Reborn And Raring To Take Off

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday November 1, 2008

Jez Spinks

Mercedes-Benz's Gullwing is set to fly with the performance car powerhouses, reports Jez Spinks.

MERCEDES-BENZ'S AMG performance division will challenge the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini in 2010 with a $450,000, 427kW Gullwing supercar.

Prototypes of the two-seater sports car inspired by the German marque's famous 1950s 300SL have been spotted testing numerous times but advanced customer information seen exclusively by Drive reveals several secret details.

The AMG supercar is called the C197 within Mercedes but has yet to be given an official name. It will debut at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show before going on sale in early 2010, reaching Australia by the end of the same year.

It will cost about EUR150,000 ($299,000) and is expected to have a local price tag of about $450,000 - placing it in the ballpark of supercar rivals such as the Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo.

Mercedes's 21st-century interpretation of the Gullwing will also target buyers considering the Porsche 911 Turbo, Aston Martin DB9, Audi R8 and the coming Lexus LF-A.

The Gullwing's mid-front-mounted engine is an enhanced version of AMG's 6.2-litre V8 seen in models such as the SL 63.

Power and torque figures are expected to be boosted to about 427kW and 700Nm, thanks to tweaks including an overhaul of the intake manifold and exhaust system for optimised engine breathing.

AMG is also taking a leaf out of the Nissan GT-R's technical book by positioning a new seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission ahead of the rear axle for near-perfect (48/52) weight distribution. A dry sump also aids weight distribution, allowing the V8 to be positioned lower in the engine bay.

The load distribution will contribute to outstanding handling but Drive's customer information indicates the gearbox will deliver extremely short shift times for acceleration performance claimed to be benchmarked against the world's fastest production car, the Bugatti Veyron.

The 0-100kmh dash is expected to take less than four seconds and the car will reach an electronically limited 250kmh top speed. (In Mercedes-AMG tradition, customers are likely to be able to request a derestricted engine for 300kmh-plus performance.)

The Mercedes-AMG supercar, however, will still take environmental pressures into account, with fuel consumption kept in check by a variable oil pump, racing pistons and energy-management measures.

Straight-line and cornering performance will be aided by lightweight construction and slippery aerodynamics.

In a first for Mercedes and AMG, the C197 will feature an aluminium body using space-frame technology - helping keep the supercar's kerb weight down to about the 1650-kilogram mark.

The low-slung machine sits on an all-new platform that's unrelated to either the current Mercedes SL roadster or the next-generation version due in 2012.

AMG has been given responsibility for the supercar's development, though it is working closely with Mercedes's specialist departments and external companies such as HWA (owned by AMG founder Hans Werner Aufrecht).

The Gullwing will be the first example of the AMG badge being given such prominence on a model from Stuttgart but expect the Mercedes three-pointed star to feature somewhere.

The roof-hinged doors are the most obvious exterior nod to the 300SL, though the contemporary interior will also take inspiration from the '50s sports car. As with the original 300SL, Mercedes expects the media and enthusiasts to adopt the unofficial "Gullwing" name for the distinctive supercar.

The contemporary Gullwing is not a successor to the outgoing SLR (not sold in Australia) that was produced in collaboration with formula one partner McLaren, which, at $997,000, costs more than three times as much as the C197. The Gullwing will be positioned between the $402,000 SL 63 AMG and coming $650,000 SL 65 AMG Black, though it is expected to be priced closer to the SL 63.

Mercedes is planning to make the supercar a "limited regular production model" run of about 5000. A cloth-roofed convertible version - most certainly without the unique doors - will follow in 2011.

Drive's advanced customer information for the Gullwing also reveals that Mercedes will give the SLR a suitable send-off late next year with an "extremely exclusive and exciting" version codenamed Z199.

The next-generation Mercedes SL, which as previously reported by Drive will use aluminium construction, will be launched in 2012.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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