Stars’ Collector
MERCEDES SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION
STARS’ COLLECTOR
Words by Tommaso Mogge
Have you ever experienced the feeling of wanting something for so long, and then, after you have made it yours, to begin pursuing something else? It is not a disease, it is the instinct of man, that constant and innate desire to possess something that until now had escaped us. And it happens with any object that is part of our collections, that could be of precious stamps, butterflies or cars; pass me the term, a kind of chronic masochism that leads us on that dark road of the “you never get to the end”, because there will always be something that will grab our attention. Is there a cure? – you’re probably wondering, and I can answer with a different version for every passion that I cultivate since a young boy, starting with the one for car models, continuing to that of watches (no, for this one there is no cure), finishing without a ‘ apparently sensible answer, when we talk about cars, the real ones.
The Mercedes SLS AMG has been and still is one of the key cars of the three-pointed star, as a replacement for the SLR McLaren as a top of the range supercar, but with a more affordable price, available both in coupe and roadster version and then also with the very angry 631 horses Black Series. The SLS GT was the natural continuation of the argument began with the standard SLS, with a refinement in various compartments such as suspension, gearbox and twenty horsepower more under the hood. We needed something special to celebrate the farewell to this wonderful model which has bring back for some years the evocative “gullwing” doors opening that our parents enjoyed when they climbed aboard their 300 SL Gullwing (our grandparents? Mine had a normal sedan!).
Here’s how and why the “Final Edition” has been produced in 2014 and in only 350 units, the swan song of one of the most exciting supercars of the modern era. Those of you who have never felt a diabolical pleasure listening to the roar of the V8 of an SLS, should definitely find a solution! Mechanically it is an SLS GT, which with its huge 6.2 naturally aspirated V8, is able to ground on the rear wheels 591 horsepower and 650Nm of torque. The gearbox is a 7-speed dual-clutch, a real Terminator for speed and accuracy. But describing the SLS with sterile numerical lists is something terribly simplistic; at the time of its presentation boasted the same horsepower and performance of the Ferrari 458 Italia, despite having a more sober look. Torque gradually reaches its peak at 4750 rpm, the engine screams of pleasure until the rev limiter and in a blink, you find yourself at shameful speed thanks to one of the best gearbox ever fitted into a car. Finding in front of an SLS and you’ll understand how it’s big, wide, low, with that seemingly endless bonnet and a very back seat position, to the benefit of a pure driving feel, but the overall weight is still slightly above the 1600kg. This does not mean that you are going to drive it as an Exige, but more like a muscle car, just by virtue of an engine so generous (it’s a V8), which asks to be taken to the limit for giving its best. The Final Edition, which is also made available as a coupe and a roadster, also presents a different aerodynamic package, consisting of a new front splitter and a fixed rear spoiler, less conspicuous than that on the BS, but equally functional, both in aerodynamic terms, both in terms of look. Carbon fiber is not hidden, we find it on the bonnet and in the luxurious interior, further embellished with small details and the plaque that states the serial number of your limited edition collectibles.
You want it so hard, I know, but it’s difficult to find one, of course, on the second handed market, and you still have to consider forking out around € 350,000 (minimum). It happens when it comes to something exclusive, rare and so desirable, and this time we are talking about an object on which to rest our “precious” bottom and that can makes us live strong emotions, made of an apocalyptic roar, a constant thrust of that V8 up front and the incessant need to keep your eyes wide open, once you’ve grabbed the steering wheel in your hands. The SLS AMG is extraordinary, but the Final Edition is just more, precisely because it is not only a fantastic car, but a collector’s car, chimera of so many Mercedes enthusiasts, winking at the glorious racing past, thanks to its gullwing doors, but with a strong character typical of modern supercars, made of visible carbon fiber, spoilers and flashy technology (and mechanics) that provide stunning performance.
I myself am a huge supporter of the three-pointed star. We have owned some in the family for generations, I’ve bought some by myself and I invested most of my bank account to buy one just recently. The SLS remains unreachable for me, I’d give a kidney for being able to have one in the garage, but for the moment I can only imagine how it could be to wish for a Final Edition, knowing that it would be enough to find it and then taking home and putting it to the test, on road but not only. What do I mean? I mean that perhaps, a similar swan song could also displace our “innermost self”, so that has nothing more to desire. Maybe… who knows?
MERCEDES SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION (2014)
Layout – front-engined, rear wheel drive
Engine – 8 cylinder V 6208cc
Transmission – 7-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 591 hp @ 6800 rpm
650 Nm @ 4750 rpm
Weight – 1620 kg
Acceleration – 3,7 sec.
Top Speed – 320 kph
Production: 350 units