2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: First Drive Page 3
2013 Acura RDX: 2012 Detroit Show Video
The 2013 Acura RDX made its worldwide debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show, but it's not long for... Read More
- #15LEADERBOARD RANK
- 4885ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 96COMMENTS POSTED
2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Also See
-
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG Gets New 5.5-Liter...
-
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL Class At The Detroit Auto...
-
Mercedes-Benz Ponders The Future Of In-Car Tech
See more video »
2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: Probably an abuse of power
You might connect Mercedes with hulking machines like the G-wagen or even the plushly hefty SL hardtop roadsters. This time, the German automaker's put an emphasis on low weight to go with astonishing power, as it hunts down some of the track-ready luster that graces most Ferraris and Lamborghinis in the SLS.
Low weight is "one of the Ten Commandments" of sportscar engineering, AMG chief Mornhinweg says, and that's all the explanation needed for the aluminum space frame and body panels that grant the SLS a relatively light curb weight of 3,573 pounds. The body construction, the location of the engine behind the front wheels and the transmission in front of the rear wheels (mostly), means the SLS has nearly ideal weight distribution of 48:52 percent. There's some steel in the car, namely the strong pieces that make up the windshield frame.
If you're looking for virtuosity, it's under the broad expanse of aluminum hood. That's where the big AMG 6.2-liter V-8 lives, though it picks up a mysterious tenth of a liter for the "6.3" badges on the car's flanks. With tweaks to its intake manifold, to its lubrication system and to its throttle system, it cranks out a prodigiously healthy and vocal 563 horsepower, accompanied by 479 pound-feet of torque. This is one engine that talks back when spoken to, via throttle-by-wire controls. You'll always hear the SLS AMG coming, and rolling. The vintage metallic ripple that gathers at low speeds opens up to a fantastic howl, giving you plenty of engine note for your entertainment dollar--though it's almost unbelievably docile at a steady 80-mph cruise.
There's no manual shifter to conspire with the engine--instead, a new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox takes care of all the gearchanges. Developed by AMG, the four transmission modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Manual, with a "RACESTART" launch-control program built in. AMG says the gearbox is good for all modes, from "relaxed" driving to track racing, but "relaxed" may be too strong a word. It certainly slows and mellows shifts when it's in Comfort mode. Racing responses are much quicker, and the paddles themselves have the cool touch of real metal until you've rubbed them warm from repeated 4-3-2 clickdowns. This particular unit doesn't always want to dance as quickly as the blatty V-8, but I'm convinced these twin-clutch gearboxes make manual gearboxes a thing of the past. They're more complex to build and more expensive, but they remove the cultural hurdle Americans see in manual transmissions. That makes the SLS more accessible to a wider group of daydreamers, and in truth it makes the SLS more usable on the street--and still executes racing-speed shifts more quickly than almost any driver on earth can manage. Anything that keeps the driver's focus on the right line and the right point in the powerband--which all can be dictated in Manual mode--has to be progress. Right?
Through the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and rear-wheel drive, the SLS AMG will accelerate from 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.7 seconds--Corvette ZR1 territory but shy of the stunning 3.3-second times turned in by the Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Turbo. A top speed of 197 mph is also claimed.
The suspension's forged in aluminum wishbones to handle the truckload of on-demand power with aplomb. Trundling in traffic can make the SLS seem a touch bouncy, but when the view ahead widens, it digs into its element. Drive it faster and sweep into tighter turns and it stays almost completely flat, even while the rear 20-inch tires are clawing for some middle ground between torque and reality. The most pleasant surprise of the day: the SLS really can be a relaxed ride, not a cruiser but with enough compliance dialed in for commendable ride control on those trying 80-mph interstate slogs between raceways. Carbon-ceramic brakes with 15.4-inch front discs and 14.2-inch rear discs are teamed with 19-inch wheels and tires in front, 20-inchers in back for stopping capability equal to the task.
At Laguna Seca, the SLS wants nothing more than some free time from the leash Electronics have opened up a huge wide path for everyone to drive fast more safely. And it's hard to imagine being satisfied with an SLS that didn't offer a slower throttle response, or a softer shift for pedestrian trips out in public. You can dial those things out of the SLS entirely if you want, along with most of the stability control, but do you want to?
Let a few track laps be the judge. There's a clear dividing line between rear-drive machines like the SLS and the slew of all-wheel-drive exotics aingling for the same airspace. It's really simple: you can drive well with a rear-drive car, and you can drive well with an all-wheel-drive car, but one requires you to drive well. One lets you paper over a lack of practice, or skill.
My advice, after taking almost an hour to get up to the SLS' speed? Don't jump into a rear-drive monster with zero experience on the given track and expect wonderful things. I nearly looped my SLS twice on first lap--my first lap ever at Laguna--before I got the right ideas about steering sensations, braking points and throttle travel.
Four-wheel drive usually means never having to say you're sorry about a scraped-up car. Rear-wheel drive warns you right off the bat where you need practice. Point taken.
Related Articles
-
Launch Of Second-Gen Tesla Roadster Pushed Back To 2015
-
Audi And Kia Least Expensive Brands To Own, Per Kelley Blue Book
-
Fisker DOE Loans Blocked, Work Stopped On Project Nina Plant
-
Bugatti Veyron Doing 220-Plus MPH Runs On Public Road: Video
-
Nissan Hopes You'll Accept Its Invitation
-
Follow Us
On Facebook
Most Popular This Week
More
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible Live Photos: 2012 Chicago... 
