Mercedes-Benz

SLS AMG

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: The Gullwing Reborn

For over four decades, AMG had been the performance division of Mercedes-Benz, taking stately sedans and coupes and injecting them with massive, tire-smoking V8s. They were masters of tuning, but they had never been tasked with building a car entirely from the ground up.

That changed in 2010. Following the end of the SLR McLaren partnership, Mercedes-Benz gave AMG a blank sheet of paper and a singular, daunting mission: build a spiritual successor to the legendary 1954 300 SL “Gullwing”—arguably the most famous and beautiful car in the company’s history.

The result was the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It was a front-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive super-GT that perfectly balanced brutal, old-school muscle car theater with cutting-edge German engineering. It was an instant classic, not just because of its doors, but because of the masterpiece of an engine that sat beneath its impossibly long hood.

The Design: Proportions and Portals

The SLS AMG (Super Leicht Sport) is defined by its dramatic proportions. The hood seems to stretch toward the horizon, while the cabin is pushed so far back that the driver essentially sits over the rear axle. This classic long-nose, short-deck profile is a direct homage to the original 300 SL.

But the defining feature, of course, is the doors.

Just like its 1950s ancestor, the SLS AMG utilizes gullwing doors that hinge at the roof rather than the A-pillar. While in the 300 SL they were a necessity dictated by the high sills of its tubular spaceframe chassis, in the SLS they are a deliberate, spectacular design choice.

Opening them requires a simple pull of the flush-mounted handle, and they rise gracefully on gas struts. Getting in requires a slight duck of the head and a slide over the wide, leather-wrapped sill. To close them, a tall driver can simply reach up; shorter drivers might have to rely on a helpful passenger or learn the awkward “reach and pull” technique before fully sitting down, as Mercedes opted against adding heavy, complex electric closing mechanisms.

To ensure safety in the event of a rollover (a valid concern when your doors open upwards), AMG engineered explosive bolts into the door hinges. If the car detects it is inverted, these pyrotechnic charges fire, blowing the doors completely off the car to allow the occupants to escape.

The Heart: The Legendary M159 V8

While the gullwing doors grab the headlines, the true soul of the SLS AMG is its engine.

Under that massive hood lies the M159, a 6.2-liter (6,208 cc) naturally aspirated V8. It is an evolution of the M156 engine used across the AMG lineup at the time, but it was so heavily revised for the SLS that it received a new engine code.

AMG engineers redesigned the intake system, changed the valve train and camshafts, and completely overhauled the exhaust headers. Crucially, they switched to a dry-sump lubrication system. This eliminated the deep oil pan, allowing the massive V8 to be mounted significantly lower in the chassis, dramatically improving the car’s center of gravity. Furthermore, the engine is mounted entirely behind the front axle line, making the SLS a true front-mid-engine car and providing a near-perfect 47/53 front-to-rear weight distribution.

The output is a thunderous 571 PS (563 hp) at 6,800 rpm and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque.

The M159 is widely considered one of the greatest naturally aspirated V8s ever produced. It does not whine or shriek like a Ferrari; it barks, rumbles, and detonates like a World War II fighter plane. The throttle response is instantaneous, and the massive wave of torque is available almost immediately, pulling relentlessly all the way to the 7,200 rpm redline.

The Transaxle and Chassis

To perfectly balance the chassis, AMG mounted the transmission at the rear of the car (a transaxle layout), connected to the engine via a rigid torque tube housing a lightweight carbon-fiber driveshaft.

The transmission itself is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic supplied by Getrag (similar to the unit used in the Ferrari 458). It offers four modes: “C” (Controlled Efficiency), “S” (Sport), “S+” (Sport Plus), and “M” (Manual). In manual mode, shifts are executed in just 100 milliseconds via solid aluminum paddles behind the steering wheel.

The chassis and body shell are constructed almost entirely of aluminum, a first for Mercedes-Benz. The spaceframe weighs just 241 kg (531 lbs), keeping the total curb weight to a relatively svelte 1,620 kg (3,571 lbs). The suspension utilizes forged aluminum double wishbones at all four corners.

The driving experience is deeply charismatic. The steering is hydraulically assisted and beautifully weighted. Because you sit so far back, you feel the car pivot around your hips rather than the front axle. It is a car that thrives on sweeping curves and long straights, capable of hitting 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 317 km/h (197 mph).

The Evolution: Black Series and GT3

Over its production run (2010–2014), the SLS AMG spawned several legendary variants:

  • SLS AMG Roadster: Introduced in 2011, it lost the gullwing doors in favor of a folding fabric roof but retained the immense structural rigidity and the glorious V8.
  • SLS AMG GT3: A highly successful customer racing car that dominated endurance series globally.
  • SLS AMG Black Series (2013): The ultimate, track-focused iteration. Inspired by the GT3 car, it shed 70 kg, widened the track, added massive aerodynamic elements, and tuned the M159 V8 to an astonishing 631 PS (622 hp) with a 8,000 rpm redline. It is considered one of the greatest AMGs ever built.
  • SLS AMG Electric Drive: A staggeringly complex, quad-motor, 740-hp electric version that proved AMG was looking toward the future, even while perfecting the internal combustion engine.

A Future Classic

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG marked a turning point. It proved that AMG was not just a tuning house, but a world-class sports car manufacturer in its own right. It successfully paid homage to the most iconic car in Mercedes’ history without feeling like a retro caricature.

With the subsequent shift to downsized, turbocharged engines (like the 4.0L V8 in its successor, the AMG GT), the SLS AMG stands as the ultimate, unapologetic celebration of the large-displacement, naturally aspirated German V8. It is a guaranteed future classic, cherished for its dramatic doors, its long hood, and its unforgettable soundtrack.