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The Mercedes Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” is one of the coolest sports cars of all time. So named because of its unique, roof-hinged doors, the Gullwing was the Enzo of its era: stupendously fast, outrageously expensive, and styled to make an entrance. Clark Gable owned one; Andy Warhol painted one; Ava Gardner crashed one. No Mercedes sports car since, not even the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, has come close to matching the Gullwing’s iconic appeal. And now the Mercedes SLS.

The SLR was a bastard-child of a supercar that neither McLaren nor Mercedes-Benz engineers truly felt was their own. McLaren’s Gordon Murray, designer of award-winning Brabham and McLaren’s grand prix racers are the driving force behind it all, thought the SLR overweight, the antithesis of his personal automotive touch. For their part, the Mercedes-Benz engineers were uneasy with McLaren’s free-wheeling, fast-moving development culture, and skeptical of its methods. The culture-clash car that resulted was blindingly fast and supremely robust, but oddly styled and strangely uninvolving to drive.

All of which perhaps explains the new Mercedes SLS AMG, a lightweight, high-tech, 571 hp super-coupe that represents the distilled wisdom of some of the best and the brightest engineers at the world’s oldest automaker. And yes, it has gullwing doors.

Like the SLR, the SLS is a front mid-engine coupe, with its 6.3-liter V-8 (actually, it’s 6208 cc) positioned entirely behind the front axle center-line. Its engine is based on the M156 V-8 from the SL63 AMG model, but has been refurbished and pimped to warrant a new design- the M159. Mercedes SLS claims over 120 parts and components that have been redesigned. The very most notable change, however, is a very dry sump system that allows the M159 to nestle very low down its frame. The engine delivers 571 hp at 6800 rpm, and a 479 lb-ft. at 4750 rpm. Some 402 lb-ft is available from just 2500 rpm.
The engine drives the rear wheels via Mercedes SLS new 7-speed dual clutch transmission, repackaged in a transaxle housing at the rear of the vehicle to aid deliver the SLS’s 48/52 front/rear weight distribution. Engine and transmission are connected by a sand-cast aluminum torque-tube, inside which is a carbon-fiber drive shaft. The transmission offers four modes — basic, Sport, Sport+ and Manual — each with different shift protocols. The transmission also has a launch-control mode that allows full-commando starts with electronically controlled wheelspin to prevent the engine bogging down off the line.

In the 1950′s, the war was over and the American economy was on the upswing. The future looked so promising and customers were in the lookout for something new and exciting, so a race car can best match the enthusiasm of the generated interests. Mercedes responded with the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL in 1954, an icon of design and innovation. Its doors were hinged at the roof and when opened, looked like the outstretched wings of a seagull. Given the name ‘Gullwing’ for its authentic upward-opening doors, the Mercede SLS was the first ever car to be equipped with the fuel injection technology. This doubled the engine’s power from 115 hp to 240 hp and helped the Gullwing achieve a top speed of 260 km/h, making it the fastest production car of the period.

Following the success of the Gullwing on many racing circuits, Mercedes Benz decided to create a luxury sports car class based on it. Minus the Gullwing doors, the body make and style remained as a 2-door coupe convertible with a hard roof that can be retracted well lower down the body frame. Body styling emphasized aerodynamics, given the nature of the Gullwing as a race car. This was also to attract more buyers since body styling at the time favored aggressive, curvilinear forms. Owing to its heritage of technical brilliance, Mercedes SL parts boasted precision steering and independent suspension, allowing better drive control and comfort. The class was named SL which stood for Sport Light.

In 1957, the Mercedes 300 SL roadster rolled out of the assembly lines. A similar looking line 190 SL was also started. The 190 SL had a 105 hp engine and enjoyed a bigger production than the 300 SL, selling a total of 25,881 units. Both W198 models were discontinued in 1963, replaced by the “pagoda-roof” W112 models. Cars of this line sported advanced Mercedes SL parts like a fuel-injected, six-cylinder engine and lightweight aluminum fittings. All models were rear-wheel drive and equipped with independent rear suspension. Many early models came with both a retractable hard top and a soft top, but there were also versions such as the “California Coupe” that only had hardtop configurations. Members of this line included the 230 SL, 250 SL, and 280 SL.

During the period between 1972 and 1989, several SL models in the R107 (Reihe series) were introduced to replace the aging W112 line. These models were a cross between the SL line and the Mercedes W114 model, carrying a small chassis with the SL’s large engine. R107 was later replaced by R129, starting with R129 300 SL in 1989. A variant of this class, the 600 SL, was most luxurious and heaviest SLs ever built. It featured options such as a CD changer, all-leather interior, V12 engine, and other standard Mercedes SL parts. While the SL series underwent slight design modifications in 1994 and 1999, it was becoming apparent that the decades-long SL series is losing ground to its more aggressive competitors.

