(image source: themotorreport.com)
The brain child of development engineer, Rudi Uhlenhaut; the Mercedes 300 SL originally began life as a sedan, then morphed into a race car before being touched by Rudi, the automotive alchemist. Rudi and his team of magicians conjured up an intricate design made up of small tubes welded together. The team soon hit upon a roadblock, as the design of the frame left no room for traditional doors. This was in contravention to the race rules prevalent at that time, which stated that operational doors were a must on every race car.
Utilizing a loophole where the rules left out the detail over how the doors of a car should open; Rudi and his team came up with a solution that is celebrated by enthusiasts as one of the most iconic feature of the car in automotive history. The resultant “Gullwing Doors” became the most distinctive feature of the car. The single minded devotion to aerodynamic efficiency resulted in the absence of external door handles and even rear-view mirrors were post-factory add-ons. This design has gone down in the annals of automotive history and fans over the world have been clamoring for an encore.
The powers-that-be at Mercedes-Benz decided to delight their fans in the form of the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS.
(image source:dymee.com)
Employing an aluminum space-frame, the entire body shell weighs in at a mere 241 kilograms. From the forged AMG wheels, the magnesium backrests and even the high performance ceramic brakes, the pursuit for weight reduction has been relentless. The construction of each and every component is closely monitored with wall thickness reduced in less stressful areas. Multi-part components are dispensed with to save weight; while simplifying the production process and reducing the burden on the environment.
All this has been backed by a high performance AMG heart supported by a dry-sump to help you slide out of those corners on the race-track without caring about any performance drops. Moreover, the flat underbody together with the underbody diffuser, help channelize air-flow to the seamlessly integrated rear aerofoil which is automatically deployed as you cross speeds over 120KMPH.
While all this technology helps you outperform the competition on the race-track, the AMG SLS is designed to pamper you off the race-track. The two-zoned seat cushions together with four-way lumbar supports cosset you for those long drives. To help serenade you further, the 11-speaker 1000-watt Bang and Olufsen Sound System provides you an exclusive listening experience at the highest level. And as you arrive at your destination, those alluring ‘Gull-wing’ doors and the shimmering ‘alubeam silver’ paint finish ensure that you remain the cynosure of all eyes.