2012 BMW M6 Preview 
Tesla Model X Live Unveiling Webcast Tonight At 8:00 PM PST, New... 
$1 Billion Prize Proposed For 100 MPG Car Research New Cars
More from High Gear Media
Use the form below to send us a tip, give us feedback, or just say hello.
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!
By SuperSkyline89 Posted: 9/25/2007 10:50am PDT
By Tony Avila Posted: 9/25/2007 1:26pm PDT
By SaN P Posted: 9/25/2007 2:46pm PDT
By JIt Posted: 9/25/2007 3:03pm PDT
The Black series SL looks brillliant though
By JIt Posted: 9/25/2007 3:03pm PDT
By Gus Posted: 9/25/2007 6:42pm PDT
By HECTOR Posted: 9/25/2007 6:48pm PDT
By Steve Posted: 9/25/2007 7:38pm PDT
By GAVEN ELLIOTT Posted: 9/25/2007 8:06pm PDT
By johnnyBoy Posted: 9/27/2007 1:56am PDT
By Craig S Posted: 10/1/2007 7:21am PDT
By Marc Posted: 10/1/2007 5:10pm PDT
...very hot but where is the Mercedes soul??? they are losing creativity.
By addy Posted: 10/2/2007 3:05am PDT
By marco Posted: 10/3/2007 5:18pm PDT
the cars of the past are BY FAR the best looking cars and they are REAL cars.
stop giving us wimpy ridicolous so called "modern" cars and give back us the REAL thing!
By Chris Posted: 10/3/2007 5:27pm PDT
By FOX Posted: 10/4/2007 12:00pm PDT
By Oswald Posted: 10/7/2007 1:28pm PDT
By benz Posted: 1/16/2008 10:23am PST
By nigel Posted: 4/14/2008 8:56am PDT
By chris Posted: 4/14/2008 9:41am PDT
By Strada Auto Store Posted: 4/14/2008 2:06pm PDT
By ohmy Posted: 4/14/2008 2:17pm PDT
=D
By Gus Posted: 4/14/2008 4:59pm PDT
By Gus Posted: 4/14/2008 4:59pm PDT
By Wizards Lore Posted: 4/14/2008 6:42pm PDT
Make it on the platform of the new car and not the outgoing one. I for one love the shape and would deffo want one, but they need to make this cutting edge tech and not next years knock off
By AUDI S5 Posted: 4/28/2008 12:13pm PDT
Have you seen the 'new' CLC? It is a joke i tell ya! Just by slapping on together the front and rear of different cars does not a new model make.
MB has had its day, but the future belongs to the VW Audi group and BMW as they are always pushing progressively forward, pushing the envelope with chassis technology, drivetrain and brilliant engines.
By gazzed Posted: 9/8/2009 6:20pm PDT
By Vinzer Posted: 9/8/2009 6:30pm PDT
By Alister Posted: 9/8/2009 8:02pm PDT
I mean seriously why bother! If your going to make a supercar make it, oh I don't know, super?
By Gumbo Posted: 9/9/2009 5:00am PDT
By ashwats Posted: 9/9/2009 9:59am PDT
By bepsf Posted: 9/9/2009 10:30am PDT
...and I agree w/ the others - appears that the B-Pillar of this thing was a design afterthought.
By HECTOR Posted: 9/9/2009 4:04pm PDT
I like it that the HP remain below 600. However, the SLR was still a prettier car, inside and out.
By Wizards Lore Posted: 9/9/2009 6:10pm PDT
By Sam Posted: 9/9/2009 6:34pm PDT
By NoNameDenton Posted: 9/9/2009 8:16pm PDT
By NoNameDenton Posted: 9/11/2009 12:06am PDT
By Tigersworld Posted: 10/29/2009 9:18am PDT
By Bill Posted: 10/29/2009 9:55am PDT
By MaxBob Posted: 10/29/2009 9:56am PDT
All I see is a reposting of an article and the announcement that that Mercedes will launch a press event on the car.
Great journalism
By My Wheels On Walls Posted: 10/29/2009 11:04am PDT
I got the above when I click on the link. If this was a Ford Festiva we most likely would'nt give a shit. But this is a supercar coming from the split of Mclaren and Merc after the unsucessful SLR.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CREATING FANFARE AND FALSE ADVERTISING!!!!! How about we learn the difference.... please....
Changing a title on the Web means breaking a URL--something we'd rather not do.
Also: language, please. The children can hear you.
By My Wheels On Walls Posted: 10/29/2009 8:38pm PDT
Also I have a question. How do you spread Editorial word? Answer: You advertise!!!! I can understand not wanting to break a URL and makes perfect sense. Keep up the good work as the site is clearly moving forward.
By bepsf Posted: 11/3/2009 9:58am PST
I'm also unimpressed w/ the gimmicky gullwing doors - The originals were created for the very reason that the 300SLR tubular chassis/frame was so high that standard doors were awkward - so the gullwing doors were a solution to an engineering problem - These are all show.
Finally, the rear quarter is awfully clunky with that huge B-Pillar - where's the quarter window of the original? Certainly 50 years later, MBZ can use high-strength steels to maintain high roof rigidity and allow for near 360-degree views?
Color me unimpressed.
By Luke Posted: 11/4/2009 3:15am PST
By magnesium Posted: 11/25/2009 3:19am PST
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!