Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS

Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS

Any fear that the SLS's competence would not translate to local roads can be forgotten. We've driven the car on local tarmac and it's as good as it was when we sampled it at its international launch in California last year. Even the raucous soundtrack has made it across the Pacific unscathed -- though we're amazed given Australia's restrictive noise statutes.

Mercedes-Benz and AMG launched its flagship sportscar to a small cross section of the local media last week with an entertaining loop through the Southern Highlands of NSW. And while we can tell you straight out the car's performance potential was barely touched during the circa-400km route, we can equally vouch for its competence on local roads.

At the car's launch on mostly super smooth Californian hot mix and the Laguna Seca circuit last November we said: "It almost goes without saying the SLS is rapid -- indeed, it's prodigiously quick. What perhaps surprised more is how resolved the car is on both road and track... It is a corner carver extraordinaire with ne'er a hint of body roll and nothing of the dithering feel midst change of direction you get from lesser vehicles. Point and it shoots."
 
After our local road loop we're more than happy to reiterate the above, as well as the car's almost 'unbreachable' levels of grip and simply stunning performance. And wax lyrical about that engine note... Oh, what a sound!

Just 70 high net worth individuals will get to buy a Gullwing Down Under this year. Near 50 have paid a hefty deposit against the $464,000 purchase price without so much as turning a wheel in anger. It's unlikely they will be disappointed. The remaining build slots are likely to be sold out in weeks, claim Mercedes-Benz Australia spokespeople.

This review will do little to stem the flow of orders. The writer is just a touch smitten.

No, it's not the prettiest car on the road. But then neither was the car from which it draws its inspiration, the original 1955 300 SL.

The SLS's long nose is purposeful but just a might too bluff in the cold hard light of day. And from some angles (rear three-quarter) it looks just a touch too much like a WWII Heer infantryman's M1935 helmet for my liking. Perhaps the two teams drawing the front and back ends should have met a little earlier in the development process.

But all that aside you cannot deny the SLS has presence. It looks instantly ready to kick arse and take names -- and then some.

It looks big but isn't, says Benz. Its long wheelbase (2680mm) is substantially longer than a cooking model SL63 (2560) and positively dwarfs a 911 Turbo (2350), yet in fact overall the car is 20mm shorter than a C-Class sedan. It is w-i-d-e, however, at not far short of 2.0m as we found at times on the narrow and bumpy switchbacks on the way from the coast road to Kangaroo Valley to Sydney's south.

There were at least a couple of sharp intakes of breath as we squeezed at speed between rock face and lurching HiLux. Such is the wieldiness of the SLS and the direct and tactile contact the driver has between hands and the front alloys, however, that it's easy to put the car exactly where you want it!

The SLS arrives comprehensively equipped Down Under with a relatively modest options list. Indeed, your $464K gets you a car that is well equipped without being overloaded. Things like adaptive cruise are eschewed, but otherwise there's all the mod-cons as well as high end sound system, satnav, etc.

Local cars get a reversing camera and a couple of choices of trim and colours. You can spend more on optioning up extra carbonfibre goodies as well as different leather for the seats and dash et al. There's an Alcantara covered steering wheel and garage door opener if you must. A custom fitted car cover and trickle battery charger are supplied FOC with every SLS.

There are some big ticket items that might go on SLS shopping lists, however. Metallic paint options range from $6475 for the 'cooking model' micas to just a snag under $30K for AMG's Alu-beam "liquid metal" silver metallic paint. Gulp!

Performance options are limited to seats, suspension and ceramic brakes.

The suspension upgrade is $3775 and boosts spring rates 10 per cent and damping around three times that. Mercedes-AMG does not recommend the suspension upgrade for use on the road. We've driven a car so-equipped and agree -- it's bearable but not all that nice. Only tick this box if you're serious about track driving your SLS.

The race seats are $10,400 and mean you scrap all electrical adjustment of the standard (and well bolstered) seats. Again they are not necessary unless you need a five-point harness.

Almost pipping the Alu-beam paint as the most expensive option on the SLS menu is AMG's high performance carbon ceramic composite brake system upgrade. Priced at $29,750, these stoppers are the dog's whatsits, but are hardly necessary; such is the effectiveness of the standard binders. Still if money's no object we'd tick 'em -- if only for the wheel filling front wiggly rotors and sexy multi-piston calipers.

It goes without saying the SLS's performance is effortless and B-I-G. It is not, however, as explosive and crushingly fast as Porsche's latest 911 Turbo. And point-to-point Nissan's (in this company) cheap and cheerful GT-R will likely be quicker. Neither of these cars provide the theatre or aural entertainment of the SLS, however. Nor its jaw-dropping presence.

The soundtrack that accompanies the SLS's 6.2-litre dry-sumped 420kW/650Nm hand-built V8 is in a league of its own. Part aero engine, part-top fueller, part racecar -- it never lets you forget it's there. But (fortunately for your licence) it's almost as enjoyable puttering around in town as it is at full-throttle WOT maximum attack. Few other performance or supercars can say that'...

This is a step-change car for Mercedes and AMG. Of that I have no doubt. It will change the way the brand is perceived in the long run. It's a little bit of history and therefore $464,000 somehow sounds quite reasonable...

For a full technical rundown, ratings and what we liked, etc see our international launch review of the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS...

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