Autoblog

Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 shines in silver

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

That image above speaks for itself. All you really need to know is that this isn't Dubai, Russia or even Germany - it's right here in Monterey for classic car week. You can probably identify the Mercedes-Benz inside that shiny wrapper on your own, but just in case you've recently taken an amnesia-inducing blow to the head, it's the SLS AMG GT3 - the race version of the company's new gullwing sports car. There's something to be said for having a mirror with you wherever you go, but this is a bit extreme. No matter, we think it looks amazing, even if it is just a wrap and not a polished car that's been stripped of its white paint to shed precious ounces before a race. Click on any image to see our full high-res gallery.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 shines in silver originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Silver Arrow concept watch unlocks the heart of the Mercedes SLS

Noah Joseph — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Mercedes-Benz, Design/Style

Silver Arrow concept watch by Fabien Cacheux - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you're going to make a supercar, you're going to need the watch to go with it. It's what upscale customers have come to expect. But while Mercedes-Benz has collaborated with a number of watchmakers in the past, it has yet to release a timepiece to accompany its new flagship, the SLS AMG.

That's where Faibein Cacheux comes in. The budding French industrial designer has penned the concept watch you see here to compliment the Gullwing supercar. It features a tourbillon movement rotating around a central hub with a power reserve meter at six o'clock, all housed in a titanium case and affixed with a neoprene strap. And like Jaeger-LeCoultre's Aston Martin transponder, it incorporates buttons to open and close the doors remotely. '

Unfortunately the watch is just a concept at the moment, but if Mercedes could display the fortitude to bring the SLS to market, maybe it could do the same for the Silver Arrow concept watch.

Gallery: Silver Arrow concept watch by Fabien Cacheux

[Source: Fabien Cacheux via autoevolution]

Silver Arrow concept watch unlocks the heart of the Mercedes SLS originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Santoni crafts driving shoes for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Noah Joseph — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Mercedes-Benz

Santoni driving shoes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG - Click above for high-res image gallery

Driving a supercar upside down in a tunnel requires some fancy footwork, even if there isn't a clutch pedal to manipulate. Fortunately the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has got the right footwear thanks to a collaboration with Santoni. The Italian clothier, which has shared a longstanding relationship with Benz's performance house, has crafted these specially-made, FIA-certified driving shoes.

Presented recently at the Pitti Uomo 77 boutique in Milan, the SLS AMG driving shoes will be available to buyers - and presumably to fans - of the corresponding supercar in black, and soon in a variety of colors to compliment the high-performance machine. The laces, though, open like any other shoes, not like the gullwing they're made to accompany.

Gallery: Santoni shoes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: OmniAuto.it]

Santoni crafts driving shoes for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Mercedes-Benz begins road-testing electric SLS supercar

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Electric

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is nothing if not an exciting car to drive, and the German automaker is reportedly hard at work making sure that the upcoming electric version of the supercar generates the same kind of reaction from its occupants. In an interview with Autocar, AMG head Volker Mornhinweg assures that the EV super coupe is now being tested on the road and will hit all of its targeted performance objectives.

The electric M-B SLS AMG will sport four individual electric motors that spin out 525 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque through all four wheels. That's enough grunt to push the gullwinged-supercar from 0 to 60 in four seconds flat. Three separate lithium ion battery packs will assure a range of 110 miles, though all those cells will push weight all the way up to a hefty 4,100 pounds - a full 500 pounds more than the gas-powered version.

If you're worried that all those extra pounds will make for a boring drive, don't be. "Effectively being four-wheel-drive does alter its character, but our torque vectoring systems give us opportunities to make it as good," affirms Mornhinweg. "It's important to get the emotional level of an EV right and we have some solutions." We'll have to wait until 2013 to find out for ourselves, at which time the SLS EV will hit the market, possibly for lease only with an unknown asking price.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Autocar]

REPORT: Mercedes-Benz begins road-testing electric SLS supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Conflict? Mercedes awards SLS AMG body panel construction to Magna

Noah Joseph — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG - Click above for high-res image gallery

Magna International pulled a bold move when it declared its intention to buy Opel from General Motors, bridging the gap between component supplier and contract manufacturer on the one hand, to independent automaker on the other. In the process, Magna jeopardized its relationships with Germany's largest automakers, including Volkswagen and BMW, who had been keen to do business with a supplier; less so with a direct competitor.

Daimler sees it another way, however. Not only will Magna continue building the legendary Gelandewagen for Mercedes-Benz at its facility in Graz, Austria, but Mercedes also announced that the contractor will make the aluminum body panels for the recently-unveiled SLS AMG supercar. For its part, Magna is satisfied to receive the business, naturally, while Mercedes and Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche says he sees no conflict of interest. Deliveries of the SLS are expected to begin next spring.

Gallery: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

What Conflict? Mercedes awards SLS AMG body panel construction to Magna originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Mercedes to produce electric SLS gullwing

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Green, Technology, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz, AMG

Mercedes-Benz has officially confirmed the rumors that have been floating around in recent days - it will build an electrically powered version of its upcoming SLS gullwing coupe. The EV version of the SLS will drive all four wheels by means of an individual motor for each corner. It will not however use wheel hub motors, since those add too much unsprung mass. The motors will be mounted just inboard of the suspension components.

Energy will be stored in a 48 kWh liquid cooled lithium ion battery pack running down the central tunnel. The combined output of the electric drive system is 392 kW (526 hp) and 880 Nm (649 lb-ft), which compares to 420 kW (563 hp) and 649 Nm (479 lb-ft) for the 6.3-liter V8 in the conventional SLS. Mercedes claims it will accelerate to 62 mph in four seconds. No range is being quoted at this time, but given that the battery capacity is lower than the Tesla Roadster and the car is larger, it will likely be well under 200 miles. No timeline for the electric version is being quoted, although earlier rumors placed it at 2015.

