Following its international launch just a few weeks ago, the high-performance Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster has flown in and landed – despite its lack of gullwing doors – at South Africa’s Joburg Motor Show, where the right-hand drive model makes its global debut.

Having lost none of its appeal and heritage associated with the hard-top SLS AMG, the Roadster was designed to be the pinnacle of open-top motoring. The SLS AMG Roadster features a three-ply soft top that can be raised or lowered in eleven seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h. While the roof is fully automatic and has a glass rear window, it doesn’t steal any trunk space as the SLS has a cargo capacity of 173-litres regardless of the top’s position.

Inside, the cabin is elegantly appointed with designo leather upholstery, metallic trim and AMG sports seats with AIRSCARF. Options include a Bang & Olufsen audio system and an AMG Performance Media system that displays real-time vehicle information.

The SLS AMG Roadster’s 6.2-litre V8 engine produces a massive 420 kW at 6 800 r/min and 650 Nm of torque – enough shove to launch the car from 0 – 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 317 km/h.

The SLS AMG Roadster will go on sale in Europe in November, with the car’s local launch to follow soon after.

Mercedes has officially unveiled the SLS AMG Roadster, ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Designed to be the pinnacle of open-top motoring, the Roadster features a three-ply soft top that can be raised or lowered in eleven seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h. While the roof is fully automatic and has a glass rear window, it doesn’t steal any trunk space as the SLS has a cargo capacity of 173-litres regardless of the top’s position. Inside, the cabin is elegantly appointed with designo leather upholstery, metallic trim and AMG sports seats with AIRSCARF. Options include a Bang & Olufsen audio system and an AMG Performance Media system that displays real-time vehicle information.

Power is provided by a 6.2-litre V8 engine that produces 420 kW and 650 N.m of torque. It is connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which enables the car to accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and hit a limited top speed of 317 km/h, the same as the SLS Gullwing. To ensure the Roadster handles just like the SLS Gullwing, engineers made numerous improvements to strengthen the chassis. Despite the changes, Mercedes estimates the car will weigh 1 661 kg, which is just 40 kg heavier than the coupe.

According to Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, “Systematic lightweight construction, outstanding performance and a breathtaking design combined with sensuous open-air driving pleasure – the new SLS AMG Roadster perfectly embodies the AMG philosophy of German engineering and craftsmanship. The gullwing model has already thrilled sports car fans all over the world, and now the convertible version is bound to cause a sensation.”

Pricing information hasn’t been released, but the SLS AMG Roadster will be launched in the last quarter of 2011.

via WorldCarFans

The brand new open-top Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster is the second car to be developed independently by AMG and the spiritual successor to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. There are still six months to go before the world premiere at the International Automobile Show in Frankfurt in September 2011. Time enough to release the new SLS AMG Roadster to the public and to shed some light on the development of the car and changes with respect to the coupe.

The roadster variant was already taken into consideration during the conceptual phase for the SLS AMG, the lightweight and extremely rigid aluminum spaceframe was specified at a correspondingly early stage. Due to the lack of a fixed roof and gullwing doors, it was necessary to design the side skirts more robustly.

In order to achieve handling dynamics identical to the coupé – without a fixed roof – the roadster has two features designed to increase the rigidity of the bodyshell: the cross-member carrying the dashboard has additional supporting struts at the windshield frame and at the center tunnel, and a structure between the soft top and the tank stiffens the rear axle. Because of this rigidity, the soft top can be opened and closed electrohydraulically at speeds up to while on the move at up to 50 km/h.

The convertible SLS AMG has a reinforcing cross-member behind the seats which supports the fixed rollover protection system. The 250-watt subwoofer of the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG sound system is located in the cross-member rather than the parcel shelf of the Coupe.

The three-layer fabric soft top of the SLS AMG Roadster, which is stored behind the seats in a Z-formation to save space, is also relevant to handling dynamics, according to the Germans. This weight-optimized magnesium/steel/ aluminum construction provides a low center of gravity and is designed for speeds up to the maximum of 315 km/h. The engine is kept similar to the coupe. The liquid-cooled V8 Four-stroke 6.2-litre engine produces 420 kW at 6 800 r/min and 650 N.m at 4 750 r/min.

Adapted from GTSpirit

It has been a while since we’ve seen the last spyshots of the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. This time another test mule has been spotted in a town just a few kilometers from the Mercedes factory in Germany.

