Mercedes SLS AMG, The Modern Reinterpretation Of The Gull Wing

At the end of the first decade of the second millennium Mercedes was at a critical point on its product offensive. He was going to start a deep renovation in his brand image and for this he needed a halo car. To do this, they collaborated with AMG to create the spectacular Mercedes SLS AMG.

Why develop a new sports car from scratch? Because at that time, what could have been the flagship leading the new strategy, the Mercedes S-Class, was in the middle of its commercial life cycle. In addition, a sports car will always generate greater media coverage.

With a well-structured plan, the development of the new German sports car began. At Mercedes they could have limited themselves to creating a good sports car, but what they did was a work of art, was to enter the segment through the front door: the Mercedes SLS AMG would be the modern reinterpretation of the mythical gull wings.

This requires a specific design, with a long front, a cab set back almost on the rear axle and a short rear. All this spiced up with the gull-wing doors that invade a good part of the roof. However, like its predecessor, the good design exercise had to be accompanied by a good propellant, and it did not disappoint.

The hood lowered a huge 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, a classic of the brand. Developed by AMG and handcrafted by a single operator, it delivered 571 hp, 591 hp in the case of the SLS AMG GT. As a good AMG powerhouse, it boasted a deafening, gruff sound.

Its behavior, despite being considerably good on the track, was more intended for long motorway trips, with a comfort above the average for the segment. The only rival in this regard was the first generation Audi R8, although this was more extreme.

On the market its price did not exceed 200,000 euros at first, but over the years this figure increased to close to 250,000 euros for the SLS AMG GT. This would be the last available version of the model alongside the almighty Black Series, a masterpiece.

Black Series

By way of farewell, at the end of the party, the Germans recovered the name of the most extreme versions: the Black Series. Not only was it a pretty face, it had an extreme body kit made of carbon fiber, with widened wheel arches and a fixed rear spoiler.

Mechanical changes were also introduced. The V8 engine increased its power to 631 hp and 648 Nm of torque. At the same time, the seven-speed transmission modified the gear ratios for better performance. Finally, new suspensions and a lowered chassis were added .

To this day, the Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series remains one of the most extreme products ever developed by the star brand, and it is that it put on the street all the knowledge learned on the circuits.

E-Cell / Electric Drive

But before ceasing production of the Mercedes SLS AMG with the most beast version of all, the German firm left us with a very interesting prototype. We are talking about the E-Cell presented in 2010, at which time the German sports car had just arrived at dealerships.

This is the greenest vision of the SLS, and that is that it was fully electric, so it discarded the powerful V8 engine. Instead, it mounted four electric motors  – one on each wheel – with which all-wheel drive was achieved and which delivered a total power of 526 hp.

Its prototype condition would last until 2013, when the firm presented in Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive, the final and limited production version. It only went on sale in Germany at a price of more than 400,000 euros and stood out for its striking chrome blue paint.

Here the specs were notably improved, going to have 751 hp of power and 1 000 Nm of torque at all times. In addition, the four engines now offered 250 kilometers of autonomy.

Competition pedigree

There is no sports car worth its salt that has not visited the world of competition and the Mercedes SLS AMG is no exception. Furthermore, its role in this discipline has been more than remarkable, with appearances in Formula 1 as a safety car and in the FIA ​​GT Championship, in which it has garnered numerous victories.

During his active years in the category he positioned himself as one of the best, and was the preferred choice of many teams. He became unbeatable in certain races, and he took all the positions of the podium in endurance races.