2011 Brabus 700 Biturbo is One Mean Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is the car most tuners wanted to put their mark on at this year's Geneva Motor Show. Brabus  of course, couldn't miss out on this party, so here's what they came up with: a 700 horsepower wide-body version of an already impressive supercar. Developed by Brabus, the engine conversion also includes a large intercooler, high-performance air filters, new mapping and specially manufactured forged pistons.

Lorinser Presents Two Design Studies for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing

It's only been a week since Mercedes-Benz showed the kinky SLS AMG to the public for the first time in Frankfurt, but the tuning industry is already working on the development of various cosmetic and performance packages for the gullwing-supercar. One of the first tuners to release details for its SLS AMG plans is Lorinser. The Mercedes-Benz specialist published teaser renderings of two different styling packages that the company is currently considering for production.

The first design study is more in line with Lorinser's usual offerings. The somewhat aggressive aero kit includes an unpainted carbon-fiber hood, a front-apron with a pair of lights on each side, a new grille with the firm's family crest replacing Merc's three-point star (yes, we could all live without that) and side skirts.

The retro-inspired wire-spoke alloy wheels that appear to look pretty cool and fender eyebrows that hark back to the original 300SL along with various other carbon-fiber tidbits complete the package.

The second proposal, which looks better in our books, takes a more subtle approach paying homage to the original Gullwing model with fender eyebrows, twin humps on the hood and double air-vents on the sides. There's also a new front apron and different side skirts as well as wire-spoke alloy wheels.

Lorinser said that it has yet to decide if it will go ahead and produce a small-batch of either of the two studies.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing to Star in Gran Turismo 5 Video Game

Having already celebrated its real-life premiere during the 2009 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, the new SLS AMG Gullwing is now getting ready to make the jump to the virtual world as Mercedes-Benz announced that the supercar will be featured in the latest installment of Sony's PlayStation 3 Gran Turismo video game, the highly anticipated GT 5 that's expected to be released sometime towards the end of the year or early 2010.

Japanese fans of the racing game will get a chance to see the SLS AMG in the flesh as Mercedes-Benz said that the gullwing supercar will be on display at the Tokyo Game Show that runs from September 24 to 27.

The SLS AMG is powered by a front/mid mounted 6.3-liter V8 engine with 571 horsepower linked to a 7-speed double clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration that launches the car from standstill to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.8 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 317km/h or 197 mph.

First deliveries of the €177,310 (around $258,000 US) supercar are set to start in Spring 2010 while a Roadster model is expected to join the range in late 2011.

Video Galore: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing Filmed on the Track, on the Road, Inside and Out

Unless you're planning a trip for the Frankfurt Motor Show, chances are that you won't be seeing Mercedes' SLS AMG gullwing-supercar any time soon. The next best thing to seeing a car in the flesh is of course watching it on film and as such, we've prepared a total of seven high-def videos of the 'uber Merc' with detailed beauty shots, an interview with the German automaker's chief designer Gorden Wagner, footage of the SLS AMG on the race track and the road as well as two promotional films. Get your 'gullwing' fix right after the jump.

Click here for our detailed article on the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Mercedes-Benz Launches SLS AMG Gullwing Microsite with Basic Configurator

Gotta love those folks at Mercedes. No sooner than they issued the first official photos of their reborn 'Gullwing' supercar and even though it won't go on sale before Spring 2010, and 'die Deutschen' launched a dedicated microsite for the SLS AMG. Aside from the photo gallery and plethora of information on the car, the site also includes a basic online configurator where you can fool around changing the vehicle's colors and alloy wheels, open the gullwing-doors and lift the retractable boot spoiler as well as listen to the glorious sound of the eight-cylinder engine.

Sounds (and probably is) childish, but even so, it managed to capture our attention for a few minutes...

Link: SLS AMG - Danke for the tip Schiznick!

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing In Detail, Plus 50 High-Res Photos

In the run up to the SLS AMG's world premiere at the Frankfurt Show and following a series of internet leaks the past few days, Mercedes-Benz today unleashed a broad set of photos as well as more detailed information on its gullwinged-supercar. Before we get into any other details, let us tell you that the 571 horsepower SLS AMG is scheduled to be launched onto the market in Spring 2010 carrying a base price in Germany of €177,310, which comes to around $257,500 US with the current exchange rates.

The new 'super sports car', as Mercedes-Benz likes to describe the SLS AMG, is clearly inspired by the one of the most beautiful and iconic cars ever to hit the road, the 1950s 300 SL Gullwing. Evidently, Mercedes did not go for a full retro look but instead used the 300SL as an inspiration to design a supercar that embodies the firm's classic styling traits without looking like a beefed-up SL for example - yes, we're talking about the SLR McLaren.

The design highlight is without doubt the gullwing doors that swing up by 70 degrees while another styling cue that harks back to the 300SL is the wide radiator grille with the large Mercedes-Benz star and the wing-like fin.

The SLS AMG's proportions are overly aggressive with the nearly two-meters or 79-inches long bonnet (!), the low and far back positioned cabin and the stubby tail along with the long wheelbase and wide tracks offering the car a menacing stance.

"It is more than just the exclusive gullwing doors that make the design of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG so special," said Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. "Our aim with this interpretation is to create the classic car of the future and put the most beautiful sports car of the 21st century on the road. Another of our goals is to create a new design icon that, like other Mercedes-Benz models such as the CLS and the SL, will help shape future models of the Mercedes-Benz brand."

We'd like to see the SLS AMG up close before we make up our mind on the exterior, but at least from the pictures, the car's weakest design points appear to be the awkward-looking B-column and the rear-end styling which is somewhat less impressive.

The SLS AMG's interior design and layout is rather simple with some of the switchgear being borrowed from other Mercedes models like the E-Class. The cockpit is however dressed in high quality materials such as nappa leather, metal detailing, and, as an option, real carbon applique with buyers being able to choose from five different leather colors including black, classic red, sand, porcelain and light brown.

Moving on to the technical details, both the chassis and body of the SLS AMG are made of aluminium resulting to a curb weight of 1,620 kilograms (3,571 lbs) which is close to 150 kg (330 lbs) less than the old SLR McLaren. The weight distribution is 47 per cent in the front and 53 per cent in the rear.

At the heart of Merc's supercar is a front/mid mounted 6.3-liter V8 engine derived from other familiar AMG models. The naturally aspirated engine has been reworked with a new intake system, different valve gear and camshafts as well as various other upgrades resulting to an output of 571 hp at 6,800 rpm and a maximum torque of 650Nm (479 lb-ft) at 4,750 rpm.

That power is sent to the back through a newly developed AMG dual-clutch seven-speed sports transmission located at the rear in the transaxle position. The driver has a choice of four different driving programmes: C (Controlled Efficiency), S (Sport), S+ (Sport plus) and M (Manual), as well as a RACE START function.

Mercedes says that the gullwing supercar accelerates from 0 to 100km.h (62 mph) in just 3.8 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 317km/h or 197 mph.

Even in today's 'green' world, we seriously doubt that any of the potential buyers will care, but for the record, the SLS AMG returns a combined fuel consumption of 13.2lt per 100km that comes to around 17.8 mpg US or 21.4 mpg UK.

Other features include the double wishbone suspension, the rack-and-pinion steering gear, which Mercedes says delivers a "consistently direct steering feel" as well a 3-stage ESP
that gives the driver a choice of the three modes "ESP ON", "ESP SPORT" and "ESP OFF" at the push of a button. The SLS AMG also gets lightweight ceramic brakes and special high-performance sport tires in sizes 265/35 R 19 in the front, and 295/30 R 20 in the rear.