The SLS AMG was designed by Mark Fetherston from October 2006 to April 2007 to be a modern 300SL Gullwing revival. The SLS AMG has also adapted the feature of the gull-wing doors that swing open upwards on gas struts, and must be closed manually. AMG engineers decided against the 41 kg (90 lb) of additional weight that auto-closing systems would have added to the car. In case of a roll-over, the doors can be fully detached to allow the occupants to leave the vehicle.
The SLS AMG has won a number of design awards, including the 2010 red dot "best of the best" award, the iF product design award 2010 for the "Transportation Design" category, and the Auto Bild Design Award 2010 as "Europe's most attractive car". It is also the only automobile to have won the gold Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The SLS AMG was assembled largely by hand, with its chassis and aluminum body shell produced by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria and then transferred to Sindelfingen, Germany for assembly. Its engine was hand built by AMG in Affalterbach, Germany.
The SLS AMG was officially introduced at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, and sales commenced in mid-2010 in Europe and in mid-2011 in the United States. Production ended in 2014 with the introduction of the SLS AMG GT Final Edition.
The SLS AMG is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine, code M159, which was modified from the M156 block. This engine was according to AMG "the world's most powerful naturally aspirated production series engine" ever produced upon its introduction. The rear-mounted AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transaxle is connected to the engine through a lightweight carbon fibre driveshaft inside a torque tube.
The SLS AMG has double wishbone suspension with forged aluminium control arms and coilovers, front and rear. Standard brakes are 390 mm (15.35 in) (front) and 360 mm (14.17 in) (rear) two-piece cast iron ventilated disc brakes with 6-piston aluminium (front) and 4-piston (rear) calipers. Optional carbon-ceramic disc brakes are available.
The SLS AMG is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 315 km/h (196 mph). It achieves a lateral acceleration of 0.99, improving upon the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
The first model introduced in the SLS lineup was the coupé with gullwing doors. In mid-2010, an FIA-GT3 racing version was introduced. For 2011–2013, Mercedes introduced a roadster version, an electric E-Cell version, and the Black Series.
The SLS AMG was used as the official Safety Car in Formula One in the 2010, 2011 seasons and part through the 2012 season. It was then replaced by the SLS AMG GT variant, which remained on duty up to the 2014 season.
The SLS AMG GT3 first competed in the 2010 VLN Nürburgring Endurance Championship and has competed in GT competitions worldwide, including the FIA GT3 European Championship and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
The SLS AMG was followed in 2014 by the Mercedes-AMG GT.
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