RE: Showpiece of the Week: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
Discussion
timsturbo said:
They are a fab thing to own and drive very little comes close for sheer drama of the doors and the growl, I think they will continue to appreciate and gain a solid fanbase as i don't think we will see the like again, servicing has been very reasonable at MB and touch wood no major faults which i cant always say for other exotica i have had.
I must say though I don't have same comfort issues as Sidesauce quite the opposite I find the seats super comfortable and at 5'11 no headroom issues, that said i completely agree with the boot heat issue its big enough but it does get very warm inside i recall going away and upon arrival at hotel having 2 bags of very warm clothes!
Fuel is just one of things you accept in this category 15-18mpg isn't that bad.
I agree that as an ownership proposition they're quite the thing!I must say though I don't have same comfort issues as Sidesauce quite the opposite I find the seats super comfortable and at 5'11 no headroom issues, that said i completely agree with the boot heat issue its big enough but it does get very warm inside i recall going away and upon arrival at hotel having 2 bags of very warm clothes!
Fuel is just one of things you accept in this category 15-18mpg isn't that bad.
My issue with the seats was the total lack of lumbar/lower back support - I know many owners found them comfortable but alas they weren't for me. The headroom wasn't too bad though, I feel the current R8 coupe, for example, is tighter inside than the SLS was.
timsturbo said:
Fuel is just one of things you accept in this category 15-18mpg isn't that bad.
This figure right here made me laugh. In an entirely other car league, I just got rid of a Mazda RX8 which gave me around the same fuel economy unless I was only doing motorway miles (where I might squeeze 20mpg). It astounds me that anyone buying an 500+ horsepower AMG SLS would count that figure as thirsty. The really funny thing is other RX8 owners all tell me that this crazy fuel consumption is 'fine'.
sidesauce said:
I had (a non-GT) one back in 2011 as a daily for a while and although I did like many aspects of it, I don't miss it now. The thirst wasn't a real issue as I think pretty much everyone knew what that was going in; no, the killer was comfort, or indeed the lack of it.
The seats were the only ones I've ever sat in that actually made my back hurt meaning longer journeys were really not fun; I remember doing a London to Nottingham trip and genuinely having to have a corrective massage as I ached so much. I also never got used of the lack of view due to the super thick B-pillar and the gullwing doors, whilst not powered to help keep the centre of gravity low, were a pain - on more than one occasion I pulled a lat muscle reaching up too quickly to try and close them! In addition, it made for difficult parking as sometimes you weren't able to open them if someone parked too close to you in say, a supermarket car-park.
Futhermore, although there's a decent sized boot you can't really use it as the exhaust manifolds are placed directly underneath meaning if you went shopping the car would literally cook whatever was put in there. The nose is hella long meaning that sometimes it would be a real wing and a prayer coming out of junctions although that was mitigated somewhat by the fact people would almost always let you out (although, notably, never 911 drivers?).
All in all, it was a hoot to own while I had it (that engine is still one of the all-time greats) but I wasn't sorry to see it go...
Nice review, thanks for posting. I have sat in one of these and I can imagine those doors get a bit annoying if using it for daily driving. I got a GTS in May and have been loving owning it. Great daily driver but still feels special bu so comfortable for the longer journeys too. I have done a Scottish roadtrip so far and it performed faultlessly - dial to comfort for the motorway then whack it up to 11 for all the fun roads. Maybe not quite as special as the SLS but there are fewer compromises to make. The seats were the only ones I've ever sat in that actually made my back hurt meaning longer journeys were really not fun; I remember doing a London to Nottingham trip and genuinely having to have a corrective massage as I ached so much. I also never got used of the lack of view due to the super thick B-pillar and the gullwing doors, whilst not powered to help keep the centre of gravity low, were a pain - on more than one occasion I pulled a lat muscle reaching up too quickly to try and close them! In addition, it made for difficult parking as sometimes you weren't able to open them if someone parked too close to you in say, a supermarket car-park.
Futhermore, although there's a decent sized boot you can't really use it as the exhaust manifolds are placed directly underneath meaning if you went shopping the car would literally cook whatever was put in there. The nose is hella long meaning that sometimes it would be a real wing and a prayer coming out of junctions although that was mitigated somewhat by the fact people would almost always let you out (although, notably, never 911 drivers?).
All in all, it was a hoot to own while I had it (that engine is still one of the all-time greats) but I wasn't sorry to see it go...
Edited by sidesauce on Monday 15th October 22:45
I feel like I need to defend the SLS a bit here, obviously everyone is different in their tastes and even more directly their body proportions. I find it in no way uncomfortable and the doors are not an issue for me (I am the perfect height in that I can reach them easily when fully seated yet my head just fits under the roof 
). I absolutely love ours and it is one of my favourite cars that I have ever driven. The visible is definitely not the best and probably my biggest gripe but it really is a lot of fun. Won't be selling it any time soon. As I said, each to their own
). I absolutely love ours and it is one of my favourite cars that I have ever driven. The visible is definitely not the best and probably my biggest gripe but it really is a lot of fun. Won't be selling it any time soon. As I said, each to their own 
Zadkiel said:
I feel like I need to defend the SLS a bit here, obviously everyone is different in their tastes and even more directly their body proportions. I find it in no way uncomfortable and the doors are not an issue for me (I am the perfect height in that I can reach them easily when fully seated yet my head just fits under the roof ). I absolutely love ours and it is one of my favourite cars that I have ever driven. The visible is definitely not the best and probably my biggest gripe but it really is a lot of fun. Won't be selling it any time soon. As I said, each to their own
No need to defend it on my account, at least - it's a great, fun and potentially day-to-day car which always gives one a sense of occasion no matter how mundane the journey would be; I guess I'm just saying it's not for me but I fully appreciated it for what it is while I had it. ). I absolutely love ours and it is one of my favourite cars that I have ever driven. The visible is definitely not the best and probably my biggest gripe but it really is a lot of fun. Won't be selling it any time soon. As I said, each to their own My old car! Lovely beast, the Sepang Brown was not to everyone's taste but perfect for people who want to be relatively inconspicuous....just don't open the doors!
The small tweaks the GT gained made it more capable when pushing on however since you sit over the rear axle the extra stiff suspension really hindered the car's usability. You need to avoid potholes like the plague and on a couple of occasions I was literally launched out of my seat! Overall an amazing car but ultimately my head ruled my heart.
The small tweaks the GT gained made it more capable when pushing on however since you sit over the rear axle the extra stiff suspension really hindered the car's usability. You need to avoid potholes like the plague and on a couple of occasions I was literally launched out of my seat! Overall an amazing car but ultimately my head ruled my heart.
Edited by CitySlicker on Sunday 28th October 11:46
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