First Impression: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is one of the most iconic cars in automotive history. The race version of the 300SL, which was made from 1952 to 1953, was the first car to have doors that opened upwards instead of sideways. The production version was the first street legal car to reach 155 mph, making it the fastest production car when it was produced in 1954. In 2010, Mercedes-Benz's in house tuning company AMG was allowed to design and build its own car to succeed the SLR. What AMG created is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the spiritual successor to the 300SL Gullwing.

I first saw the SLS AMG at the 2010 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. I really did not care for the car. In my mind, it did not stand out in a room with Ferraris, Lamborghinis, a Duesenberg Model J, and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition. I saw it again walking out of Happy Hour at a hotel bar in Houston. Again, I did not care for the car. Someone brought it to the May 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. It was parked next to a Ferrari F40. There was a huge crowd around the two cars. I paid more attention to its neighbor than the SLS AMG. To be honest, I do not like the SLS AMG. I am not a big fan of AMG. I would take a 300SL Gullwing or the SLR McLaren over the SLS AMG.

The SLS AMG is powered by 6.2L V8 engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission. The engine produced 563 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and is electronically limited to 197 mph. Its predecessor, the SLR McLaren, went from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds and tops out at 207 mph. The SLR is quicker and faster than the SLS. Normally, a car should outperform is predecessor. In Mercedes case, the SLR outperforms the SLS. The SLS starts at prices just under $200,000, which is cheaper than the SLR starting price of $450,000.

The SLS AMG was featured on www.jaylenosgarage.com. Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear drove one up the East Coast of the United States during the 2010 US Road Trip Special. Adam Ferrera of Top Gear USA reviewed on during Episode 4. The American Stig drove it around the test track in 1:27.6, the sixth fastest time around the Top Gear USA test track. The SLS AMG is drivable in Grand Turismo 5, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Shift 2: Unleashed, Forza Motorsport 3, and Test Drive Unlimited 2.

Final Thought: It is a good car, but I just do not care for it. Its design may be based on the 300SL Gullwing, but it could never capture the soul of the 300SL Gullwing. Its predecessor, the SLR McLaren, outperforms it.  When a car comes out, it should be better in everyway than its predecessor. The SLR is quicker, faster, more stylish, and just better than the SLS. I would take McLaren over AMG any day. I cannot say that I do not like the design of the SLS, since it is based on the design of the 300SL Gullwing, which I like and I had a scale model of the 300SL Gullwing growing up. If you do not like gullwing doors but like the SLS, there is a roadster version of the SLS without gullwing doors.

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First Impression: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition

Mercedes-Benz has been making cars since the 1886. McLaren was founded in 1989 and is responsible for rewriting the rules for making a supercar with the McLaren F1 in 1994. The two automotive companies worked together to create the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which was introduced on November 17, 2003. When this car came out, it cost $450,00. It was powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8 that produced 617 hp and 580 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 207 mph. Production of the SLR McLaren ceased in 2007 for the coupe and 2009 for the roadster. In 2006 a new version of the SLR was released, called the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition. The 722 refers to the victory by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722, referring to the 7:22 am starting time, at the 1955 Mille Miglia.

I recently saw a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. There were two other variants of the SLR McLaren on exhibit at the same show. This is one of the best cars to wear the Mercedes-Benz badge. It is gorgeous. I love its styling. The side exhaust add to its incredible styling.

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition is powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8 engine, paired with a five-speed automatic transmission, that produces 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. Its 0-60 mph time is 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 209 mph. Prices for the 722 Edition started at $480,000. The SLR McLaren 722 Edition is one of the most expensive cars on the road, but not many cars can match its styling and perfromance.

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition defeated a Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV during Top Gear Series 13, Episode 2. The 722 Edition is playable in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Shift 2: Unleashed, Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo 5, and many other video games.

Final Thought: The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition is an incredible car. It is one of the fastest grand tourers on the road. Not many cars can match the style and performance of this car. The $480,000 price tag is expensive. I would take a SLR McLaren over the SLS AMG any day.

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First Impression: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722S Roadster

To extend the life of the SLR, Mercedes-Benz released the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722S Roadster in 2009. The 722S is the roadster version of the SLR Mclaren 722, but the 722S has added power, but the added weight causes the roaster to be slightly slower than the 722 Coupe. Only 150 SLR McLaren 722S Roadsters were produced.

I recently saw the Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren 722S Roadster at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. This is one of the best roadsters I have ever seen. It has incredible style. I love the angle of the windshield.

