cars-trend: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Some 55 Years after the 300SL made its indelible mark on automotive history, Mercedes-Benz is paying tribute to its ground-breaking gullwing coupe with the new SLS AMG -- a car packing nearly as many firsts as the original.
Such as? The SLS is the first car built from scratch by in-house Mercedes-Benz tuner AMG. It's also the first Benz made entirely of aluminum. Thanks to that, the SLS checks in at just under 3600 lbs and, with both the engine and rear-mounted transaxle fitted between the axles, a performance-friendly 48/52 weight distribution.
"If these first few blitzkrieg corners are any indication," said Editor-at-Large Arthur St. Antoine in our First Drive of the SLS, "the all-new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 'Gullwing' is going to disrupt the supercar pantheon when it hits American roads next spring."
Powered by a thoroughly updated 6.3L V-8 derived from the mill found under the hood of the new E63 AMG, the SLS pumps out 563 naturally-aspirated ponies and 479 lb-ft of torque. The replacement of more than 100 internal parts with upgraded units has dropped the weight of the engine while a dry-sump oiling system has allowed AMG engineers to drop the engine itself lower in the car. Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission -- another Mercedes-Benz first -- the SLS will hit 60 mph in just 3.6 secs and top out at an electronically-limited 196 mph. What may be more impressive, though, is that Mercedes-Benz estimates it will also get 18 mpg combined.
With straight-line speed sorted, AMG turned to the handling, which they attacked with another first, a double-wishbone suspension design hung at all four corners. All aluminum suspension components are combined with lightweight 19-in front and 20-in rear wheels and optional carbon-ceramic brakes to keep weight down at the corners will still offering superb handling. The wheels, offered in three different designs, come wrapped in specially made high-performance tires in unique sizes.
Lest you think Mercedes-Benz has built another SLR, St. Antoine assures us that "after I'd cracked off a few thunderclap shifts, listened to a couple of full-throttle crescendos from the unbridled V-8, and experienced the bite and poise of the AMG-bred chassis through two or three bends, any and all SLR comparisons were long forgotten."
While the exterior styling recalls the original 300SL with a modern twist, the interior styling is heavily derived from aircraft and features copious amounts of real metal trim and high-quality leather. Racing-style bucket seats keep the driver in check while seat warmers comfort him and an optional Bang and Olufsen stereo entertains him in traffic.
Mercedes-Benz isn't talking pricing yet, but reports place it at more than $200,000 to start. Despite its Frankfurt debut, AMG plans to issue its final sign-off in January just before the SLS goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2010.