Mercedes SLS completely overhauled the SL line in 2001, it showcased the brand new SL which prides itself of a brand spanking new body style and elerconically controlled folding steel roof. This was followed by the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL and 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. In the year 2005, the entire SL lineup was again given a tweak and refreshed. Mercedes SL parts for these models included automatic climate control, power steering and locks, active body control suspension, anti-theft system, and cruise control. Safety features, which Mercedes has been known for, were standard in all models.

As a prestigious company, AMG was created in 1960′s in Germany by two noted engineers that has previous works with Mercedes and they produced amazing racing engines. Design and testing of brand new engines was the new AMG’s early role. They expanded their business into building bespoke road cars, based upon standard Mercedes cars but it wasn’t until 1993 that the first true AMG Mercedes Benz was unveiled with the C36.

You may notice that when you compare the rates of AMG Mercedes SLS as against the production models, the upgrades do add to the price ticket.

Through the early 2000s, AMG Mercedes Benz focused on two engines, both V8, both 5.5.liter, one standard four stroke and the other a supercharged engine. In early 2006 however, AMG scrapped both of these versions of M113 engine and exchanged it for the M156. Again a V8, 5.4ltr, but updated and also now available in a turbo charged configuration.

The tiniest, current, turbocharged AMG Mercedes SLS is the G55 and its standard V8 powered sibling is the SLK55.For those looking for a slightly larger AMG Mercedes Benz, the SL63 and the E63 are the models on offer, unless you really want to make an impression? In which case, the mystical Black Series CLK63 is top of the tree.As if this wasn’t enough, there is always AMG’s offering of a true super car!

It is now available in Europe, but sad to say it will be for public release come spring of 2010 in the US.S., the AMG Mercedes Benz SLS, a gull winged super sports car is unleashed. With a top speed of 197 mph, and that’s electronically limited! The SLS prides a 6.3ltr V8 that develops 571 hp at 6800 rpm.

This new AMG Mercedes Benz supercar has just been voted the world’s best super sports car by over quarter of a million readers of 25 European motoring publications, so if you’ve got a spare US5,000 you’d better get your order in quick.

Founded sometime in 1967, AMG was the brainchild os 2 former engineers from Mercedes who were set out to perfect racing engines. Their early days were spent on new engine
design and then re-testing of these designs. After several years have passed of tweaking the standard Mercedes cars, in late 1993 the engineers have signed up a gig with their former employers to provid the C36, the first mass produced Mercedes Benz AMG.

You will notice that when you compare prices of the AMG Mercedes Benz against the production models, the upgrades do add significantly to the price ticket.

Over in the German manufacturing place, each Mercedes Benz AMG engine is exquisitely and meticulously hand crafted by a single engineer to ensure it is well-done and boasts of quality make. Amazingly, you can track down any AMG engine right back to the engineer that built it by the stamped signature that is applied to every engine as it is completed. You will find the AMG Mercedes Benz lined up alongside it’s unmodified sister model at most dealers as a ploy to feature the enhancements.

The main engine stalwart for AMG Mercedes SLS earlier this decade was a 5.5 L V8 engine, designated the M113, that carried the “55″ designation and came in both naturally aspirated and supercharged models. Mercedes AMG phased out both the naturally aspirated, all-new improver and supercharged 5.4 L engines in favor of the new, M156 V8, with optional turbo charging, beginning in 2006.

The current smaller models in the AMG Mercedes Benz range include the G55, with the turbo charged M156 engine, and the standard V8, SLK55.For those looking for a slightly larger AMG Mercedes Benz, the SL63 and the E63 are the models on offer, unless you really want to make an impression? In this case, the mystical Black Series CLK63 is on top of the line.As if this does not suffice, there is always the AMG offering of a true and astounding super car!

To take us into the future, released in November 2009 in Germany and due in the Spring of 2010 in the U.S. is the new gull winged AMG Mercedes Benz SLS. With a top speed of 197 mph, and that’s electronically limited! The SLS boasts a 6.3ltr V8 that develops 571 hp at 6800 rpm .

The good news is that 250,000 European motoring readers have just voted the AMG Mercedes Benz SLS the best super sports car in the world for 2009. The bad news is that if you haven’t got 5,000 to spare, you can only dream.

Marion’s husband recently cashed some stock options to fulfil a long held dream of owning an AMG Mercedes Benz. Marion says that when he’s finished polishing it on a Sunday, they even sometimes go for a Drive!

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe debuted this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show, scheduled to go on sale as early as next year. For those of you who have seen this beauty, the concept of a convertible version makes perfect sense.

Yes the Mercedes SLS AMG convertible version has been leaked onto the internet, spurring rapid-fire rumors of its existence. The rumors, photos and videos have only served to amp-up anticipation for this exotic beauty.

