Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, 622cv of madness

Last night we were able to show you the first image, although partially covered, of the SLS AMG Black Series after the tuner teased it on Facebook as a preview of what was coming today. A few hours later, Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled its most extreme creation to date, the SLS AMG Black Series 2013, a supercar that will go on sale next June.

It is a vehicle that keeps the lines of the base model but shares little else with it; in fact, it looks more like a GT3 than a road car. The front grows by 20mm while the rear grows by 24mm. Aerodynamically it features a front splitter, side skirts and a massive rear diffuser made of carbon fibre, housing the two double titanium exhaust outlets. It comes with 20-inch forged wheels.

AMG offers an optional package that includes a fixed and adjustable rear wing and a flat underbody which, like the first, will be made of carbon fibre. This kit is complemented by a driveshaft made of the same material, a sportier suspension and an improved Launch Control system.

The cabin has been designed both to save as much weight as possible and to improve the driving feel and the driver’s grip. To that end, sports seats 15kg lighter than those of the SLS AMG are used, along with a steering wheel trimmed in Alcantara, a carbon fibre centre console, and the COMAND multimedia system has been removed.

MECHANICS AND PERFORMANCE

As with the rest of the Black Series range, this SLS AMG receives engine upgrades which, together with a significant weight reduction (1,550kg) and aerodynamic improvements, will considerably boost the performance of the German supercar.

Under the bonnet is the same naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8, capable of revving up to 8,000rpm, which for this occasion has been tuned to an impressive 622cv of power. Modifications include a new air intake, camshafts, improved oil and water cooling and additional pressure adjustments. Torque drops from 648 Nm to 634 Nm.

With all these improvements, the SLS AMG Black Series has managed to reduce the 0 to 100km/h time to 0.2 seconds compared with the original, bringing the figure down to 3.6 seconds. Top speed is set at 315km/h, more than enough for fast laps on a circuit, the environment for which this car was conceived.

As incredible as it may seem, the engineers have managed to achieve an average fuel consumption of 13.7 litres/100km with emissions of 321 g/km, which are not to be sniffed at for a vehicle of this kind.

At the moment the final price is unknown, although it is expected to comfortably exceed €300,000 in Germany at the very least.

OPINION

From a more subjective point of view, I have to say that to me it is an extremely beautiful, radical and very sporty car, but I think it has a few too many air intakes in colours different from the bodywork, as well as so much wing and splitter. Aerodynamic downforce can be improved in other ways; just ask Ron Dennis about his new MP4-12C and P1.

Brands such as Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini produce vehicles that are surely more effective when pushed to the limit, but with much smoother and more elegant lines and shapes.

It is a car you cannot doubt will run fast, but what place will it hold in the market? For what it costs, you could buy an SLS AMG GT3 and there, with that customer racer, you will truly have fun on a circuit. Perhaps its fortunate owners will want it to take to the track, do a few laps and then drive the same car home.

In short, I think that if one day I had the money to afford a vehicle of this class, I would choose the SLS AMG over the Black Series.

Source | Mercedes-Benz