The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is intended to redress the awkwardness – and low volumes – of the McLaren Mercedes SLR. Based on a first look at it, the supercoupe's chances are very good. That door handle is down by one's shins, but overcome that low hurdle and the reward is a cozy trip to the Sixties with millennial ergonomics.
For all that bonnet, the 6.3-liter 571 horsepower engine is shoved way, way back, good for a 4753 weight distribution. It'll do the business to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, and has a good chance of making you feel like quite the champ while doing it. Speaking of looking good, the carbon rotors and yellow calipers promise to look awesome at a standstill and on the trot. And with the updated interior, you won't have to drive with the doors up to stay cool in this gullwing, unlike the Sixties original.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the microsite for the SLS AMG called "From the Ground Up," and it has all the information you need on gullwinged retro rocket from the space from to components to the magnesium backrests in the seats.
At the end of it all, there's a visualizer so you can start building the SLS you would will order when they go on sale in a little over a year, so start saving. We would say that the microsite will has enough info to keep you busy until the car shows up next year, but you won't have to wait that long -- we'll be bringing you even more info from its unveiling next week in Frankfurt. Hat tip to USB!
It was only a matter of time. Last night's initial leak of low-res shots and details of the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has been follow with real, honest-to-goodness images in high resolution.
Apart from the new pics, there's not much news to report. The car has 300SL-inspired "Gullwing" doors that look awesome and, more importantly, 563 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque funneled to the rear wheels from the frontmid-mounted 6.3-liter AMG V8. Thanks to a lightweight structure molded predominantly from carbon fiber, the SLS AMG will scoot to 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds and on up to a top speed of 197 mph.
Want one? Well, sure you do... so do we. But you'll need to wait at least another year before production begins with sales slated to follow shortly thereafter. We'll be on hand at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week to get live shots of Merc's new beastie, but in the meantime.
Despite an achingly long roll-out, the first cracks in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG dam have begun to appear, courtesy of CarPoint.
Due to be revealed at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show, the 300SL-inspired "Gullwing" is packing a frontmid-mounted version of the venerable 6.3-liter V8 fitted to the majority of AMG's offerings, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox channeling 563 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Weight is pegged at around 3,500 pounds, allowing the SLS to run from a rest to 60 in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is 197 mph and optional carbon ceramic discs should bring the party to a halt with supreme authority.
Although we've seen an endless string of spy shots of the SLS over the past year, we finally get a clear view of its upright fascia, drawn headlamps and curvaceous rump that draws a few cues from the departed McMerc and modern M-Bs.
Color choices will include Alubeam Silver, Syvanite Grey, Alanite Grey and red, complimenting the leather and alcantara interior and ten-spoke forged wheels. Production will begin in late 2010 with sales starting the following year, and early pricing suggests a €177,310 MSRP in Germany.
Now that the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan has been unveiled and the E-Class Coupe's debut is scheduled for the rapidly approaching Geneva Motor Show, news has arrived that the model range will be completed with wagon and convertible versions at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Shortly after the show, the wagon should go on sale, with the droptop expected to follow right in time for winter to hit in November. So far, there's no information on powertrain options, but we'd expect both the practical wagon and the cabriolet to share a similar range of engines as the rest of the lineup – including the frugal turbodiesel four cylinder wearing the CDI BlueEFFICIENCY badge and the big 388-horsepower V8 in the E500. Of course, as we know more, so will you.
As we've already reported, the Mercedes S-Class is about to get a facelift, so it should come as no surprise that AMG versions of the new bahnstormer are starting to show up on the road. As with the garden-variety S, the AMG version gets a neat nip-and-tuck treatment, and adds a hint of Audi-inspired freshness via some LED-rimmed headlamps. Compared to the 2010 S-Class, the AMG model sports a more aggressive front fascia with a deeper chin spoiler, larger air inlets and additional gills. Shaplier side sills and a sculpted rear valance round out the rest of the noticeable changes, along with a set of quad oval exhaust tips and a prominent AMG badge on the decklid. Unfortunately, there are no interior shots to see if the new SPLITVIEW system will make it into the sportiest of big Benzes. While the new S-Class might be shown at the Geneva Motor Show, it won't arrive in showrooms until mid-2009 as a 2010 model. And there's no word on how much longer we'll have to wait to get an official glimpse of the AMG-fettled model.
