This is the Mercedes-Benz SLS, the car that will bring the legendary 300SL ‘Gullwing’ back to life after a 55-year absence.
The 563bhp coupe, due on sale in the UK in 2010 with a price tag of around £150k, spearheads an ambitious push by Mercedes’ AMG performance division.
The company plans to use the car as the springboard for the introduction of further models; the SLS is also rumoured to set the tone for the next-gen SL, due in 2012.
See more pictures of the Mercedes-Benz SLS
Read Steve Cropley's blog on the Mercedes SLS
Mercedes has yet to reveal the SLS's final shape - these official images show it wearing a light disguise - but Autocar can reveal full technical details on the car.
Despite substantial bracing required for the gullwing design, the SLS’s kerb weight is said to be just 1620kg, 130kg below that of the McLaren-Mercedes SLR. The SLS is 4640mm long, 1939mm wide, and 1255mm high, giving it almost identical proportions to the SLR.
The floorpan and inner body structure of the SLS are all fashioned from a combination of aluminium extrusions, castings and sheet panels. The only steel element is a brace running within the windscreen fame.
At the heart of the new car is a heavily reworked version of AMG’s 6.2-litre V8 engine; 120 components have been replaced or altered. Power peaks at 563bhp, while torque extends to 479lb ft at 4750rpm (402lb ft of it at 2500rpm) and is fed through a limited-slip diff to the rear wheels. The car also gets the three-stage ESP set-up from the SL65 AMG Black Series.
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