Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG embodies a blend of consummate automotive fascination and high tech. The super sports car delivers a compelling mix of purist styling, consistent lightweight design and superior driving dynamics. At the same time, the SLS fully lives up to all the expectations of hallmark Mercedes everyday practicality and optimum safety. In essence, the new Gullwing offers the ideal synthesis of the strengths of Mercedes-Benz and AMG. The new super sports car from Mercedes-Benz and AMG makes for an alluring proposition with its unrivalled technology package: aluminum space-frame body with gull-wing doors, AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine developing 420 kW/ 571 hp peak output, 650 Nm of torque and dry sump lubrication, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration, sports suspension with aluminum double wishbones and a kerb weight of 1620 kilograms based on the DIN standard – this superlative combination guarantees driving dynamics of the highest order. The ideal front/rear weight distribution of 47 to 53 percent and the vehicle's low centre of gravity are testimony to the uncompromising sports car concept. The Gullwing accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 317 km/h. The fuel consumption of 13.2 liters per 100 kilometers puts it at the front of the competitive field.
The distinctive styling of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG enthralls with its passionate sportiness and reinterprets the breathtaking lines of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL – one of the outstanding design icons of the Mercedes-Benz brand. With its purist design the new SLS AMG reflects the philosophy of contemporary sports car engineering: the bonnet which measures just under two meters, the low greenhouse positioned well to the rear and the short rear-end with an extendable aerofoil are just as powerful a reminder of the superlative dynamism as the long wheelbase, the wide track and the large wheels. The short overhangs feed through into the proportions, just as does the design of the super sports car with its low-slung front-mid engine set well back and dual-clutch transmission in transaxle configuration. An undoubted styling highlight comes courtesy of the gull-wing doors which lend the SLS AMG its incomparable charisma – making a unique statement in this vehicle segment. The gull-wing doors are not alone in rekindling memories of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL; the hallmark wide radiator grille with the large Mercedes star and the wing-shaped cross fins are a throwback to the front-end of the sports car legend. The three-dimensional, sculptured front-end with its low-set, swept-back front apron set well into the sides lends the Gullwing its powerful stance on the road. Six large cooling air intakes and the vertically arranged headlamps set well to the outside with their alluring inner ambience provide a dominant aura: the central bi-xenon low-beam headlamp with its metallic wing section is framed at the top by two LED indicators and the LED daytime driving lights at the bottom.
Seen from the side, the eye is drawn to the prominent vehicle shoulder of the SLS, which stretches like a taut muscle from the front to the rear. Distinctive 19-inch (front) and 20-inch (rear) light-alloy wheels fill the wheel arches, which stand out prominently from the sidewall. Three different wheel variants all provide a glimpse of the large high-performance composite brakes. Seen from above, a prominent, uninterrupted line runs from the muscle to the rear. This styling feature is also picked up on the bonnet where the eye follows a distinctive contour which flows over the roof between the gull-wing doors, right through to the third brake light.
A powerful eight-cylinder engine manufactured by Mercedes-AMG forms the heart of the new SLS. The fine-tuned 6.3-litre V8 engine develops 420 kW/571 hp at 6800 rpm, turning the SLS AMG into one of the most powerful sports cars in its segment. A power-to-weight ratio of 2.84 kg/hp comes courtesy of the low vehicle weight. The naturally aspirated engine delivers maximum torque of 650 Nm at 4750 rpm. The Gullwing accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, before going on to a top speed electronically limited to 317 km/h (all figures are provisional). Bearing the internal designation M 159, the V8 high-revving engine with its displacement of 6208 cubic centimeters has been thoroughly reengineered compared with the M 156 entry-level engine and boasts all the hallmarks of powerful racing engines. A new AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission takes care of power transfer.
Send a Virtual PortcardLast Updated 09.18.2009
MERCEDES SLS AMG Images

No comments:

Post a Comment

Bookmark and Share