Mercedes Benz AMG SLS
Mercedes Benz AMG SLS
The body of the 2011 SLS AMG GT3 is the most significant difference from the road car starting with the aggressive front fascia and splitter to the massive rear spoiler. The hood of the race model is also very different from the normal SLS AMG with a large center cooling vent that helps to move air to cool the engine and the braking system. Along the side of the car, vents have been added to cool the rear brakes without compromising aerodynamics and all of these improvements to the overall cooling effort of the car makes it ideal for long road races like the 12 Hours of Sebring (click here for more about that event).
The exterior of the SLS GT3 is unmistakably Mercedes but inside of the 2011 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3 the designers left the luxury at home. A GT3-spec roll cage wraps around the interior that is little more than a seat, a fire extinguisher, pedals and a steering wheel. There is no heating or cooling system even though it does keep the chrome vent openings and the carbon fiber center stack houses the few switches need to control the wipers, lights and ignition.
The SLS AMG racer uses the same 6.3L engine that is found in the street version with a carbon fiber driveshaft feeding the rear mounted transaxle. The power output of the 6.3L is expected to vary from the production street version of the SLS depending on the amount of power permitted by the FIA (the governing body of the GT3 class) but estimates seem to lean towards the 600hp range compared to the 563hp offered by the standard SLS AMG.
