A modern display of power with classic roots.
Open-top sensuality.
The task faced by the team managed by Head of Design Prof. Dr. h.c. Gorden Wagener was not an easy one. In 2009, at the premiere of the SLS AMG Coupé, everyone had marvelled at the return of the legendary gullwing model. Two years later, an open-top roadster variant of the vehicle was planned - but without a roof, gullwing doors were simply not possible. After all, the SL is a style icon, already associated with superstars such as Elvis Presley and Clark Gable in the 1950s. For a start, any sort of innovation would be viewed critically by many fans. But the new super sports car interprets the style-influencing shape of the 300 SL Coupé in a very individual way and yet still continues the legend. With its wide radiator grille and large Mercedes star as well as fins on the flanks, the Roadster harks back to previous racing classics. There is also the three-dimensional, sculptured front end with its low-set, arrow-shaped front apron set well into the sides, which lends the SLS its powerful stance on the road.
The six large cooling air intakes and the vertically arranged headlamps set well to the outside - which are also reminiscent of the lights of the 300 SL Roadster - provide for an even more dominant aura.
Fuel consumption (combined): 8.4 l/100 km;
CO2 emissions (combined): 195 g/km*
Super-class exterior.
The perfect proportions of the Roadster are particularly memorable: a long bonnet, the greenhouse positioned well to the rear and a short rear end. Plus the long wheelbase, wide track and short overhangs – in short, the open-top SLS AMG
likewise exudes dynamism and charisma, primarily thanks to the pronounced shoulder sections, which stretch from front to rear like tensed muscles. "As in the gullwing model, the purist, athletic design immediately captures the attention", explains Wagener with more than a hint of pride.
Atmosphere like an aircraft cockpit.
The clear design idiom is seamlessly continued in the interior, where authentic materials contribute high levels of material quality and standard of finish. The driver could be forgiven for imagining himself in an aircraft cockpit: prominent stylistic features include the dashboard in the shape of a wing section and the four air vents with adjustable, cruciform nozzles reminiscent of jet engines.
A particular highlight is the three-layer fabric soft top which opens and closes automatically at the touch of a button in just eleven seconds – even at speeds up to 50 km/h.
"Whether with the roof open or closed, the SLS AMG Roadster is an impressive visual delight!", stresses Gorden Wagener
