Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster 2012 Review

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

And it's a case of less (metal) is more (car). Mercedes-Benz insiders believe the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster could account for more than 80 per cent of the 5000 unit per annum cap for AMG's bespoke super-GT, and we're in agreement. As attractive as the drama of the coupe's trademark Gullwing is, the new Roadster is a better looking car – and equipped with AMG's new adjustable suspension is more comfortable and usable to boot.

And then there's the effect an open roof has in amplifying the enjoyment of the SLS's mechanical soundtrack. Lovers of WWII piston-engine aircraft, NASCAR and sportscar racing of old will close their eyes and think not of England, but that they have gone to petrolhead heaven.

In this rarefied air, local sales are measured in dozens not hundreds. Just under 80 Gullwings have already been delivered to Australian owners. With a dozen orders sight unseen for the Roadster, it's likely the new car will be even more popular with local buyers.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- Lifting the lid on dollars
As with its coupe counterpart there is only one specification of SLS Roadster. Priced at $487,500 the new soft-top is $23,500 more expensive than the Gullwing Coupe. (NB: a Black Series edition of the Coupe is on the cards but it's still some time off. Perhaps as far away as 2014).

Given the pricetag you'd expect a high-level of kit. And that's what you get...To a point.

The "aircraft-inspired" cabin is replete with high quality finishes and the Roadster gets Designo upgraded leather upholstery standard – a step up from the hardtop. As a Benz Roadster neck-level heating via AIRSCARF is standard and sat nav, electric operated seats with memory functions (and heating) and a high-end audio system are also included.

A carbon-fibre capped or brushed alloy look centre-console is standard but you'll pay extra for piano black or a different choice of wheel (there's now a choice of four). One of Benz's newer safety features, Blind Sport Assist, is now standard. It'll also be offered on the coupe though as an added cost option.

Also extra dollars is AMG's new Ride Control adjustable suspension. At this near $500K pricetag, the $4950 seems almost irrelevant. Why not fit it to all SLS models and change the sticker price?

Other roadster-specific features include a (manually) removable draught stopper and a choice of three colours for the cloth roof.

A Z-fold design, the roof is electrically operated and can also be actioned via the remote key fob – up and down. It's a ripper party trick that goes some way to offsetting the dramatic entry and exit Gullwing drivers are afforded.

Other options available for the SLS Roadster include exterior carbon-fibre mirrors ($3775) and an underbonnet dress up kit ($plenty!). Unlike the coupe there is no track package or race seats available on the Roadster, however, a $29,730 ceramic brake upgrade is offered.

Metallic paint colours are standard but special finishes are also offered include AMG Alu-beam Silver Metallic which will set you back $29,876.

MECHANICAL
-- Ditto. Repeat...
Save for the bodyshell (see PACKAGING below), there are no significant mechanical differences between the coupe and Roadster variants of the SLS. That's no bad thing – the engine's a modern classic.

Output of the hand-assembled bespoke 6.2-litre V8 remains 420kW at 6800rpm with torque pegged at 650Nm at 4750rpm. Power is transferred to the ground via a rear-mounted transaxle which incorporates the SLS's unique (for AMG) SPEEDSHIFT DCT seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox.

All four corners get double wishbone fully independent suspension with conventional steel spring/damper units. The former are swapped for electronically adjustable units in the case of Ride Control-equipped cars.

Running gear is the same as the Gullwing also. Big, conventional (not ceramic) disc brakes gripped by multi-piston monoblock calipers are at the pointy end of what defines great road car brakes. Only poseurs will need to upgrade.

For a full mechanical rundown on the SLS family check out our coupe launch review (see link above) or our international launch drive of the Roadster.

PACKAGING
-- Bespoke, bigger, and better
As noted in our coupe launch review, the structure of the SLS is bespoke and almost entirely fashioned from aluminium. A central spaceframe cockpit is constructed using a mix of forged, cast and extruded alloy components, upon which front and rear subassemblies are grafted.

