Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series Spy Video & Spy Shots
Posted by Admin on June 10, 2008A select group of journalists were given a sneak peek at the New York Auto Show with specific embargo restrictions and here are some of the details to emerge.
It’s hard to imagine the prodigious power slated to appear in the Mercedes Benz SL65 AMG Black Edition. Take the standard SL 65 AMG twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12, bump the horsepower up to 670 hp and and an absurd 738 lb-ft of torque. Factor in a 570-lb weight loss courtesy of exotic materials, and you’ve got a Benz that can flat out destroy almost anything else on the road.
In an effort to put the SL 65 AMG Black Series into perspective for their American audience, MotorTrend makes a laughable analogy, which compares a road going hyper sports car to a professional race car that can barely get out of it’s own way, “the SL65 AMG Black Series is roughly akin to the SL65 AMG what a Dodge Charger Nextel Cup car is to a Dodge Charger SRT-8.” Surely, taken out of context, but the comparison is somewhat out of place.
This time around, the SL 65 AMG Black Series goes on a weight loss program which results in an astonishing 6.1 pounds per horsepower as opposed to the 7.7 lbs/hp from the “standard” SL 65 AMG. No specific details have emerged as to how Mercedes managed to extract another 66 hp, for a total of 670 hp, from the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12, although it is most likely from an engine management upgrade plus some light-weight internal engine components. Supposedly capable of a white-knuckle-producing 220 mph, the SL65 AMG Black will be electronically limited to 186 mph (300 km/h), and its 0-60 mph will arrive in less than 4.0 seconds.
The weight loss continues with liberal use of carbon fiber body panels for the hood, fenders and roof. At the same time, the entire chassis benefits from more rigidity as a result of the fixed roof as well as the removal of its additional components and high strength chassis reinforcements (88 pounds worth) that comes with the folding roof of the SL 65 AMG. Other uses of carbon fiber are found in a rear diffuser and boot lid spoiler which should provide about 77 pounds of additional downforce. In total, 570 pounds are stripped off for a curb weight of 4080 pounds.
The interior gets stripped out to save some weight. There will be no back seat, carbon fiber shell racing seats and racing steering wheel.
For the suspension, its reported that the electro-hydraulic Active Body Control dampener units get tossed in the bin in favor of adjustable coilover spring/struts. Of course, carbon-ceramic brakes will be included along with lightweight forged alloy one-piece wheels wrapped in 265/35ZR-19 (front), 325/30ZR-20 (rear) Dunlop Maxx GT tires.
With only 350 units to be produced and sold worldwide, the SL65 Black Series is expected to make its public debut at the German Grand Prix in July with deliveries to start in 2009.
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