So let’s compare the Mercedes coupe and the convertible. The notable disparity is that the convertible version spied lacks the suave Gullwing doors featured on its coupe predecessor, replaced by standard doors. It could be a James Bond like car, but it is very ideal for warm weather destinations. We perceived that it would make a graceful addition to any kind of fleet of for rent cars, adding a very trendy yet sporty alternative to appeal to the buying public.

If the rumors are true, the door marks the only difference between the SLS AMG coupe and the SLS AMG convertible. Both are believed to be a feature the similar 6.2-liter V8 engine capable of 563 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque.

For the 0-60 test, Mercedes SLS AMG is a very impressive pick.8 seconds, and that leaves us with the guesswork that the convertible version will lag somewhat behind, at a time interval of at least 4 seconds.

It is always a welcome addition when a great supercar paves the way to a “convertible” or often named “roadster” version of itself. The market for the most exotic and expensive convertibles will definitely rise to a boom this year!

While you await the release of the new Mercedes convertible, you can get in the mood behind the wheel of a Mercedes rental Miami style, or exotic rental car of your choice for y our next business or pleasure excursion.

This German wonder car is already confirmed with the soaring pricetag beyond half-million US dollar and now Mercedes SLS has been revealed to be road-ready.

The obvious highlight is the upward-opening ‘gullwing’ doors that – like the front-end styling – take their inspiration from the classic Mercedes SL coupe of the 1950s. But the 21st century gullwing is a very popular modern machine with an aluminum space-frame body, a 420 kilowatts V8 engine set just in front of the 2-seater cabin, 19-inch front, and 20-inch rear alloys, and AMG’s first seven-speed dual clutch semi-automatic transmission.

Most of the early news and gossip about the gullwing-no one really expected it to be called the SLS – is about the design, from the all new and sleek gullwing doors to the 50′s inspired air intakes and the muscular body is wrapped around the wheels. However the GLS is an AMG road rocket that has a top speed which has to

be held back to 317km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.8 seconds. In some ways the Mercedes SLS AMG is a successor to the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, but it is around one third of the price and is a full-on Benz manufacturing, not a collaboration with its F1 partner.

Clients are already lined up in Australia for their first glance at the gullwings, which are expected to land in the first quarter of 2010 and to be featured at the exclusive AMG drive day held at the Albert Park on the Australian Grand Prix circuit. “Yes, we are holding sizeable deposits on the car. We have several orders for five cars this early and we perceive that the huge problem will have to be the allocation will be big enough,”McCarthy says. “We do not have the final price yet but it will be competitive in the class. Companies like Ferrari and others make supercars, but we’re talking a production run of around 1200 cars and that’s pretty serious numbers.”

Mercedes SLS spent a lot of time ensuring the gullwing is both fast and refined, a major criticism of the track-tuned SLR. It still weighs 1620 kilograms and the seats are only 369mm above the road, but the seat backs are made from magnesium, there is a useable glovebox and a Bang&Olufsen surround sound system. It is definitely a Mercedes. There is a great distinction of 300SL in the make and design, but it is definitely not a copy. It is a homage for Mercedes, but it moves the entire history along.

“When we specified that the cars were two items we have made standard – the fitted car cover and the trickle charger. It means the car can definitely sit in the garage and be ready for instant and any action.”

The Mercedes SLS Gullwing is ready for its maiden flight! A handful of images were leaked onto the web yesterday, but now Mercedes has released all the details and a full set of images of its all-new supercar, before its world premiere in Frankfurt.

Designed to evoke memories of the iconic 300SL Gullwing from the fifties, the Mercedes SLS AMG also fills a gap in Merc’s range left by the outgoing McLaren SLR. And judging by these detailed photos its styling promises to be every bit as dramatic as its forebearers.

The gullwing-style doors, hinged at the roof, will definitely no doubt be the best marketing feature, and wait until you see the interior which is ten times impressive. Packing in a whooping 555bhp AMG 6.3-litre dry-sumped V8 with 650Nm of torque, it’s capable of covering the 0-60mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and continuing on to a top speed of 197mph. Fortunately carbon-ceramaic brake discs will be offered as an option to scrub off the speed with ease.The obvious highlight is the upward-opening ‘gullwing’ doors that – like the front-end styling – take their inspiration from the classic Mercedes SL coupe of the 1950s. But the 21st century gullwing is a thoroughly modern machine with an aluminium space-frame body, a 420 kiloWatt V8 engine set just ahead of the two-seater cabin, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloys, and AMG’s first seven-speed dual-clutch manu-matic transmission.

The German supercar is already confirmed with a soaring pricetag beyond 0,000 and now Benz has revealed the road-ready car and its full technical specification.