In the case of the roadster the roof's gone and structures like the A-pillars and rear bulkhead are reinforced yet in its transformation to an open car, the SLS's bodyshell increases just 2kg in weight. AMG says there have been no reductions in torsional rigidity.

As well as chopping the roof, the other major packaging change is the dropping of the doors sills. Where the Gullwing's sills are aligned horizontally with the front quarter panel engine vents, the Roadsters are around 65mm lower. This places them adjacent to the lower swage line. A key benefit of the change is access to the car. The Roadster is infinitely easier to get in and out of than the Gullwing.

Tall drivers will also notice the extra headroom the soft-top delivers.

Front panels are identical to the coupe but the rear end is, of necessity, changed. A new high-level brake light is cleverly incorporated into the section of the bootlid that's scalloped to accept the pop-up rear spoiler. It's a more cohesive design than the Gullwing.

The finished car is 40kg heavier than the coupe but, says, AMG weight distribution is unaltered at 47:53 per cent. Boot capacity has also been largely retained at 173 litres – though at 176 litres for the Gullwing it was never good.

For the record, despite the extra 40kgs, AMG claims identical performance figures for the SLS Roadsters and coupe: 0-100km/h in 3.8sec and an electronically limited top speed of 317km/h.

ON THE ROAD
-- Soft-top, not softie
Mercedes claims the SLS Roadster's body-in-white (should that be silver? It's almost all aluminium) is just as rigid as its Gullwing coupe counterpart. Given that even on bumpy, pockmarked roads there's ne'er a shake or shimmy from the steering column or (even more telling) the rear vision mirror, we're happy to believe the claim. Indeed, unlike almost every other soft-top you drive, this one literally feels hewn from solid.

Making the experience even more convincing is AMG's adjustable suspension. Ride Control delivers three settings (Comfort, Sport and Sport+), the softest of which backs off damping to improve the ride noticeably. It's not perfect, as the reduction of damping forces tends to let the springs take over with some 'pogoing' as a result, but it adds significantly to the amenity of the SLS when cruising and around town. There's no longer the need to pack a kidney belt for Aussie roads.

That's not to say anyone should confuse the SLS will true boulevardiers like Benz's own SL. This remains a very focussed and sporting automobile.

On the bumpy roads in Melbourne Yarra Ranges the SLS lets you know in no uncertain terms that it demands attention. There's no shimmy of shake in the steering column (see above) but there's no shortage of feedback through the wheel – at times, quite vigorous feedback. And the stiffly sprung car is want to crash through big bumps and occasionally skips off line.

It can be a handful – and that's with the safety aids engaged. But would you want a car of this genre and performance potential to be any other way? If you do then look at cars with different badges or softer chassis set-ups, the SLS is not for you.

With the roof down the cabin is surprisingly draught-free though my 183cm drive partner did comment on some buffeting at higher speeds. The V8's soundtrack is easily controlled via your right foot and when the throttles are closed there's no problem holding polite conversation at rather impolite speeds.

The top folds away in a jiff (11sec is the claimed stat) and can be operated (up and down) at speeds of up to 50km/h. It's remarkable how much quicker this operation feels than in other cars (among them Benz products) where the top up-down cycle takes closer to 20sec. In the SLS you can button up on the move as you merge from feeder road to freeway entrance for instance.

The speed is in part a function of the fact AMG has stuck with a cloth top rather than folding metal or composite structure. There's one other benefit we reckon – noise. The Gullwing can exhibit a high degree of tyre roar on coarse surfaces and the small tightly sealed cabin tends to amplify the effect. In the Roadster this noise is less pronounced.

This writer's a fan of the Gullwing, but has no hesitation is stating that for most SLS buyers the Roadster is a better choice. There's little performance sacrificed, access is streets ahead and in addition, there's a wide open blue sky available as compensation.

But since when was logic exercised when it comes to spending $500K on a car.

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