Mercedes Previews SLS AMG Roadster Five Months ahead of Frankfurt Debut

Even though we expected the roadster version of Mercedes' SLS AMG supercar to be revealed at the recent New York auto show, the German automaker took the decision to perform the world premiere of its flagship drop top model at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show this September.

Along with the announcement Mercedes also released the most revealing photos of the new SLS AMG Roadster so far, though the vehicle is not 100 percent exposed due to some discreet black adhesive foil covering parts of the headlights, taillights and the central parts of the grille and boot lid. As expected, the SLS AMG Roadster looks very similar to the coupe, with two notable exceptions: the soft-top roof and, as a consequence, the use of conventional- instead of gull wing- doors.

Like the coupe, the Roadster was developed independently by AMG and was in the works for around 3 years, with engineers paying particular attention to body rigidity, driving dynamics, the soft top and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) levels.

The Roadster is fitted with the same AMG 6.2-liter V8 engine delivering 571 horsepower and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque as the coupe and should post similar performance figures, as Mercedes says the car's bodyshell weighs only 2 kilograms more than the coupe's (241 kg), with extra weight due to structural reinforcements.

The roof mechanism opens with a touch of a button in 11 seconds and at speeds of up to 50 km/h (32 km/h). The company claims the three-layered fabric soft top is designed for speeds of up 317 km/h (197 mph). Mercedes says the car has been undergoing extensive testing in various environments, including 10,000 kilometers on the Nurburgring Nordschleife track and 10,000 kilometers in city traffic. Stay tuned to CoolPictures as we will bring you more photos of the SLS AMG Roadster later today.

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Jay Leno Visits Mercedes’ AMG HQ, Drives SLS Roadster and E-Cell

As we all know, Jay Leno is a car fanatic. So when he had the chance to visit the AMG division of Mercedes-Benz at Affalterbach and drive two of its most exclusive models in its test track, he couldn’t resist. The Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH himself, Ola Kallenius, accompanied Leno on his factory tour.

The host of the Tonight Show, who had worked for Mercedes Benz in America when he was 18 years old, drove the new SLS AMG Roadster as well as the pure-electric SLS AMG E-CELL.

"The power delivery from standstill is fantastic. It's unbelievable how the 392 kW and 880 Nm catapult the gullwing down the track,” said Leno on the SLS AMG E-CELL.

“And thanks to four-wheel drive, the SLS AMG E-CELL has no problem in bringing its enormous power onto the road. The performance and handling are every bit the equal of the SLS AMG with the V8 engine. This is the future! I have a Baker Electric dating from 1909 in my collection. It's unbelievable how electric drive technology has developed over 100 years or so!"

Leno also visited the factory’s engine shop and assisted in the assembly of a 6.3-liter V8 for an SLS by hand, following the AMG philosophy in which every man is responsible for each engine.

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VÄTH’s €32,670 Tune Lifts Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe to 615HP

The star of the Mercedes-Benz range, the SLS AMG Coupe, has only a year under its belt but the V8-powered supercar has gained a lot of love from the tuning industry in the past 12 months. The newest performance and styling package for the ‘Gullwing door’ supercar to hit the tuning stage comes from Germany’s VÄTH with the introduction of the V63S kit.

The company’s first priority was to squeeze some more juice from the SLS AMG Coupe’s 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine through the use of a software upgrade and an in-house high-performance exhaust system that also allows drivers to adjust the tone of the eight-cylinder unit.

The result is an increase in output from 571-horsepower and 650Nm (479 lb-ft) at 4,750 rpm to 615HP and 680Nm (502 lb-ft) at 5,800 rpm, which in turn slashed 0-100km/h (62mph) acceleration from 3.8 seconds to 3.6 seconds and boosted top speed from 317km/h to 330km/h (205 mph).

VÄTH’s tune continues with a high-performance brake system and a 25mm lowering kit, while the German supercar rides on new 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels shod in 265/30ZR20 tires at the front and 315/25ZR20 at the rear.

In addition to the performance upgrades, VÄTH added an aerodynamic package with a front lip spoiler, side skirt add-ons and a boot lid spoiler, all made from carbon fiber composite materials. Interior updates include an optional leather sport steering wheels, a new speedometer and black floor mats.

The complete package is priced in Germany from €32,670 or about US$46,600 at today’s exchange rates.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Officially Revealed : 68 High-Res Photos [Updated]

Little by little, Mercedes-Benz is releasing more photos and information on its 2012 SLS AMG Roadster ahead of the supercar’s world premiere at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Following the release of a barely disguised car earlier this month, the German company’s PR tease continues today with the first official photos of the roadster version of the SLS AMG without any kind of camouflage.

We also get to learn that the three-layered fabric soft top will not eat in the roadster model’s trunk area as its capacity remains at 6.1 cubic feet with the roof either open or closed, and is roughly the same to that of the SLS AMG Coupe, which stands at 6.2 cubic feet. The fully automatic top is available in three colors – black, beige and a classic red. It opens and closes in eleven seconds, and can be operated on the move at speeds up to 31 mph or 50km/h.

Like other open-top Mercedes models, the SLS AMG Roadster is equipped with the firm’s AIRSCARF system that warms the head and neck areas of the driver and passenger by blowing hot air from vents integrated in the head restraints. Other standard features include a black designo leather treatment, heated AMG sports seats, a detachable glass windstop, COMAND with Navigation and DVD player, anti-theft alarm system with tow-away protection and interior monitoring, dual-zone automatic climate control and the KEYLESSGO starting function.

There are no surprises under the hood with the roadster sharing the coupe model’s AMG 6.3-liter V8 mounted just behind the front axle and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels. In North American specification, the naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine delivers 563 hp and 479 pound-feet of torque, while the European model is rated at 571 horsepower and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque.

Sales of the SLS AMG Roadster will begin this fall.

*Article has been updated with new photos

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