How the SLS Defined the “AMG Way” How does one define the “AMG way”? AMG is to Mercedes what M is to BMW, the company's core in-house tuning division. Yet, with a completely different approach. Where the M way involved precision, handling, and sophistication, with each owner competing to outgun Ferraris or 911s, the AMG way involved roaring V8s, crazed body kits, and drivers competing to see who could go bankrupt quicker in tire bills. AMGs were Europe’s Muscle Cars, greatly contrasting the more sophisticated, subtle, and classy “best or nothing brand” that was Mercedes–Benz. And if standard AMGs weren’t crazy enough, the limited edition, highly sought–after Black Series variants were another level of deranged. No car better embodied the “AMG way” than the SLS AMG. Launched in 2010 as Mercedes’ flagship, it was initially thought to be the long-awaited successor to the legendary 300SL Gullwing, mostly because of its gullwing doors and excessively long bonnet. It wasn’t. It was a 6.2L 570 brake horsepower, tail-wagging, raging lunatic. Journalists often joked that the SLS left the factory doors sideways, belching more smoke from its tires than a steam train does from its funnel. So you would imagine combining the words “SLS” and “Black”, would result in a monster so unhinged it would make a Lamborghini Aventador appear respectable and understated. Certainly from a styling and noise perspective, the SLS Black looked like it came from a jungle, rather than a factory. Beneath the surface though, things weren’t quite so bonkers. The Many Changes Brought by the Black Series In 2013, a certain well-known F1 driver began racing for Mercedes, resulting in the team dominating Grand Prix circuits for the next decade. His name was Lewis Hamilton and with his arrival came a change of perspective at AMG. Instead of roaring V8s and burning rubber priorities now were on precision and grip. The SLS Black was the test bed for these new priorities. It featured:· A wider track by 20mm.· A rear wing adjusted to maximize airflow and downforce.· A front splitter that did very much the same.· A newly calibrated power steering rack.· A reworked gearbox for more instantaneous shifts.· And an electronic differential to better manage the power sent to the rear wheels. Whilst the Black still utilized the SLS’s volcanic 6.2L Naturally Aspirated V8, the engine was reworked with new camshafts and a revised valvetrain. Power increased from 570 brake horsepower to 622 but torque slightly decreased from 480 lb ft to 468. The result was a car that behaved almost nothing like the standard SLS. Less about smoke, noise and creating smiles and more about grip, handling and maximising performance. It accelerated to 60 far more rapidly (3.5 seconds vs 3.8), braking was a lot sharper and it cornered without even a whisp of smoke. The Black had far more in common with a Porsche GT3, leading many to question if it was even related to the standard SLS. Its success as a road racer coinciding with Hamilton’s success in F1, lead to a significant shift in AMG’s mantra. An Instant Classic that cemented the change in AMG When production ended in 2015, the SLS Black became an instant classic. Partly for the limited run of 350 cars but mostly because it changed the status quo for AMG going forward. Following the Black, Mercedes retired its gargantuan 6.2L naturally aspirated V8, and in its place, a far more poignant and immediate 4.0L Twin–Turbo V8. AMGs that followed either adopted all-wheel drive or rear-wheel steering and cleverly incorporated active aerodynamics, more responsive gearboxes, and wider tracks. As a result, AMG’s road cars now dominated race tracks the same way Hamilton and the F1 dominated the World Grand Prix. At present two of the fastest cars at the “Ring” are AMG homologated road racers, (the AMG GT Black and the AMG ONE). Fairly ironic considering not too long ago, AMG was more about smoke and smiles than racing and records. This change wouldn’t have been possible without SLS Black setting such a high benchmark. It proved these tyre-shredding muscle cars were equally capable of being record-breaking road racers. F1rst Motors are incredibly fortunate to one of the most unique examples of this game changer. The only SLS Black available in this gorgeous designo mystic blue at 4,000,000AED ($1,089,036). F1rstMotors Facts and FiguresManufacturerMercedes–Benz AGModelSLS AMG Black SeriesYear of Release2013–2015Engine6.2L Naturally–Aspirated V8Horsepower622hpTorque468 lb–ft0–62mph (100km/h)3.5 secondsTop Speed196mph (333 km/h)Weight1549kg (1.5 tonnes)Power to Weight401 hp per tonneGearbox7–speed Dual Clutch AutomaticDriven WheelsRear Wheel DriveRivalsPorsche 911 (991.1) GT3, Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren 12C, Ferrari 458 Speciale, SRT Viper
