Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Affalterbach, Germany, Sep 23, 2010

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has won the first "Golden Classic Steering Wheel" award: the readers of "AUTO BILD KLASSIK" have voted the gullwing model a "Classic of the Future" in the "Sports coupés and convertibles" category.


With more than 7300 votes, the SLS AMG clearly outstripped all the competitors. This emphatic victory over nine sports coupés and convertibles from Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and France confirms the popularity of the SLS AMG amongst the readers of AUTO BILD KLASSIK.

Around 23,500 readers took part in this "Golden Classic Steering Wheel" award, which was held for the first time. AUTO BILD KLASSIK, Germany's leading publication for vintage and classic vehicles, invited its readers to cast their votes. The award ceremony took place today, 23 September 2010, in Autostadt in Wolfsburg. All the results may be found online at www.autobild.de/klassik-lenkrad.

Ola Källenius, General Manager of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "I am very pleased that the readers of AUTO BILD KLASSIK have so resoundingly acknowledged the capacity of the SLS AMG to fascinate. The gullwing model undoubtedly has what it takes to become a classic of the future. Both the design and the technology package make it a very special car indeed."

A glance at the on-paper figures for the SLS AMG also delivers convincing arguments: the AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication has a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp) and 650 newton metres of torque. In conjunction with the seven-speed dual clutch transmission in a transaxle arrangement, as well as the agile sports suspension with aluminium double wishbones, it provides a unique, high-tech combination that guarantees dynamic performance at the highest level.

Since its world premiere at the 2009 International Motor Show in Frankfurt/Main, the SLS AMG has won numerous major awards that include:

- "Most sporty cars of 2010" (sport auto)
- "red dot design award"
- "iF product design award 2010"
- "Design Award 2010" (Auto Bild)
- „Plus X Award“
- "Golden Steering Wheel 2009" (Bild am Sonntag and Auto Bild)- "The best cars", super-sports category (auto motor und sport)
- "Auto Trophy 2009" and "Design Trophy" (Auto Zeitung)
- "TOPauto 2010" (Motor-Informations-Dienst)
- "Best IAA New Product 2009“ (AutoScout24)
- "GT Car of the Year" (Top Gear, GB)
- "Best Dream Machine" (MotorWeek TV’s Drivers’ Choice Award, USA)

The SLS AMG thus follows in the footsteps of the legendary 300 SL of 1954, which was voted "Sports Car of the Century" by an international jury in 1999.

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