Mercedes Benz SLS AMG: First Drives Thread...

[martinbo]

By Greg Kable... (pity it's not Sutters)

My only criticism is that this scribe doesn't discuss the speed and shift-quality of the new dual clutch transaxle gearbox.

Source: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG - Road Test First Drive - Autocar.co.uk

What’s it like?
Brilliant. This car is so well resolved it is going to give Ferrari and all the other established supercar heavyweights, Lamborghini and Porsche included, something to ponder when it goes on sale next year.

This is the first time we’ve had a chance to put the SLS AMG through its paces on public roads, and it’s clear that it is a much more convincing proposition than the car it replaces in the Mercedes-Benz line-up, the McLaren-built SLR.

Still, with massive sills and those traditional gullwing doors, it is not at all an easy car to get into. The best procedure upon entry seems to be to sit on the high sill then swivel your legs down into driver’s footwell and pull the overhead hinged door down as lower yourself into the thinly padded but generously adjustable driver’s seat.

The SLS AMG pulls away lustily and handles low-speed running without any apparent slack within the driveline on part load. It feels incredibly solid and exceptionally well engineered at around town speeds.

There’s already 369lb ft of torque available at 2000rpm, and you can sense it in the way it rips through the lower part of the rev range the moment you give the command with an earnest application of your right foot.

There’s tremendous urgency through the mid-range; breaching the point where the engine develops peak torque at 4750rpm on a fully loaded throttle sees the new Mercedes-Benz thrust forward with all the rabid determination of a car claimed to hit 60mph in just 3.7sec and 124mph in less than 12.0sec – times that make it every bit as fast as the more powerful SLR in a straight line.

The engine is hugely responsive, its revs rising and dropping with greater urgency than you’ll find in any other Mercedes-Benz model up to around 6000rpm. It’s not quite Ferrari sharp, but it’s not far behind.

Above that the inherent urgency tails off slightly, but it still manages to hauls to the 7200rpm cut-out with great enthusiasm, the electronic limiter retarding the ignition in a smooth manner so as not to upset the car’s attitude during cornering. And it is here where the new Mercedes-Benz surprises the most.

The SLS AMG can scythe into one corner and then into the next with the sort of fluidity and accuracy that makes it a proper rival to the likes of the Ferrari F599 Fiorano. It feels secure and planted feel in a way no other series production Mercedes-Benz does over challenging stretches of blacktop.

Not even the uncommonly quick SL63 AMG comes close to matching this car's apparent calmness at high apex speeds. There’s no unruly weight transfer, no nervousness being telegraphed back through the steering wheel upon turn-in, no early penchant for the front end to run wide as you close down into a bend – just an addictive ability to faithfully follow your chosen line and change direction as commanded with very little body movement and with masses of lateral purchase.

Given the serious reserves lurking under your right foot, unsettling the rear end is not as easy as you might imagine, allowing you to confidently come off the power late into corners without any unnecessary interruption from the ESP (electronic stability program).

Still, there’s more to the SLS AMG than its awesome pace, engaging agility and determined stopping power. It’s also a terrific long-distance cruiser. Slotting the gearbox into comfort mode and winding back the revs allows it to eat up the miles with consummate ease. It’ll reach 75mph in seventh gear at just 2500rpm with levels of refinement that are unparalleled at this end of the performance spectrum.

The ride is tremendously well sorted, with superb levels of rebound damping. You can attack undulating roads with great confidence, knowing the SLS AMG will be quick to settle over crests and track faithfully through depressions. Nasty ruts and ridges are met with a decisive action of the suspension, which does without any electronic trickery and boasts superb composure.

With claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption of 21.4mpg, the SLS AMG possess a theoretical range of 400 miles on its 85 litres tank - theoretical because with some spirited driving consumption drops dramatically, as the 12.9mpg figure showing on the instant readout after our drive south from San Francisco and at the Laguna Seca circuit in California revealed.

Should I buy one?
The SLS AMG is without doubt the most engaging series production car to ever wear the three-pointed star. By way of comparison, it makes the SLR feels almost leaden in its actions. It truly sets new dynamic standards for the German car maker and is a tribute to the engineering prowess of its AMG performance car off-shoot.

It is not going to be cheap, but its ₤150,000 price tag makes it look like a bargain, making it the same price as the far less involving SL65 AMG and a whopping ₤200,000 cheaper than the now-discontinued SLR. Suddenly Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche can count Mercedes-Benz among their most serious rivals.

So it looks for all the world that the SLS AMG is going to be the stellar drive we all expected it to be. And, at 150,000 GBP, an excellent supercar acquistion for the well-heeled. A very impressive effort from Mercedes Benz and AMG.

[Tarek]

Originally Posted by HighestOfHigh

BTW, Tarek what is the other car in your Avatar? I see the SLR, but not clear on the other one. Looks nice though.

The glorious Porsche CGT.

