These are the first official pictures we have of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster that we've caught testing before. But despite these shots being handouts from Mercedes, this isn't a production car, rather, this car is undergoing final testing in Stuttgart and still has some elements covered-- mostly logos.
What we do have is final, official confirmation that the SLS AMG Roadster will have a three-layer cloth roof (which takes 11 seconds to open/close at speeds up to 31 mph) instead of some sort of auto-origami metal roof, and that the doors will be doors. No gullwing, no double-helix actuators, nothing. And nothing like the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Roadster. The rollover-protection system is fixed and supported by additional bracing added to the roadster. Up front, a cross-member brace carrying the dash is supported with additional struts at the windshield frame and center tunnel. Under the hood is the same 563 horsepower V8. Top speed is limited to 197.
While the SLS AMG Roadster was developed in conjunction with the SLS AMG coupe, the roadster needed some additional time in the oven-- with attention paid to bodyshell rigidity, driving dynamics and NVH-- before MB decided it was ready for public consumption.
The production version of the SLS AMG Roadster debuts in September in Frankfurt with a US market launch in late 2011.
standingwave says:
05:29 PM, 05/ 4/11
Most shocking headline since the New York Times Published “Fish Need Water”
revn says:
09:17 PM, 05/ 4/11
They already have a blatant disregard for physics by driving on walls, so why not break the rules even more and stick gullwing doors on it anyway. They could pivot on... uh... nothing.
Also I like the Merc badges being covered.
sp23ms3 says:
03:55 AM, 05/ 5/11
That poor, poor man in the photos. The hard life he must live.....as I sit here in my rewarding cubicle work space.
stoppre75 says:
06:21 AM, 05/ 5/11
@sp23ms3:
Wait until you have a double cube.... its almost twice as rewarding. Definitely beats driving on a wall. That guy would be begging to switch with me.
He's not even smiling! Doesn't he know Germans are the funniest people in the world?!?
agnh says:
09:05 AM, 05/ 5/11
Wow, good thing Mercedes acknowledged those photos, With the badges covered, I could never have been able to figure out what this car was.
dougtheeng says:
09:46 AM, 05/ 5/11
"Wow, good thing Mercedes acknowledged those photos, With the badges covered, I could never have been able to figure out what this car was."
My thoughts exactly.
bimmerjay says:
11:08 AM, 05/ 5/11
Most car companies strictly cover or remove their badges on development vehicles. It's not because they think they're fooling anyone, but you generally just don't advertise your product when it's a hacked-up pre-production mule that looks bad and could break down/catch fire/fall apart at any time.
lostboyz says:
01:10 PM, 05/ 5/11
if only they would've camoed a bit more I could still pretend I was looking at the next gen viper.
charterbusdc says:
12:12 AM, 05/ 6/11
As we’ve learned, the Coupé and Roadster concepts were created in parallel, giving the engineers three years to pay particular attention to bodyshell rigidity, driving dynamics, the soft top and NVH. Around the Greater Stuttgart area this spring, the new SLS AMG Roadsters cover their test routes under mild disguises. Easily identified by those in the know, there are no Mercedes stars or model designations to be seen, just black adhesive foil at the front, rear and along the sides.
ponypowergt says:
04:18 PM, 05/20/11
It sure would be fun if that sassy red top makes it into production... I'm so bored with black and beige. The red really adds to the vintage vibe of the styling too.