Autoblog

AMG wishes you a loud, tasty Christmas

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Humor, Racing

Four Mercedes-Benz AMG engineers working on the engine of an SLS AMG GT3 in the dead of night - we're sure it's a scene that happens quite often throughout the year. But in this case, so close to the Yuletide, it turns out their prime concerns aren't horsepower and lap times but engine temperature. Specifically, everyone wants to make sure that the 6.3-liter V8 stays at 180 degrees.

To see why, all you need to do is enjoy the video below.

Continue reading AMG wishes you a loud, tasty Christmas

AMG wishes you a loud, tasty Christmas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes launches SLS AMG GT3 45th Anniversary racecar

Zach Bowman — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Specialty, Racing

Mercedes-Benz has whipped up a special edition of its SLS AMG GT3 customer racecar to mark the 45th anniversary of the very first SL model. The company plans to build no more than five examples, each stitched together by hand in Affalterbach. Each of the bruisers will come with a special magno graphite matte paint slathered over carbon fiber bodywork. The racer wears a composite hood, trunk lid, aero work and doors. Jump inside, and the SLS AMG GT3 45th Anniversary offers a full race cage painted to match the vehicle's exterior as well as carbon-shell seats for both the driver and co-driver.

Meanwhile, each machine will receive an AMG 6.2-liter V8 hand-fitted by Bernd Schneider and an AMG technician. As you may recall, Schneider carried out most of the development testing of the SLS AMG GT3 and has won the DTM championship three times.

Buyers will receive their vehicles at a handover ceremony in Affalterbach, which includes a full factory tour by Schneider himself. If you want one, better scrape up €446,250, including the 19 percent Value Added Tax. That works out to around $578,250 at current conversion rates. Zing. Take a look at the full press release below.

Continue reading Mercedes launches SLS AMG GT3 45th Anniversary racecar

Mercedes launches SLS AMG GT3 45th Anniversary racecar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mika Hakkinen returns for Le Mans series debut in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Noah Joseph — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, China, Mercedes-Benz, Celebrities, Racing

Despite what longtime rival Michael Schumacher might have to say about it, when you're a multiple Formula One world champion, you don't have anything left to prove. That leaves you free to do pretty much whatever you want with the rest of your life.

In the case of Mika Hakkinen, that has involved a handful of seasons (and a few wins) driving for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM series, but when he'd had his fill, that was it. He's essentially been retired since the end of 2007 season, but is about to don his racing helmet one more time for a race in China.

The race in question is the 1000 km of Zhuhai, the Chinese round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. That's where he'll be sharing a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 with Lance David Arnold and Cong Fu Cheng in the AMG Customer Sports Team China as the squad's guest driver.

It'll be the first time in a career dominated by formula racing that Hakkinen, now 43 years old, will be competing in a sports racer, and should be an interesting spectacle. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Mika Hakkinen returns for Le Mans series debut in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Mika Hakkinen returns for Le Mans series debut in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts

Noah Joseph — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, UK, Racing

SLS AMG GT3 and Ford Focus touring car make their race debut - Click either image for high-res gallery

Teething pains are normal when developing a race car. Save for series like Formula One where every team is starting with a new car at the beginning of each season, it's to be expected that a new race car will face some difficulties when competing in its first race. That's what makes this past weekend's results so extraordinary.

Instead of being relegated to the garage with mechanical troubles, as you might expect from a new racing machine, both the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 and the Ford Focus touring car scored podium finishes on their race debuts this past weekend.

The race-prepped neo-gullwing finished third overall and first in the GT3 class at the opening round of the VLN Nürburgring Endurance Championship, fielded by the Black Falcon team. A second SLS followed in fourth place overall, with another two finishing 7th and 19th. The series consists of ten endurance races, all competed around a combination of the Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuits at the Nürburgring, and this race marked the first time that the SLS GT3, having completed its testing phase, was fielded entirely by privateers with no factory support. BMW claimed victory with a one-two finish in the M3 GT, while the Pininfarina P4/5 failed to complete the race.