The 722S Roadster is powered by an AMG supercharged 5.5L V8 that produces 650 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 10 hp and 6 lb-ft of torque over the 722 coupe. The 722S uses a five-speed automatic transmission. Its 0-60 mph time is 3.7 seconds, 0.1 second slower than the 722 coupe, and has a top speed of 208 mph, 1 mph slower than the 722 coupe. It cost $525,000 when it was new. It is expensive, but this is one of the fastest, quickest roadsters on the road.

The 722S is playable in Test Drive Unlimited 2. The 722S Roadster has not been featured on the main automotive programs.

Final Thought: What a Roadster. This is one of the best looking roadsters I have seen. There is nothing like it on the road. It is one of the fastest, quickest, most expensive roadsters on the road. 

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Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss Edition

Mercedes-Benz and McLaren collaberated on the SLR in 2003. In 2009, as a final series of the SLR was released before McLaren announced its own edition in 2010. Called the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss edition, this SLR series is based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR race car that Stirling Moss drove to victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. The Stirling Moss edition has no top, two slits of glass where a windshield would normally be, side exhausts, two scissor doors, and sheet of carbon fiber to cover the passenger seat when the seat is unoccupied. 75 Stirling Moss editions were made.

I recently saw a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss Edition at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. It was the third different variant of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren at the event. It does not look like a normal road car. It is hard to see that this is still a Mecedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss Edition is powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8, paired with a five-speed automatic transmission, that produces 650 hp and 606 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in under 3.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 217 mph. It costs $1.01 million. That is a very steep price for a quick limited edition car. I think it is very stylish, but the regular SLR has better styling.

The Stirling Moss edition has not been featured on mainstream television. It is playable in Supercar Challenge,  Need For Speed: Shift, Test Drive Unlimited 2, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, Shift 2: Unleashed, and Forza Motorsport 3.

Final Thought: This is one fast, highly expensive race car. I have never seen one on the road. I would have to take a regular SLR McLaren over the SLR Stirling Moss Edition. If I am going to spend $1,000,000+ on a car, I would spend it on a Bugatti or Duesenberg.

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Classic Car: Mercedes-Benz 300SL

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is one of the most iconic cars. It is an important car in the automotive industry. It is the first ever sports car to have a gasoline direct injection. Before the 300SL was produces, fuel and air were mixed into a carburetor before entering the engine. The 300SL coupe is also the first car to have gullwing doors, the defining characteristic for the car. The 300SL Roadster does not have the gullwing doors. The 300SL was produced from 1953 to 1963 with 1,400 coupes and 1,858 roadsters made. When the 300SL Gullwing was released, it was the fastest street-legal production car, reaching a top speed of 145 mph. It dethroned the Pegaso Z-102 as the fastest production car.

I recently saw the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster at the 20011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. The roadster looked beautiful. The coupe has a paint cracks on the front bumper. I had a scale model of the 300SL Gullwing growing up. It was nice to see a 300SL Gullwing in person.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is powered by a 3.0L inline-6 engine, paired with a four-speed manual that produces 212 hp and 202 lb-ft of torque. The 0-60 mph time for the 300SL Gullwing Coupe is 7.2 seconds an the 0-60 mph time for the 300SL Roadster is 7.1 seconds. Both the coupe and roadster reached a top speed of 140 mph. Both are highly desired by car collectors and are normally priced between $500,000 and $700,000. Some 300SL Gullwings can fetch $1,000,000+ if  they are in perfect condition.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing has been featured at Jay Leno's Garage. James May reviewed the 300SL Gullwing during Top Gear Series 5, Episode 5. A few Chasing Classic Cars episodes featured the 300SL Gullwing Coupe and 300SL Roadster. The 300SL Gullwing Coupe is playable in Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto 2, World Race, Scarface: The World is Yours, London Racer: Destruction Madness, World Racing 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Chrono Q HG, London Racer: World Challenge, Autobahn Raser IV, Breakneck, American Highways, Carmageddon, Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo 5, Forza Motorsport, Forza Motorsport 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Sega GT 2002, Enthusia Professional Racing, Mafia II, Test Drive Unlimited, Test Drive Unlimited 2, Mille Miglia, and many other games. The 300 SL Roadster is playable in World Racing, World Racing 2, GT Legends, and Mille Miglia.

The 300SL Gullwing Coupe and 300SL Roadster are the iconic Mercedes-Benz cars. They are highly collectible and the 300SL Gullwing Coupe is the basis for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The SLS may have better technology, but it will never capture the spirit of the 300SL Gullwing. I would much rather have the 300SL Gullwing over the SLS AMG. No car was faster that the 300SL Gullwing when it came out. Even the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is based on the 300 SLR race car that was driven by Moss.

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