AMG SLS Black Series: Best-ever Two-door Mercedes Coupe?
With only 150 produced, Carwow reviews the $1 million SLS Black Series but does it still pull its weight despite its age?
It was nearly a decade ago that Mercedes announced the release of a new sports car to dominate the market with: the SLS. Taking direct inspiration from the SLR which was made in collaboration with McLaren and the classic 300SL Gullwing, the 2010 SLS was the first car to be built entirely from start to finish by AMG. Some consider this machine to be the first “true” post-merger AMG offering and it is, without a doubt, one of the finest products to ever be made by the brand and it did just about everything well.
Almost a decade has passed since the release of the SLS and since then it has held a legendary status. The special Black Series released in 2013 turned it up a notch when we thought the car was maxed out. Taking inspiration from the SLS GT3 race car, this special edition was about performance and luxury in a way the company had never seen before. We will take a closer look at what made this car so amazing and see how it holds up to modern standards, thanks to Mat Watson, host of the YouTube channel Carwow, for providing insight into this beautiful beast.
First, it is important to understand the changes for the Black Series over the regular SLS and there are a lot. Thanks to improved engine internals, the mega V8 powering the SLS made 622 horsepower at 7,400 RPM, up from 563 HP at 6,800 RPM. The car was also 150-plus pounds lighter due to copious carbon fiber parts, a titanium exhaust, and a lightweight battery. That’s just the start of it.
The wheel arches are wider to fit the massive 400-millimeter front brakes and 325 section-width rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track day tires. The hood design is different to allow for heat extraction, the front bumper intakes are larger due to the unrestricted airflow the engine now has in its upgraded state. The side-skirts are extended for better aerodynamics and this particular model features the fixed rear wing and rear diffuser as part of the optional carbon aero package.
This AMG is so stunning in every way and we haven’t talked about the actual driving itself. The real question is, how does it hold up in today’s crazy supercar age? Well, the infotainment system might be outdated and the you might not be able to have Apple CarPlay, but there isn’t a single part of this car where the team at AMG cut corners for its time. This is reflected in its price and rarity.
Only 150 of these Black Series SLSs were ever produced and they are without a doubt a collector’s item that will continually increase in value. The one seen in the video is valued at around a million USD. If you have the money and opportunity to own something this special, wouldn’t you want to?
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