Mercedes-Benz has released the first details – including some ‘disguised’ pictures more usually associated with magazine spy shots – of its new super-sports car, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

The new model was, unusually, developed ‘in-house’ by Mercedes’ performance brand AMG. This, therefore, is no ordinary Mercedes-Benz with a tuned engine and modified underpinnings. It can instead be thought of as a genuine AMG car…

The aluminium spaceframe body will have – gulp – gullwing doors, with an AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid-mounted engine developing 563bhp. Other technical details so far released include dry-sump lubrication, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and aluminium double-wishbone suspension. Meanwhile, Mercedes is promising front/rear weight distribution of 48:52 – with, of course, a satsifyingly low centre of gravity.

By having an aluminium chassis and body, the new ‘Gullwing’ enjoys significant weight-saving benefits, with kerb weight kept down to 1620kg – all of which helps to achieve 0-62mph in a mere 3.8 seconds. Or so it’s predicted. Vehicle testing is still on-going and won’t be complete until the end of 2009. The reinterpretation of the legendary Gullwing is then scheduled for launch in Spring 2010.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photos: Mercedes-Benz