2013 Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

We've been seeing various spy shots over the past few months of a low, wide, and fairly aggressive Mercedes SLS AMG, and many speculated that it would be a Black Series version to complement the rest of the hardcore, track-ready lineup.

Well, here it is and it's called - you guessed it - the SLS AMG Black Series. Marked for an official debut at the 2012 LA Auto Show, it is the latest and most upgraded vehicle to emerge from the skunk works at Mercedes. Visually, it's pretty striking because it now boasts a series of upgrades over the regular SLS AMG GT (if you could even call that thing regular) not only on the outside, but also underneath the hood. It's also lighter and more powerful.

On the outside, it's been fitted with various aerodynamic components that take inspiration from the SLS AMG GT3 race car, some of which include a revised front splitter, rear fender vents, a center-mounted hood vent, a mad-looking diffuser connected to an improved venturi tunnel, and most notably forged alloy wheels that certainly give the vehicle an aggressive stance on the ground. If you look closely, the car has actually gotten wider by about an inch thanks to flared fenders both at the front and the back. And if you also happen to get the AMG Aerodynamics Package, Mercedes will add an adjustable carbon fiber rear wing alongside front-end dive planes for improved stability.

Underneath the hood, the folks at AMG fiddled with the engine quite a bit and managed to extract another 39 horsepower from the sensational 6.2 liter V8 engine found in the regular SLS AMG, ultimately increasing its output to a staggering 622 horsepower. This is enough firepower to propel the SLS AMG Black Series from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and all the way up to a top speed of 196 mph (maybe more).

Now, to bring all of these elements together, the SLS AMG Black Series shed some weight in the process, nearly 154 pounds as a result of carbon ceramic brakes, a titanium exhaust system, and a lighter lithium-ion battery pack, all of which help reduce the weight to 3,417 lb's. The interior is also somewhat spartan but great looking as usual, featuring bucket seats that come as standard in addition to loads of Alcantara with red stitching and carbon fiber.

Mercedes has done it right with this one, people. This hardcore, lightweight model is the very definition of what a Black Series should look like. It's mad, aggressive and absolutely over the top. There's no word on pricing yet, but it should be well over the SLS AMG GT's price of $200,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in: Mercedes, Mercedes SLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz