New Gull-bling Merc set to be extra special!

Text: Nick Gibbs / Photos: Auto Bild

24th July 2009

Credit crunch? What credit crunch?! A leaked dealer brochure from the US has revealed details of the new gullwing Mercedes SLS AMG’s options list – and if you want to spec your car to the max, you’ll need deep pockets!

If the anticipated £150,000 price tag doesn’t put you off, then ,000 (£6,000) for ‘liquid metal’ paint might.

For that, the car gets a metallic skin effect, which emphasises the SLS’s taut curves.

Money no object? You might also be tempted by a range of carbon fibre options, and rack up an extra ,000 (£12,000) to kit out the two-seat interior  with the hi-tech material.

More performance-oriented extras include carbon ceramic brakes for ,000 (£7,500) and a comparatively cheap AMG performance upgrade of stiffer springs and dampers at a mere ,500 (£1,000). The catalogue states that these are “not recommended for customers who don’t favour a very stiff ride”!

The lavishly produced brochure also includes shots of the retro-influenced interior. A straight-cut dash echoes that of the classic Fifties’ 300SL which also inspired the gullwing body shape, even if the prominent round vents didn’t feature in the original cabin.

In addition, the brochure confirms the 563bhp 6.3-litre handbuilt V8 from AMG, and the rear-mounted dual-clutch seven-speed box. Performance is expected to be thrilling, with 0-60mph taking less than four seconds and a 200mph-plus top speed. The SLS AMG will go on sale next summer.

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