Driven: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

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Matt Davis on Tue, 11/10/2009 - 14:21
Filed Under: Manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz, Tested, Featured, Automakers
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The new Mercedes-Benz halo car to end all halo cars just hit the road and track with us at the wheel.

—Monterey, California

You’ll get a chock-full version of this amazing drive experience with the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the next issue of Winding Road (next week), but we wanted to hit you with some of the fun fresh out of the aluminum Sportwagen. In a nutshell, the SLS is a clear successor to the SLR McLaren and it is clearly improved from the SLR.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this review

The new aluminum SLS built in Sindelfingen, Germany stays dead even with the carbon-fiber SLR built in the UK until early this year. Though the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 in the SLS has 54 less horsepower (down 9 percent) and 96 fewer pound-feet of torque (down 17 percent) than the supercharged 5.5-liter V-8 in the SLR, the SLS weighs 328 pounds less (also down 9 percent), has much finer dynamics, and better technology. Acceleration on both cars to 60 mph therefore stands at 3.6 seconds and both lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 7:40. The SLS just does it all with better behavior and efficiency.

On the road every day, the SLS wants very badly to always cruise at between 90 and 100 mph, anything less feeling a little caged. Nonetheless, the feel on the road is extremely solid through the nimbler aluminum chassis transmitting less vibration under all circumstances versus the SLR. The self-adjusting dampers of the suspension setup are perfect on this package and the accompanying springs combine to make this simple scheme a virtue. We’d even throw in here that the 10-percent stiffer springs and 30-percent stiffer damper settings of the optional Performance suspension are unnecessary.

For gearing, the rear-axle mounted AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed transmission combines well with the AMG Drive Unit’s Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Manual calibrations. (Compared to the SLR’s sluggish 5-speed auto, there is little comparison.) Favorites are Sport Plus self-shifting and manual action, since both are serious setups with Ferrari-like shift times. The Sport Plus double-declutching approaching curves on hard braking is so good it’s surprising, while the paddle action also lets us hold a gear right to the 7200-rpm redline.

Standard wheels and tires for the SLR were always 18-inch diameter, but the SLS gets showboaty with 19s up front and 20s in back. The track widths of the new chassis are enormous at 66.2-inches front and 65.1-rear, so steering action is crisp with little understeer, thanks also to the front axle design borrowed from the C- and E-Class 63 AMG cars.

Putting the three-stage ESP in the middling Sport Plus, we noticed immediately one of the old SLR hiccups still in the new mix: enthusiastic oversteer tendencies requiring seriously fast counter measures. We imagined AMG needs to start examining a version of 4Matic for these hairy halo cars. Then, rightly so but still unlikable, the ESP in any mode really does need to cruelly chop in to reel in that rear axle, since most drivers will be a little overmatched. ESP Off can happen exclusively on closed courses with masses of run-off.

Still, get the hang of it all in the ballpark and the SLS is a seriously unique all-day track-club weekend car – a status that the SLR had to bully the club council to get. Through all but the tightest turns—such as the awful final Turn 11 at Laguna Seca—our SLS galloped along unflustered, so long as we stayed alert. The much lower center of gravity with this dry-sump front-mid engine placement and the transmission at the rear axle, all work together nicely to keep weight distributed correctly.

And the exhaust tone from the two huge tailpipes is really intense and loud and low from minimal revs. You don’t really need that noise to do better, but you really do. Know what we mean?

The more we stared at the SLS design painted Le Mans red under the perfect California sun, the more we appreciated the statement this trick car makes. The only doubt remains for the rear third of the car in straight profile, as it seems forcibly pinched. As for the gullwing doors, they cause physical challenges, but they are light and easy to operate in the end. Any wounds to hands or head will simply be proud marks of ownership.

The SLS AMG will sell about 1,500 units per year worldwide and the U.S. base price sits at around $190,000. Our deliveries begin in May of 2010 and the Audi R8 V10 and Porsche 911 Turbo need to watch out.

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foremostcarguy

This is a stunning car. I've always liked the old 300SL gullwing, and this looks like a great modernization of that. Even though I won't be able to afford one of these for a LONG time, I wish they'd offer it with a traditional manual transmission. The new automatic/dualclutch/paddle shift/SMG dealies are really neat, and I know they're much faster and more precise than a human operating a clutch pedal and shifter... but the old way is just more FUN. And to me that's what a car like this is all about.

http://foremostcarguy.blogspot.com/

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 12:35
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Wed, 01/20/2010 - 22:25
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SandDawg

My rides: '07 Cayman S, '06 MB CLS500

While I generally lust after a new GT-3 or the new Porsche Turbo, this Mercedes could possibly make me leave the Porsche camp if I ever could afford it. MB would do well to consider this more of a volume car and leave the ever popular SL as a less expensive roadster without any AMG versions. Getting this car into the $130-150,000 range could work wonders for the entire car line.

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 15:06
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designergenes

2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S ... just racing in the rain ...

"Wow, this is a pretty MB," I thought as I worked very slowly through the pictures (Bad server day?). Then I came to the rear shot. "Hmm ... they've mixed in a picture of that old, ugly ... lesser Lexus, wasn't it?" Sadly, no ... What happened, did MB miss a paycheck for the stylist?

A real successor to the 300 would be delightful. The 300SL was beauty incarnate: every line right where it belonged and contributing to the whole equally with every other. I guess they should get kudos for getting 90 percent of it right. I'll wait for the fix.

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 16:42
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OK, seriously... look at that profile... looks like a viper; the rear looks like a Z8 wannabee (the Z8 gets cudos for being all so damn beautiful). I like it, just don't like that fact that $200,000 should get you something UNIQUE!!!!!

Wed, 11/11/2009 - 16:56
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If the Gullwing is here, can the Roadster be far behind?

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Something about the front end and the overall appearance of this car just doesn't do it for me. I love the interior and the performance numbers though.

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