The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which debuted in 2003 and is wrapping up production this year, has been a car as convoluted as its name. The unhappy child of bickering parents, the SLR came out too heavy, too big, and too unprofitable. Now that the Mercedes-Benz/McLaren marriage has dissolved, both sides are coming to their senses. For McLaren, that means developing a lightweight, mid-engine supercar codenamed P11, a car you'll be reading about here soon. For Mercedes-Benz, it means going back to its sports car roots with another Gullwing, the SLS AMG.
Inspired by the 300SL coupe of the 1950s, this new SLS also has the bobbed tail, the football-shaped grille, and the bottom-mounted door handles of the original.
Where it differs is, well, pretty much everywhere else. Indeed, AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg says the SLS is no simple homage. “We did not build a retro car at all,” he says. “It is the most advanced supercar you can find today.” The SLS is 182.7 inches long and rides on a 105.5-inch wheelbase, figures roughly equivalent to those of the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640. The entire SLS is constructed of aluminum; the space frame weighs just 530 pounds.
2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
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