One of the reasons that Daimler said it was investing $50 million in Tesla Motors was the upstart's ability to move quickly and develop systems faster than could be done at Daimler. Given that, we may well see the electric SLS sooner rather than later. Check out our high-res gallery of (internal combustion) Mercedes SLS prototypes below and the official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: Daimler]

Continue reading Officially Official: Mercedes to produce electric SLS gullwing

Officially Official: Mercedes to produce electric SLS gullwing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG Roadster?

Noah Joseph — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz, AMG

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren spun off more variants than you could shake a carbon-ceramic stick at, and and although its successor hasn't even reached the market, spy shots are already suggesting that the upcoming SLS could follow down the same path.

What we have here are the first shots of what is being billed once again as the Mercedes-Benz SLC. The name was previously entertained as the tentative nameplate for Merc's upcoming gullwing supercar until it was replaced by the SLS nameplate. But if these shots from Auto Express are any indication, a roadster version is likely in the works as well.

Rather than a folding hard-top like the SL, the droptop SLS looks like it will follow the path of the SLR McLaren (not to mention the original 300SL) with a canvas roof, and presumably it will offer full automatic operation and a glass rear window. Aside from the roof, the mechanics are anticipated to carry over unchanged from the specs that just hit the web earlier today, while minimal weight gain should mean that performance will closely mirror that of its fixed-roof counterpart.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG Roadster? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz working on electric SLS eDrive for 2015

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz, EV/Plug-in, Mercedes Benz, Lightweight, Rumormill

Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS - Click above for high-res image gallery

Green-minded fans of the upcoming SLS supercar that Mercedes-Benz AMG has been working on for well over two years, rejoice. The rumormill is buzzing with word that an all-electric version of the gullwinged monster could enter limited production in 2015. That's a ways off, but considering the gestation period of the gas-chugging version, it's pretty much par for the course.

According to the gossip-happy blokes over at Autocar, the electric SLS will share its lightweight aluminum body, gullwing doors, and most of the interior with upcoming SLS. The changes for the SLS eDrive will mostly be contained in the powertrain, which will use four 98 kW motors (one at each wheel) for a total of 392 kW (532bhp) and 649 lb. ft. of torque. A rumored 0-62 mph time of under four seconds and a top speed of 120 mph would put it in the realm of the Tesla Roadster if the SLS eDrive were available today, albeit undoubtedly at a much higher price point.

Of course, nobody actually knows what the electric gullwing will be capable of - if indeed it reaches production at all. According to Autocar, the SLS eDrive figures to have a shorter range than the Tesla, somewhere between 93 and 112 miles from a full charge that takes eight hours from a standard outlet, or five to six from a more powerful outlet.

The gasoline-powered SLS is expected to debut at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz working on electric SLS eDrive for 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York: Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS - new sketches, interior revealed

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:42:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Mercedes-Benz, AMG

Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS - Click above for high-res gallery

When Mercedes-Benz and McLaren announced in the late 90s that they would collaborate on a new supercar, enthusiasts were hopeful that it would be a true successor to the legendary F1. While the roadgoing McLaren had plenty of technology, it was not dominated by it. Instead it was designed more like a race car with minimal weight and a package optimized for performance in mind. The result was a car designed for the road that scored an outright win at Le Mans in near stock form.

When the SLR appeared, it was clearly far more Mercedes Benz than McLaren. The performance was undoubtedly impressive and it sold in far higher numbers than the F1, but it just wasn't the same. The SLR is going away this year and for a follow up Mercedes has partnered with in-house performance specialists AMG. Like the SLR, the new SLS is pure Mercedes, but harkens back to the original 1955 300SL. Details are still limited but we do know that the SLS marks the return of the gull-wing to the three-pointed star. The SLS is still a year away from its market launch, but Mercedes is showing sketches of the exterior and production shots of the interior here at the New York Auto Show.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading New York: Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS - new sketches, interior revealed

New York: Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS - new sketches, interior revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gullwing Returns: Official details on Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

John Neff — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:55:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Mercedes-Benz has used the occasion of the 2009 Geneva Motor Show to release the first official details about a car that won't even be shown in Switzerland at all. It is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which has long been referred to as the SLC or modern day Gullwing. Mercedes has confirmed that the car will feature the same gullwing-style doors made famous by the classic 300SL, and from there things get very interesting.

While not ready to unveil the final design of the car, Mercedes did release dozens of images of SLS prototypes being tested by its engineers. It's readily apparent that the SLS looks smaller than Mercedes' current supercar, the SLR McLaren, but the smaller shape just hints at extensive weight saving measures. An all-new aluminum space frame contributes to a curb weight of just 3,571 lbs, a full 300 lbs less than the SLR McLaren. The SLS also rides on a long 105.5-inch wheelbase with a front track that's 1.2 inches wider than the rear.

Power will be provided by a tuned version of AMG's familiar 6.2L V8 producing 563 hp at 6,800 rpm and 479 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm. The engine, which sits low and behind the front axle, will send all that power across a carbon-fiber driveshaft to the rear axle where a new seven-speed dual clutch gearbox carves it up. There will even be a Race Start launch control function that guarantees an estimated 3.8-second 0-62 time every time. Top speed: 196 mph. Stopping? 15.4-inch discs in front squeezed by six-piston calipers and 14.2-inchers with four-piston calipers out back, and a full set of carbon ceramic rotors will be optional.

Pricing hasn't yet been released, but expect to drop at least 200 large on the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG when it goes on sale. The car is clearly not ready for the showroom yet, but Mercedes just wanted us all to know it's coming... fast.

UPDATE: Official press release added after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Gullwing Returns: Official details on Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Gullwing Returns: Official details on Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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