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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG road test report

AMG

Mercedes plunders it heritage for the SLS, but this super coupe is no throw back in terms of performance or handling. Yes, the gullwing doors are its trademark in a bid to make it stand out from the crowd, including the McLaren SLR that also uses a Merc V8 at its heart, but the AMG is much more than a couple of trick doors. Admittedly, the interior is a bit bland, but when a car is this good to drive, we can forgive it most things.

Road Test Reports Says 4 star rating
A front-facing image of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

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ALISDAIR SUTTIE SAYS

Performance Performance - 4 stars

The Mercedes SLS has an AMG-built 6.2-litre V8 engine at its core pumping out 571bhp. It also has a more than handy 479lb ft of shove at 4750rpm, which is exactly the place you need it for rapid fire overtaking. Given the power on tap, 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds seems almost a disappointment, though there’s no dismissing the 197mph top speed. If the acceleration off the line isn’t as tarmac-rippling as you might expect, which is a consequence of the 1620kg kerb weight, then the pounding progress the SLS makes through its intermediate gears more than makes up for this. The build-up of speed is not of the ravenous, never-ending type, but it’s more than enough to get the SLS away from all but the most determinedly driven rivals. However, it’s not all roses because the seven-speed double clutch gearbox used in the SLS is not the slickest. It’s nowhere near as quick to respond as a Ferrari’s and Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch system is far smoother in normal driving. The Merc’s needs to be in the Sport+ mode to give its best and the driver can use the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters to make the most of it. Whichever mode the gearbox is in, the engine sounds fantastic thanks to it bass V8 rumble.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 5 stars

If the performance of the SLS does not quite achieve the pinnacle we’d hope for, the handling makes up for it in large measure. The V8 engine is mounted well behind the front axle to effectively make the SLS a front-mounted mid-engined car. It affords the SLS perfect poise and balance on the way into, through and out of corners. The driver sits much closer to the rear wheels than in a more traditional mid-engined supercar, such as a Lamborghini Gallardo, and this gives the driver a closer, more immediate seat-of-the-pants feel of what the rear wheels are up to. When you’ve got 571bhp being unleashed through the rear tyres, this is a very good thing indeed. Helping the natural, intuitive feel of the SLS, as opposed to the electronically-aided sensation of some rivals, is its steering. There’s just the right amount of power assistance for parking and low speed driving, but as the pace increases, the SLS’s steering simply feels natural and unhindered by any intervention. This makes the wide and low SLS very easy to place on the road and inspires confidence from the get-go. Another very pleasant surprise is the SLS’s ride is more supple and forgiving than most supercars. Some may say this makes the SLS more of a GT car than outright supercar, but the reality is the SLS can accomplish both feats with equal grace.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

The well-heeled people who buy supercars can be amazingly tolerant of such cars’ foibles and tantrums. Much of this is down to limited use, but with the SLS this should not be a problem. It’s an easy car to live with so should get used. Even if it’s not, Merc’s quality is second to none inside the cabin and in the way the car is manufactured. As for the engine, this is a proven unit with many already in service in other AMG models, while the seven-speed double-clutch gearbox should be fault-free for its lifetime.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

It may be a two-seater, but the SLS comes with no fewer than eight airbags as standard. There’s also ESP traction and stability control, but this is Merc’s sporty version so has three settings that includes the excellent Sport+ mode that allows the driver plenty of fun but with a welcome safety net against over exuberance. There’s also the expected ABS brakes with brake force distribution. Security is taken care of by a top notch alarm and immobiliser.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

In supercar terms, the SLS is one of the more practical of its bunch. Even so, the SLS has a small boot that means soft bags and not many of them are the order of the day. The cabin offers plenty of room for its two occupants and the driving position is excellent, and vision is much better in all directions thanks to the SLS driver sitting more upright than in most rivals’. However, those keynote doors are not the best for getting into and out of the car, requiring a deft shimmy for entry and decorum on the way out. You also have to be wary of the doors’ edges when climbing out in case it clatters your scalp. Ouch and not good.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 4 stars

Value is all relative when it comes to supercars. If the car is so desirable that you’d sell internal organs to afford it, then it’s great value to that individual. The SLS doesn’t quite have that kind of appeal, but then its sticker price is a good bit lower than much of the competition’s. With its ease of use and functional cabin, the SLS will be easier to use and live with than many other supercars, which means it can be used more of the time. In this, sense, it’s decent value, but then you have to factor in its huge insurance costs, 21.4mpg average economy and carbon dioxide emissions of 308g/km – even supercar drivers are growing an environmental conscience. Still, the SLS comes with all of life’s good things packed into the cabin, even if that cabin looks a little too much like any other Mercedes’ to be a truly special place to sit.

Submitted: 07/10/2010 10:57:33

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