[jsciales]

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, with its gullwing doors and guttural-sounding V-8 engine, is more than just a blast from the past, it's a blast to drive on both road and track. Our trek began at the tony Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California, and ended at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.



As we quickly discovered, the SLS is equally at home whether it's valet parked at some fancy digs or being pushed hard around a demanding circuit. The styling of this latest Mercedes-Benz is striking — the nose is dominated by a large grille with a massive three-pointed star. The car's maw is flanked by projector beam headlamps and extra openings for cooling the brakes. The long hood/short rear deck proportions are striking, with such classic touches as those gullwing doors and chrome accented side vents. The best angle to view the SLS is from the front or front three-quarters. The rear of the car is rounded somewhat, but the tall trunk with its pop-up spoilers looks a bit too much like the old Acura CL for my tastes.

Hit the key fob to unlock the car and handles pop out from the doors — give them a yank and the doors swing up effortlessly. However, watch your head as you drop into the highly bolstered sport seats. It's a little reach up to grab the door, but pulling it closed requires just a little more effort than opening it up. Inside, the cabin is trimmed in leather and features a layout inspired by aircraft cockpits. The large analog gauges are surrounded by aluminum accents and there's plenty of carbon-fiber trim to complement the car's high-tech aura.



Punch the start button and the 6.2-liter normally aspirated V-8 roars to life. This sensational-sounding powerplant packs 563 bhp and 479 lb.-ft. of torque. Each engine is assembled by its own technician at AMG's headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany, while final assembly for the car occurs at Mercedes' Sindelfingen factory.

In addition to its exclusive AMG powerplant, the SLS is also equipped with Mercedes' first twin-clutch sequential-shift transmission. While the first few shifts at low speed seem to be a bit clunky, once the transmission oil is up to operating temperature, the box changes gears seamlessly — blipping the throttle on downshifts and grabbing the next gear either at your command or automatically when the tach reaches the redline.

Out on the open road, the SLS AMG feels solid and more substantial than its 3573-lb. curb weight might suggest. The steering is spot-on with a precise, linear feel when moving off center. The car rockets to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, according to the factory. The ride is sports car taut, so over uneven surfaces expect to be jostled, but not uncomfortably so. At the track, the SLS shines. The multi-mode gearbox has a Sport Plus setting for more aggressive shifts and by punching the traction control button once, a competition mode is engaged that allows for less intervention. With a 47-percent front/53-percent rear weight bias, the SLS is a neutral handler that can be coaxed into controllable oversteer with aggressive throttle play. Massive 4-wheel disc brakes (a carbon ceramic package is optional) provide plenty of stopping power. As impressive as the brakes are, the full-throated bellow from the car's V-8 is its most endearing feature. The 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is expected to retail for under $200,000 when it goes on sale next April.

Road and Track.com

[Merc1]

Gulp!


M

[Just_me]

A few pics from german test autobild.

[Merc1]

LOL.......GK is like seven feet tall, hence the ill-fit of the cockpit for him.

M

[jsciales]

Car and Driver: 2011 SLS AMG: The Winged Victory of Sindelfingen



We’re just back from the test track—the fabulous Laguna Seca road racing circuit, just outside of Monterey, California—and here’s what we can tell you right now about this formidable revival of a fabulous original.

It’s potent: 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque from a massaged version of AMG’s 6.2-liter DOHC 32-valve aluminum V-8.


It’s quick: with a slick seven-speed automated manual transaxle sending thrust to the rear tires, the new Gullwing can sprint to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, according to Mercedes propaganda. Propaganda that we happen to think may be a little conservative.

It’s fast: an electronic governor cuts in at 197 mph.

It’s balanced: with all of the V-8’s mass mounted behind the front axle centerline, the SLS achieves mid-engine weight distribution—47 percent front, 53 percent rear, making the car feel lighter than its listed curb weight (3573 pounds). Nimble may not come immediately to mind, but agile certainly does.

It’s a shameless attention grabber—especially when you pop one or both of those gullwing doors. Crowds gather. Impromptu Q&A sessions occur.

The major of the FAQs: what does it cost? With the on-sale date—end of April next year—still well over the horizon, Mercedes isn’t ready to commit to specifics. But here’s an off-the-record educated guess from an insider who declines to be identified because they know where he lives: $200,000.

That’s the probable base price. Will you be the first in your neighborhood?

Tune in Wednesday for our full first-drive report.

Caranddriver.com

[Merc1]

Really good looking here.

M

[jsciales]

Really looks nice, and the reviews couldn't be more positive.

[Beemer B773ER]

Just a quick question (coz I haven't been following the SLS much). With the doors opened, if one reaches speed of ..say 150mph or more, is there a possibility of creating any vertical lift, and maybe becoming a true Batmobile ?

Sorry couldn't resist, seeing those doors opened liked that it makes me wonder about the aerodynamics at high speeds.