An aluminium space-frame body helps to keep weight down to a manageable 1.620kg. Combine this with the latest seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a near-perfect 47:53 front-rear weight distribution and the front-engined Merc should be as good to drive as it’s on-paper figures suggest.

Prices are likely to start from around £130,000 when it goes on sale in summer 2010 – less than half the price of the Mercedes McLaren SLR.

Mercedes SLS

In today’s luxury car world, the Mercedes has been the most coveted car of all time. You will notice the Mercedes sashaying its way along the roads and is the most fashionable car ever. Mercedes has indeed proved itself to be the king of the road. The Mercedes SLS was unveiled at the 2009’s Frankfurt Auto Show and seems to have what it takes to become one of Germany’s finest sport cars. This new and very promising grand tourer was developed by Mercedez-Benz AMG as a replacement for the old SLR McLaren. The German manufacturer describes it as a spiritual successor to the 1954’s 300 SL Gullwing, which was one of the most exciting sport cars of the 50’s.

With its 6.2L V8-engine, the Mercedes SLS has nothing to envy to its recent predecessor and clearly presents itself as one of the most breathtaking launches of 2010. Sales are set to start mid-2010 in Europe and mid-2011 in the United States. There will be 4 different versions of the Mercedes SLS – including a roadster version – that will all be released between 2010 and 2013. To acquire this beauty, no less than €177,000 (including taxes) are necessary in Europe and a little less than 0,000 (including taxes) in the United States.

As previously mentioned, the Mercedes SLS is inspired by the 300 SL Gullwing. This becomes very obvious if you compare them next to each other. The proportions of the Mercedes SLS are rather classic but exhibit modern styling themes and contemporary surface treatment. The revival of the classic features such as the gullwing doors brings about class, style, and charisma. The classic Mercedes is well blended into the features of the modern and refurbished Mercedes SLS.

The Mercedes SLS features a spacious frame and a body made of aluminum powered by a 6.3-liter front mid-mounted engine that generates 650NM and 571HP of torque, that’s a lot of power to boot. Add to that a 7-speed dual clutch transmission in a transaxle layout configuration for a total capacity of only 1620Kg. This is quite an achievement and it’s now time for you to watch the official presentation video!

You might think your car is working perfectly, but problems can become apparent at any time. Heading off to the relative’s house 150 miles away isn’t a pretty prospect if your car has something wrong with it. It may be that you need a new gearbox, and car gearboxes aren’t cheap.

Xmas On The Cheap

Of course, if you get the gearbox checked over and find nothing is wrong with it then you can pat yourself on the back and think about spending those pennies on something else! There are some people that will get bad news about their gearbox though, and they will need to find a specialist repair centre urgently. Don’t worry though – there are some gearbox repair centres out there that won’t charge the earth for a new gearbox fitting in your car. If costs are mounting up already this Christmas, see if the repair centre offers the option of a reconditioned gearbox, which is a great cost-effective solution.

If you’re planning on getting away this Christmas, it is wise to make sure your car is in good working order and something as integral as the gearbox isn’t going to suddenly fail on you half way down the motorway. There are people out there that neglect their annual service on their car and then find their holiday plans are ruined because the car has a fault and there isn’t time to get it fixed over the Xmas period.

New And Old Can Suffer

Also remember that new cars often need gearbox problems and the like sorting out. There are cars that might have only done 10,000 miles and yet they start with gearbox problems. Of course, if you have a nearly new car then this isn’t what you want to happen, but some people are just unlucky. This year, have a happy Christmas by making sure you don’t have to pay for any car gearbox repairs!

New drivers that have just passed their tests are often looking for that perfect car, and yet the prospect of being able to head out in a car alone can fill people with different emotions. Once the driving instructor isn’t in the passenger seat next to you, its up to you to make the decisions. In most cases though, the majority of drivers are just relieved that they finally have some independence!

Do You Know The Inner Workings Of Your Car?

Of course, when you’re caught up in all the excitement of becoming a new driver, it is easy to overlook some of the important things like the car you’re going to have. It could be that your parents have bought you a vehicle and it is verging on being an old banger. With the recession still biting at the heels of drivers, not everyone can pay for a new car and an older car is the only option, but then you have to take into consideration all the extra problems you may encounter. Some new drivers find that gearbox problems are common in their old motors, so they have to do something about it.

Find The Info Yourself

Any understanding parent should point a new driver in the direction of where they need to be for getting their gearbox problems sorted. Actually, you don’t have to do a lot of digging, because there are some specialist gearbox repair centres in the UK that are capable of dealing with a whole host of nasty gearbox problems. Reputable companies will get your car as good as new.

The next thing you’re probably going to be concerned about is the cost. Gearbox problems aren’t cheap to fix – especially if you go to a main dealer – but there are some cost-effective options out there. Plus, some specialist garages will be able to offer you the reconditioned gearbox option will save a lot of money.