The new Mercedes SLS AMG will be launched at the Frankfurt Motorshow next week. It is the successor to the famous Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe of 1954. They share the same classical sports car shape with a long bonnet and that unmistakable classical 'Gullwing' door.
The original 'Gullwing' 300SL Coupe was made from 1954 until 1957 and only 1400 units were ever made. The classical 300SL Coupe was conceived initially as a purpose-built racing sports car. In 1952, the coupe notched up an impressive record of success in the year’s major races at the Grand Prix in Bern, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the Nürburgring and also claimed victory in the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico.
The tubular frame for the 300 SL, designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, reduced weight to a minimum but provided maximum strength. The complete car in ready-to-drive condition and including the spare wheel, tools and fuel weighed in at 1,295 kilograms. The new sports car was a real crowd-puller, thanks in no small measure to its wonderfully charismatic “gullwing” doors. Rather than serving merely as a stylistic gimmick, they represented the central element of the 300 SL design.
The six-cylinder engine featured a number of modifications, one of which saw the carburetor replaced by a direction injection system – a technical advance which was years ahead of its time. This new technology boosted output to 215 bhp and the car’s maximum speed up as far as 260 km/h. The classical 300 SL Gullwing Coupe is certainly an icon in the automotive world and it was no coincidence that it was voted “Sports car of the Century” in 1999.
The new 'Gullwing' SLS AMG certainly has huge boots to fill. It comes with an array of impressive specifications including a powerful 6300cc V8 from AMG which is capable of 571 bhp and 650 Nm of torque. It's top speed is claimed to be 317 km/h and it does 0-100 kph in 3.8 seconds.
The SLS AMG is designed with an all aluminium space frame. Its silhouette is modern, dynamic & handsome but yet it reminisces of the classical 300 SL Coupe. It comes with bixenon headlamps and LED daytime running lights. The interior is luxurious and Mercedes says that it is inspired by the layout of an airplane cockpit. The sports seats are constructed with lightweight magnesium backrests and wrapped in leather.
The new car weighs 1620kg with a power-to-weight ratio of 352 bhp/tonne. It is equipped with the latest AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed Sports Transmission. The new Gullwing SLS AMG is expected to be available in Mercedes showrooms by 2010 but the pricing is unconfirmed at the moment.
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