The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG was launched during an exclusive event held at the Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. The function was inaugurated by Mr. Waleed Bin Omar Zawawi, Deputy Chairman of Zawawi Trading Co. L.L.C. The evening began with the affluent guests being entertained with fascinating salsa dance routines performed by international artists and a glamourous fashion show. This was followed by a thrilling reveal of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG which dramatically drove out on to the ramp right into the middle of the ballroom. During dinner a live band treated the audience with classical jazz music which added a further elite touch to the evening.

“The car was designed from scratch, which means the SLS AMG is not based on any other Mercedes-Benz vehicle platform. And, anyone who truly wants to understand AMG and what lies at the heart of our performance brand has to drive the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG” said Mr. Frank Bernthaler, Director Sales & Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Middle East.

“This highly desirable interpretation of one of the world’s greatest sports cars will certainly become a classic in its own right and we have had considerable interest in this style icon of a sports car since its debut at the Dubai Motor Show last December,” said Mr. Adarsh Taneja, Acting General Manager, Passenger Car Sales, Zawawi Trading Co. L.L.C.

The new SLS AMG is the first Mercedes-Benz with an aluminium body and chassis and is also the first vehicle independently developed by AMG. This not only takes the brand into a new era, but also demonstrates considerable development expertise. Thus ensuring that the new gullwing will offer a unique blend of Mercedes-Benz and AMG values.

The new super sports car makes for an alluring proposition with its unrivalled technology package that includes an aluminium spaceframe body with unique Gullwing doors, the AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid-engine developing 571 hp peak output, 650 Nm of torque and dry sump lubrication, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration, sports suspension with aluminium double wishbones and a kerb weight of 1620 kilograms.

The front/rear weight distribution of 47 to 53 percent and the vehicle's low centre of gravity are testimony to the uncompromising sports car concept. The Gullwing accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, before going on to an electronically limited top speed of 317 km/h.

The new supercar features a long bonnet, a low greenhouse positioned well to the rear and a short rear end with an extendable rear aerofoil. This dynamism is further emphasized with the long wheelbase, the wide track and large 19 and 20-inch wheels. It is not only the gullwing doors that are reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, but also the wide radiator grille with its large prominent Mercedes star, the wing-shaped cross fin and the fins on the bonnet and flanks, hark back to the legendary sports car of the 1950s.

Eye-catching features of the side view include the accented wheel arches and the pronounced shoulder line, which extends from the front to the rear end like a taut muscle. Dynamism and power are also communicated by the rear view of the SLS AMG. The gentle slope of the boot lid with the automatically extending aerofoil accentuates the impression of width, as do the flat LED tail lights.

AMG was established in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and is considered a pioneer in the field of vehicle tuning for motorsports. Today Mercedes-AMG GmbH is a vehicle manufacturer in its own right, and AMG is the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz Cars. This subsidiary of Daimler AG specialises in unique, high-performance vehicles. AMG’s sporty saloons, SUVs, coupés, cabriolets, roadsters and specially built one-off models constitute a product portfolio which meets its customers' every wish.

The SLS AMG adds even more magic to the Mercedes-Benz and AMG brands and will surely become one of the most alluring cars of our time.