The Ford triumph, meanwhile, came in the opening round of the British Touring Car Championship. As we reported recently, the BTCC is benefiting from a large field of competition that's unprecedented in size, but the new Focus surmounted the odds by cementing a third-place finish in the first of three races on the Indy configuration at Brands Hatch. Tom Chilton scored that podium finish in the "Global Ford Focus" racer while Andy Neate finished 11th in the second car, and while neither fared as well in the second or third races (finishing 11/12 and 8/15 respectively), that they finished each race at all was an accomplishment in and of itself for the new Focus and for Team AON which fielded them.

The checkered flags in the first two races went to Fifth Gear presenter and defending series champion Jason Plato in the Chevrolet Cruze, with two-time former BTCC champ Matt Neal taking the win in the third race behind the wheel of the Honda Civic. Press releases after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 race debut – VLN Nurburgring

Gallery: Ford Focus BTCC race debut – Brands Hatch

[Sources: Mercedes-Benz, Team AON]

Continue reading Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts

Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - Click above to watch video after the jump

Susie Stoddart is a professional race driver who hails from Scotland, and has moved up through the motorsports ranks to arrive in the DTM world. Getting started in karting before moving on to Formula Renault and then Formula 3, Stoddart has been driving a Mercedes-Benz for its DTM team since 2006. Driving a Benz has its privileges, of course, and that's even more true when you're a factory race driver. In this case, while Stoddart's normal racecar is a DTM-prepped C-Class, she recently got to spend some time behind the wheel of the SLS AMG GT3.

In the video, Stoddart tells how she became a professional driver because of the encouragement of her father. He instilled a strong sense of determination and will, and Susie takes time to thank him. The highlight of the clip, however, is watching Susie pilot the SLS AMG GT3 around the track. She scored her first points in a DTM season this year and she has come a long way from the kart track.

If that is not enough SLS AMG - or the lovely Ms. Susie Stoddart - action for you... we also have video footage of her flogging an E63 AMG wagon. Before you jump off, however, click past the break to watch pilot the SLS AMG GT3.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:29:00 EST

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

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - Click above to watch video after the jump

The FIA GT3 European racing series is about to get a whole lot classier. Mercedes-Benz has been testing and tuning its 2011 SLS AMG GT3 and the car is now ready to claim top spot in your high-end racing trailer. Pricing for the racing version of the "standard" SLS AMG Benz is set at €397,460 (including 19 percent Value Added Tax) or a little over $550,000 USD. The SLS AMG GT3 was recently out at the EurosSpeedway Lausitz in Eastern Germany. A camera crew was on hand to capture the action, and the result is over 21 minutes of shameless automotive ~~pornography~~ action. The only sound is the car on the track, interspersed with the occasional pit stop.

If you're a wealthy privateer racer, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 can be ordered directly through Mercedes-AMG GmbH. Act now, and your racecar could arrive as early as February of 2011. What are you waiting for? There are two mega press releases and footage of the SLS AMG GT3 being put through its paces, after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

[Source: Mercedes-Benz, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k

Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 roars online

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

If you believe it's time you learned more about the SLS AMG GT3, you're in luck. The gateway to knowledge has opened via a microsite for the FIA-spec racer.

Detailed specs still haven't been released, but with the reduced weight it's apparent that the 6.3-liter V8 will get the growler up to sixty miles per hour in well less than 3.8 seconds, and, depending on the final drive ratio, we're told the top speed could exceed 180 miles and hour.

There's plenty more info at the link, so get to studying - seconds count, you know... Hat tip to Dictator!

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 roars online originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to spawn Black Series

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, New York Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill

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

The gossipmongers at Autocar are reporting that the race-bred Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 that's getting its American debut at the New York Auto Show this week may be the foundation for a street-legal SLS AMG Black Series. We've heard rumors of a racier SLS for some time, but this is the first time we've heard heard the BS *ahem* designation attached to the project, and we expect a production roadster debut before we see a harder-core version of the coupe, so it'll probably be a bit of a wait.

Naturally, we're always down with hotter versions of our favorite supercars, and if the reports turn out to be true, the wicked gullwing shouldn't disappoint. Supposedly the boffins at AMG will find a way to squeeze even more power from the standard 6.2-liter V8 and will do their best to pare down the coupe's weight at the same time.

The report reckons all the extra speed will set buyers back quite a bit, with early guesses saying the SLS AMG Black Series will cost somewhere around $275,000. Steep? Sure, but the good news is you've got some time to save your pennies. Autocar says the car won't see production until 2013.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to spawn Black Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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