Tuesday 3rd November 2009

Merc Gives Green Light To Black SLS

... while aftermarket tuners move in before the standard SLS goes on sale

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The Mercedes SLS AMG may not even be on sale until the middle of next year, but already there's talk of multiple versions to follow, and even aftermarket kits for the retro supercar.

There's already been talk of convertible and electric versions of the SLS in the pipeline, and now according to Autocar, Mercedes bosses have given the green light to an SLS Black edition. As with other Black Series models in the AMG range the SLS Black will bring astonishingly expensive performance gains to the already potent coupe. And, er, make it look 'blacker', probably.

Details are sketchy at present, but a larger manifold, higher compression ratio, re-profiled camshafts and other unspecified modifications are said to bring power from 563bhp to around 600bhp, and torque from 479lb ft up to around 500lb ft. Weight should be reduced by around 50kg over the standard car's 1620kg, and a new mechanical locking differential will sit with the existing seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.

The estimated performance gains are relatively modest (though we're still talking pretty bonkers figures here), with 0-60 down 0.4 seconds to 3.5 seconds, and max speed up from 195mph to 208mph.

The SLS Black will command an appropriately serious price hike, expected to float around the £200k mark, up from the standard car's £155k. Sadly there are no renderings or drawings to show you just yet, but there should be subtle aerodynamic tweaks along with not-so-subtle black paint and wheels - it's not hard to visualise!

If that sort of look isn't for you but you're still not content with the standard SLS's neat retro form, how about this for an alternative. US firm Gullwing-America have come up with an extensive body kit for anybody who feels the 'boggo' SLS isn't quite retro enough. It adds seven separate pieces of hybrid aluminium and carbon fibre, along with bespoke wheels and some interior bits all designed to evoke the 300SL rather more directly than the Merc successor does in standard guise.

The package, known as the 'Panamerica', can even be spec'd with racing stripes. Being as fair as possible with this kit, we'll have to say it's 'different strokes for different strokes', but even with prices unannounced, it's hard to imagine giving somebody money to do that to your shiny new SLS...

Finally while we're having this little SLS-fest, it's also worth checking out the video below that Mercedes has just released. It shows several vignettes of the SLS's development, from pencil sketch to crash testing, and even some pretty spectacular driving footage.

[Shabs]

Aftermarket tuners should be castrated

I so want a Black series of this, top of my lotery win cars by a mile

[andyroo]

Still not convinced by the looks. Nice price tag though, all things considered.

[young_bairn]

Thats ugly as sin.

[Mr Gearchange]

fk my old boots.
I'm trying, and failing, to come up with words that describe just how disgusting that white monstrosity looks.

Edited by Mr Gearchange on Tuesday 3rd November 12:47

[segg250]

TBH not much uglier than the original. Im not sure you could pay me 150-200k to have one of these ugly sls's.

Give me an original gullwing ill be happy this is an insult to the original. Bloated heavy and ugly as ugly gets.

[Oddball RS]

Ugly as sin and very German, in that 've vill vorce you to endure ziss', because we could not possible have got it sooooooooooooo wrong.

Coome on Mercedes its not retro it hideous.

[DeadMeat_UK]

<gags on a little bit of my own vomit>

[beefcake42]

Inside all that 'plastic' is a car that did nothing wrong, I can hear it crying everytime I look at those images.

I fear for any children coming in to a world where people are allowed to do that to cars... I may never breed as a result.

[vz-r_dave]

I much prefer the lights on the white one over the standard car.

[G4HKS]

Pass me the bowl.....

[mat205125]

Standard car looks st, and so does the barry'd white version too. At least the latter has attempted to include the correct wheel arches, and disguised the Lexus/Crossfire abortion rear end.

[bazking69]

Great shout by Mercedes. Horrible attempt by the aftermarket company.

[monthefish]

previous PH article said:

SLS AMG in the metal at last, With its gullwing doors and 6.3-litre AMG V8, the new Merc SLS

this article said:

There's already been talk of convertible

The gullwing doors are the 'trademark' for this car...how would they do gullwing convertible?

[segg250]

This is a car that makes people wish they were blind.

[anonymous-user]

Of all the new supercars due to come out (any car for that matter) this is the FUGLIEST!!!

[Dakkon]

The white car thing shoul have been shot at birth, but the normal SLS looks quite nice

[Steamer]

I really really like it! The white one looks evil.

If one of those rolled up outside, you'd start to worry that you hadn't paid your TV license or maybe spoken to someone you shouldn't have!

[fluffyducky]

• Deep breath* "IquitelikethiscarandthinkitlookshotinstandardtrimPLEASEDONTFLAMEME!"

Seen the video? Performance upgrades by Homer -- Speed holes!

[astrsxi77]

An uneasy mix of current SL and retro - but I suppose the world needs another Mercedes coupe.

[tgx4776]

Not a fan of either but that all black test car they had on the ice looked good........