It’s no secret anymore that the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster will make its debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show 2011 later this year. While the main body of the car is still wrapped in tape, the new soft top convertible roof clearly shows in the latest pictures. Because of the folding soft top the Gullwing doors have been replaced with conventional doors.

via GTSpirit

It wouldn’t be the Geneva Motor Show without some outrageous creation from Brabus and for this year’s event the German tuner hasn’t disappointed. Brabus has unveiled a new twin-turbocharged version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG supercar that promises an output of 522 kW and 848 Nm of torque.

Brabus engineers have developed a new twin-turbocharger system for the AMG 6.2-litre V8, which includes high-performance exhaust manifolds, an oversized intercooling system and a dual-flow intake manifold with high-flow air filters. Other modifications include forged pistons and a remapped ECU with an electronic boost controller. The end result is the aforementioned 522 kW and 848 Nm of torque, which in combination with the car’s seven-speed automatic transmission, will see acceleration from 0 – 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and top speed come in at 340 km/h.

In addition to the sledgehammer of a powerplant, the modified Merc has also been fitted with Brabus’ Widestar bodykit and a fully customized interior complete with ambient lighting. Inside, there’s plenty of leather and Alcantara on most surfaces, as well as an ergonomically shaped sports steering wheel, a speedometer with a 400 km/h dial and matte or shiny carbon fibre elements in any desired color. Matte anodized aluminum pedals and foot rest add further sporty highlights.

via MotorAuthority

Kicherer enlisted renowned photographer Frank Luger to take pics of their tuned new SLS 63 Supersport. Luger’s photography has turned ordinary press shots into art and really shows off the Supersport’s new carbon fibre front spoiler, a stainless steel exhaust system, a new rear diffuser, and forged RS-1 wheels.

The Kircherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Supersport is also outfitted with a lift-up system that raises the vehicle 30 mm at a touch of a button. They’ve also included some goodies under the hood by optimising the 6.3-litre V8 engine to produce 443 kW and 670 Nm of torque.

Enjoy the image gallery below.

This is confirmation, if it were needed, that Mercedes is working on a drop-top version of its SLS supercar. Caught almost free from disguise, these shots provide us with the best clues yet about what form the SLS cabriolet will take.

Clearly the gullwing doors will disappear, at a stroke removing the SLS’s most unique feature. The pictures show a red fabric roof tucked away neatly on the rear deck, and we expect that to compensate for the loss of rigidity, extra strengthening will be added, boosting weight slightly and knocking the edge off the SLS’s straight-line speed.

We anticipate that the 6.2-litre 414 kW normally aspirated V8 will remain unchanged, though, so expect a top end of around 305 km/h and 0 – 100 km/h in 4 seconds flat. The price will probably climb to around R2.6 million, up from the gullwing’s R2.42 million.

Adapted from Evo

German firm, AK-Car Design, joins the parade of aftermarket tuning houses tweaking the all-new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ supercar. For now, the company’s offerings are limited to an exterior package that includes a restyled grille, new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and reshaped diffuser housing two sets of tail pipes.

The new alloy wheels and the decorative trim on the B-column, as well as the air-vents on the front fender, complete the package.

Via CarScoop

Mercedes has announced plans to introduce the SLS AMG Desert Gold and the G55 AMG Edition 79 at the Dubai Motor Show.

The Desert Gold features an attention-grabbing exterior with a matt gold paint scheme, gloss black accents, and black AMG wheels that measure 9.5 x 19 at the front and 11.0 x 20 at the rear. Inside, the car boasts sports seats, a solid carbon-fibre center console, and various other carbon fibre accents.

Like the standard SLS AMG, the Desert Gold is powered by a 6,3-litre (6 208 cc) V8 engine that produces 414 kW and 650 N.m of torque. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 317 km/h.

While the Desert Gold will not go into production, Mercedes stated “…given sufficient customer demand, this special gold paint finish could become available as an individual optional extra.”

On the other hand, the G55 AMG Edition 79 will be built exclusively for the Middle East. Named after the year the G-Class went into production (1979), the Edition 79 features a matt ‘designo magno alanite grey’ paint job, a front crash bar, 19-inch AMG wheels, and chrome accents. For the interior, Mercedes added two-tone (black and sand) designo leather seats, carbon-fibre trim, and an individually numbered Edition 79 badge. Production will be limited to 79 units.

Adapted from WorldCarFans