the car a refined appearance, the car is further refined by six large air intakes and wide vertical headlamps that are bi-xenon and there are also indicators on the side mirrors; the flat tail lights are neat and gives the car a compact yet sporty look.

The Alloy wheels are made from chrome and have five spokes that look remarkable from nearby and from afar and with the gullwing doors and air-vents on the side this car looks like and is described as a super-sports car.

The grill has a huge Mercedes Benz logo which makes the SLS AMG recognisable and the gullwing doors are what make the SLS AMG memorable, there are also mini grill slots under the front lights and there are air vents under these.

This car is remarkable with a highlight being the Mercedes badge which is on the bonnet and is placed centrally above the grill, there are also air-vents on the bonnet neatly placed under the wind-shield.

The body of the SLS AMG is mainly made from Aluminium and the design and use of Aluminium ensures that the car is light as are the alloy wheels which are sized 19” at the front and 20” at the rear.

The seating position like other sports cars is low, and the Gullwing doors open widely at an angle of 70 degrees.

This car is so well designed that I’ve had to include a section on design:

DESIGN

The designers at Mercedes have built a light-weight car as they have incorporated the use of aluminium for the shell of the body and this has made the car light and agile.

The well-designed body has many aspects to it, there is the two meter long bonnet which incorporates the use of curves and lines, the rear is small and there is a long wheel base with a wide track and the wheels are large.

The design of the SLS AMG is produced so that it has a distinctive radiator grille which stands out and the front is completed with eye catching vents to complement the stylish gullwing doors.

The suspension is reliably made from aluminium and is a Double – Wishbone Suspension which provides the SLS AMG with the utmost comfort whilst driving on bumpy terrain.

The body is high on its waistline whereas the side windows are placed low in contrast to the windshield which is steep and the styling of the body is completed with the shoulders which are raised from the front to the rear. The styling is made up of a template which has three dimensional sculptural elements to it the front, the middle and the rear all make this car a race-car from the future!

The front is low with a v-shaped front skirt which has lateral indentations; the car style is completely influenced by the styling of an aircraft jet.

The Lightweight design is highlighted as one of the unique selling points of this car with the chasis and body being made from Aluminium the first ever Mercedes to feature aluminium on the parts mentioned. The AMG provides a “motorsport experience with the traditional strengths of Mercedes Benz.”

The brakes are CERAMIC COMPOSIT BRAKES and the SLS AMG is a rear wheel drive where the rear axles work technologically and the designers have said “The result is the type of high performance technology that makes dreams come true.”

To conclude this article is a quote from Mercedes

“The SLS AMG is a celebration of unadulterated driving pleasure, with its formidable AMG 6.3 litre V8 engine producing a peak output of 420 k/w. 571hp at 6800rpm whereas the extremely rigid bodyshell which has optimum weight distribution and low centre of gravity ensure sublime handling characteristics.”

Additional information

AMG 6.3 V8 Engine (8 Cylinder) 4 Valves per Cylinder

571 hp output at 6800rpm

The transmission of this car consists of 7 gears and the driving modes are “C” Controlled efficiency, “S” (Sport), “S+” (Sports plus) and “M” (Manual).

The SLS AMG accelerates more quickly than some jet planes V8

Article Author- Raj Mehta.
Click here to read Raj Mehta’s Profile….

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