All Entries Tagged With: "Benz"
Take Two: Mercedes SLS Gullwing Is Go
Perfect timing.
By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG Daimler, AG
RUNNING with a group of prancing horses this past weekend (post to follow) between Connecticut and Massachusetts, I managed a little time between shots and breaths to consider Mercedes-Benz’s 2010 SLS AMG “Gullwing”.
A half century on, the fly-away $250K+ production car stands as heir apparent to the 300SL legacy. And I had decided, after some deliberation, that Mercedes-Benz needs to sell this car. You know, IMHO.
You see, sprinkled in among these glorious Ferraris and quite a number of Porsches, were a gaggle of BMWs, a few gorgeous Alfas, and the odd Vette.
But yours counted only two Mercedes-Benzes. Two.
One, a new SLK350 and the other an R129 generation SL with the sport package.
Boulevardiers with torque.
And as I watched the lovely silver Sacco penned SL take its place modestly on the shaded side of a long line up of Italian exotica, the thought came to me: Mercedes would be missing out if the company didn’t turn out the SLS.
You see, as powerful as a current generation AMG tuned SL is – and 738 lb-ft of torque is herculean by any accounting, the car is like a jackhammer delicately wrapped in a turqoise box from Tiffany & Co. The SL convertible’s a heavy car with big proportions and cushy air shocks made for 8/10ths driving and with power to be applied when the road goes straight ahead.
For years, one can safely argue, Mercedes has needed a purist’s machine with some flamboyance, zest, flair, bravado but, crucially, in a context that wouldn’t appear contrived.
Hence the new SLS Gullwing. And what timing!
BMW’s not doing the M1. Or at least they say they’re not doing the M1. And Audi already has the R8 + droptop. What better way for Mercedes now to barge in and seize the German stage against a small by highly visible market dominated by the Italians; ruled from Modena.
And to do so with pedigree!
Audi may have whipped the R8 out of thin-air – but what is their exotic heritage? An all-wheel drive hot hatch from the 80s? Mercedes owns the historical rights to the most righteous super car in history.
Suddenly, the playing field feels a bit more level.
Since the McLaren SLR is a sad and sadly overpriced halo from the unlamented near-past, there’s no time like the optimistic present for Mercedes to strike again while the striking’s good. The SLS AMG’s a clever car and business concept, even if borrows heavily on yesterday.
Perhaps on any given Sunday next autumn maybe, just maybe, we’ll see one of these tri-star thoroughbreds make into the pack.
