Mercedes has revealed their one-letter-more-advanced-than-the-SLR McLaren at the Geneva Auto Show. Well, not AT the auto show. At the same TIME as the Geneva Auto Show. Which is a smart move, really. Why bother spending a million bucks or so bring the SLS to Switzerland when you can get almost as much publicity by attaching a file and pressing “send”? Pistonheads re-writes the press release, so we don’t have to. Oh, and here’s hoping the SLS’ brakes are a touch more feelsome than Paris Hilton’s bitch—I mean, previous whip.
Roughly the same size as the SLR McLaren at 4640mm × 1939mm × 1255mm, the new SLS will also be 130 kg lighter at 1620 kg.
Power from a significantly updated version of AMG’s 6.2-V8 will be fed through a seven-speed double-clutch transaxle, positioned to help optimise weight distribution.
Revving to 6,800 rpm and making 479 lb·ft of torque, performance will be suitably staggering. Mercedes claims 0-62 mph in 3.8 s and a top-speed of 196 mph, while acceleration off the line will be aided by a race-style launch control system. Stopping power will be courtesy of 15.4 in front and 14.2 in rear discs, with optional carbon ceramic upgrades.
Ehh, well i’d like to see how it will look like. cause i still think the SLR is one of the ugliest cars with that much power.
if it’s going to look like a bigger version of the up coming SLK, then forget it, these performance numbers are not so grand.
but that is my honest opinion. we have to wait to see the price tag and how it compares to the supercars that were revealed in the flesh at the Geneva Show, in Geneva…. Murcielago LP 570-4 Super Veloce anyone? i know i’m in love with that one already…
Is this thing supposed to be priced like the SLR? 479 lb ft and 3.8 seconds aint great for that kind of money.
I used to like the SLR’s styling. Then I grew up. Hopefully this new model is classier.
@Ronman: I agree that the SLR was not the prettiest car out there, but I think they did a great job with the Sterling Moss edition, which I think the SLS will take some cues from (at least the front and rear lights).
Am I missing something that 0-60 in 3.8 seconds is not so grand? At the very least, they are dumping the F1 nose, and they’re working to reduce weight.
@TwoTwenty: I agree about the Sterling Moss Edition, truly gorgeous car… but i doubt the new SLS will take any of its design, you have to remember that Merc are leaving McLaren behind on that project and suposedly starting a whole new platform/car with AMG.
in any case 3.8Sec to 60 is not bad, but a GT-R does it in 3.5 with a T-V6, not that I like that one a lot, (I think the GT-R legend faded away with the amount of press it got)
Anyway i will reserve my final judgment of the SLS on the way it looks, because the gumpert apolo has superlative numbers but looks awfulin the process
Am I missing something that 0-60 in 3.8 seconds is not so grand?”
Actually that is quite good for a 2WD vehicle. And once you get traction, no AWD sports car will come close to the thrust of an AMG powered Benz. Sounds like a win-win to me.
The proportions look great, I sure hope they don’t ass up the styling like the SLR.
535 hp according to the link. 1620 kg is 3571 lbs. Quite a porker.
That is 6.7 lbs/hp. The original SLR was 880 kg (1940 lbs) and had 310 hp for a 6.3 lbs/hp. Of course, it was an F-1 racer with fenders.
The Corvette ZR-1 is 5.2, and a lot cheaper.
Mercedes should leave this legacy undisturbed. The original 300sl was an icon. Stuttgart’s moon-shot. It brought them out of post-war ruin and into the limelight as the finest car maker on the planet.
This thing? Just a bunch of engineers masturbating all over the buyer.
–chuck
Looks like a Viper from hell.