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2012 SLS Roadster


(Vehicle shown is MY12 C-Class Coupe. Some features and options displayed are not available on the model shown. European model shown. Image is approximate only.)

The soft-top version of an iconic supercar takes flight.		 Key Highlights:
 
When the original 300 SL "Gullwing" Coupe debuted at the 1954 New York Auto Show, its reception was anything but muted. Built around a tube frame chassis and powered by the world's first direct injection gasoline engine, it brought Mercedes-Benz racing technology to the street. The natural follow-up to the Gullwing was, of course, an equally advanced roadster.

And now, it's happened again. Motivated by the same 563-horsepower, 6.3-liter V-8?the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the world?and riding on nearly the same monocoque chassis, the all-new 2012 SLS AMG Roadster is no less capable around a track than is its Gull-winged sibling.
But when the soft top comes down, the Roadster becomes more about the quality of the journey than the time of the arrival.

Trading the coupe's profile for an unbroken line running straight from its long front end, past the cockpit, and on to the short rear deck, the SLS AMG Roadster carries a sense of momentum, portending the actual momentum of which it's capable. Sixty miles per hour arrives in under four seconds, followed by a top speed of 197 mph?top up or down?not long thereafter. But as raw as those vital statistics are, the Roadster, inside, displays its truly sophisticated side.

With its aircraft-inspired design, the SLS AMG Roadster's cockpit is a place few people would be in a hurry to leave. Both driver and passenger are cosseted in supportive AMG sport seats, upholstered in soft designo leather and finished with contrasting stitching. Meanwhile, the AMG 7-speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transaxle) transmission offers four different selectable launch modes, from the dignified Controlled Efficiency setting to the quick-off-the-line RACE START function.

Underneath its all-aluminum skin, the SLS AMG Roadster is virtually no different from the coupe. But when the three-layer, all-weather fabric top comes down in just 11 seconds at speeds up to 30mph, it makes all the difference. It's the same exhilarating V-8 and euphoric handling -- but in the Roadster, you'll see the world in a whole new way. Because this time around, the sky is, quite literally, the limit.

(Source: www.mbusa.com)
  • Three-layer, all-weather soft top available in 3 different colors
  • Hand-built, 563-hp V-8 AMG engine
  • AMG 7-speed Dual-Clutch Transaxle transmission
  • Accelerates from 0 - 60 mph in 3.7 seconds*
  • Four selectable driving programs, plus RACE START mode
  • AMG dual-wishbone sport suspension
  • Lightweight aluminum spaceframe
  • AMG high-performance compound braking system
  • Three-stage Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
  • Performance sport steering wheel with shift paddles
  • Handcrafted cockpit with standard designo upholstery
* Stated rate of acceleration based upon manufacturer's track results and may vary depending upon model, environmental and road conditions, driving style, elevation and vehicle load.