For those more interested in the way their car looks or goes around corners than how fast it accelerates, Mercedes-Benz has announced an AMG sports package that will be optional with any powerplant available for the new 2010 E-Class hitting European showrooms in March. Exact pricing depends on the engine chosen and will start at around 3,000 Euros (around $3900 USD). For that sum, the buyer gets a unique set of aprons along with side skirts and 18-inch AMG alloy wheels. We definitely prefer this sportier look to the more stately standard kit. Inside, a set of microfiber and faux-leather seats for your bum join a three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel with shift paddles for your hands and aluminum pedals for your Piloti-clad feet. Performance-oriented bits include a suspension drop of 15 millimeters along with perforated brake discs with silver-painted calipers up front.
After various reports and some leaked images, M-B took the wraps off the the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class at a private event in Detroit. While the new E won't make its public debut until March at the Geneva Motor Show, we were on hand in Motown to get the details straight from the company that Karl Benz built. We've said plenty about the E's new conservative sheetmetal and exterior elements, including the ConceptFASCINATION-inspired front-end and sedate, uninspired rump. Depending on spec, the new E-class will feature either twin foglamps or angular LEDs, trapezoidal or oval exhaust tips and a host of wheel options. The overall length has been stretched by half an inch to just under 16 feet, while the width has grown by 1.26 inches, the wheelbase is up 0.8-inches and height is half-an-inch taller than the outgoing model. Torsional rigidity is up by 30% and the new E is more aerodynamic, along with packing 11 standard airbags.
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Mercedes-Benz needs a successful E-Class sedan in its lineup to properly compete with the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. With the current W211 model soldiering on since since 2002 and getting long-in-the-tooth, the German automaker is expected to launch a new E-Class sedan at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. As is often the case, it's proving rather difficult to keep the floodgate of images and specifications held back, and we've assembled the images from a leaked European brochure for your perusal. From the looks of things, MB is trying to split the difference between the current E-Class and its CLS sibling that was first introduced in 2005 to spice up the lineup with something more stylish. There are plenty of current-gen C-Class cues on the new E's flanks, with headlights that look very much like the units that debuted on the ConceptFASCINATION from Paris. The interior will get an upgrade and will be offered in a few different variations between super luxurious and overtly sporty.
We've seen so many spy shots of the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class that these official images hardly move us. Yet here they are, three images leaked onto the web that reportedly reveal the final production form of the 2010 E-Class, which makes its official debut in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March. The new E-Class was previewed by the Mercedes-Benz ConceptFascination that debuted at this year's Paris Motor Show, and we can see now that the front of the production car was heavily influenced by the concept. Gone are the round, quad headlamps, which have been replaced with new light fixtures that still number four but are more contemporary and clean. Strips of LEDs can also be had as fog lights in the outermost intakes of the lower front bumper, which must be a German thing as Audi and Porsche have placed the advanced lighting tech in similar areas on their cars. The soft lines of the current model have been chiseled into a crisper shape that shares creases with its big brother, the S-Class, and the new profile appears to be more forgiving of tall passengers in back. The unfortunate looking Galant-like rear end features large, rectangular tail-lights that cross over a rather voluminous-looking trunk. We expect the new 2010 E-Class to be loaded with more advanced performance, safety and entertainment technology than ever before, including the ability to read road signs, monitor driver fatigue and see in the dark without its lights on. In Europe it will be available with engines that range from four to six to eight cylinders large and are fueled by either gas or diesel. In the U.S., we should expect what we have now: a V6, V8 and AMG model.
