All Entries Tagged With: "SLS"
2010 SLS AMG Mercedes-Benz Video
By Gunnar Heinrich | YouTube
IS the jury still out on the 2010 AMG SLS or have we reached a verdict on Mercedes’ Gullwing redux? Perhaps this flick will help you render…
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.
Buzzzz Generator: SLS AMG Electrically Driven
By Gunnar Heinrich
HAVE yet to receive a press release on Saturday. But as the man says, live long enough and you’ll live to see just about everything.
Anyway, electricity, alternative propulsion, MB design at its finest:
Mercedes-AMG is paving the way ahead: with the new SLS AMG with electric drive, the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz Cars is developing an exciting super sports car with zero-emission high-tech drive. This model sees Mercedes-Benz and AMG displaying their expertise in the development of alternative drive solutions for high-performance super sports cars, delivering further proof of their pioneering status in this market segment.
Apparently Mercedes is making good on its promise to have a petrol free lineup that will include sports cars. The SLS AMG will electrify with four electric motors producing a combined 650 lb/ft of torque that’s the Stuttgart’s boffins say will launch the new Gullwing successor from nought to 60 in “around 4 seconds.”
This puts the electric drive SLS on a par with the premium unleaded drinking SLS.
Sounds good. Ferrari, Bentley, you’ve been quietly put on notice.
Mercedes’ Classic Air Vents
Klassisches Design
By Gunnar Heinrich | YouTube still via Autoblog
SO, Motor Trend scored a ride in the new Mercedes-Benz SLS roadster. Kudos to them. No jealousy here, honest.
And Autoblog posted about it… as, well, Autoblog is prone to do. Let’s give credit to Autoblog’s Damon Lavrinc for the piece. Tremendous.
But what really caught my eye is featured nicely in this picture. As you might’ve noticed, I’ve helpfully circled the three details I’m most interested about.
Yes, in the flash new Benz super car – once known mistakenly as the SLC (as in the old 70s coupe) – that’s meant to replace (displace?) the whoppingly overpriced SLR, yours is interested in where air flow meets the cabin.
And for those of you who are familiar with the marque and are thinking that you might’ve seen vents like these before…
Well, you have.
This is the interior of the W123 diesel from the turn of the 70s and 80s. Circular air vents were a big part of Mercedes interior design then…those thirty years ago. Indeed, the R107 SL featured them since, well, the start of the 70s!
Classic MB design in other words. More evidence to the maxim that like a fine pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers -what’s old is new once more.
Re: Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing
By Gunnar Heinrich
MERCEDES’ new “super sports car” may, in fact, serve up 571 bhp. And it may have a handy rear biased weight ratio of 48/52 thanks to a newfangled transmission. And, yes, it may be sprung on an all aluminum double wishbone suspension and feature ceramic stoppers.
But all that doesn’t really interest me at the moment. What I want to know is: why is the 2010 SLS AMG no longer called “SLC”?
There was some buzz last year that Benz was bringing back not only the Gullwing concept but also the old moniker from the famed rally (S-Class) coupe from the 70s – the R107 450SLC.
The odds in Vegas are that Daimler didn’t want to confuse people with too many historical cross references and decided to stick more with just the 300SL Gullwing lore. Or something to that effect.
Since the AMG sports car that’s meant to replace the SLR McLaren couldn’t be strictly an “SL”, “SLS” was what they came up with. They should’ve stuck with SLC anyway…unless there’s something else coming down the pike…
