Wing commander
Mercedes draw on their race-winning past
ONE OF THE HOTTEST SUPERCARS of the new decade is one harking back to the 1950s: the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It’s a modern interpretation of 1954’s iconic 300SL Gullwing, the Merc made famous for its vertical doors and racing pedigree at the Mille Miglia and Le Mans 24hrs, which it won on its maiden outing.
There’s been a trend among German car makers of late to do pastiches – BMW recreated the Mini and Volkswagen the Beetle – but the new SLS is more imaginative. While the doors still rise like a swan’s wings above the driver’s head, elsewhere the SLS is decidedly contemporary.
That long bonnet houses a
6.2-litre V8 muscular enough to send this aluminium-skinned twoseater to 62mph in 3.8 seconds.
Inside you’ve a focused but luxurious cockpit. Paddleshifts control the seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox and that V8 does a Jekyll and Hyde, mixing a whispering cruise with a Nascar scream when you nail it.
And if you’re worried a 197mph, £157,000 supercar isn’t in keeping with the carbon-crunched zeitgeist, fret not. Mercedes is developing an electric SLS, which will emit nothing more unsaintly than a quiet whirr. Tim Pollard www.sls-amg-magazine.com
