One of the standout cars at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 was present at the Mercedes AMG exhibit.
I’m a huge fan of Mercedes, particularly the AMG range which meant the AMG exhibit at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 was of particular interest to myself.
The car in question was the stunning SLS AMG electric drive; the world’s fastest electrically-powered series production vehicle.
Like the Bentley GT3 discussed in yesterday’s article, it was the first time I had laid eyes on the SLS AMG electric drive. The SLS had however made its debut appearance at the 2012 Paris motor show. It took centre stage here and was the main focal point of the AMG display at Goodwood.
Love it or hate it, the chrome blue paintwork is an attention grabber, light shimmering seamlessly of the elongated body of the SLS. Combined with the gullwing doors, white five spoke alloys and body coloured grill the SLS AMG electric drive makes a bold statement.
Specification
The 4wd SLS AMG electric drive combines four electric motors that produce a total combined 740hp and 738lb-ft of torque. The eco-friendly supercar will accelerate from 0-60mph in a blinding 3.9mph and is electronically limited to 155mph. The carbon ceramic brakes that feature on the car as standard come as no surprise then.
The SLS electric drive includes a 60-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, with the 1208-pound pack containing 864 individual battery cells encased in a carbon-fiber box attached to the SLS’s aluminium space frame. The setup allows for a total emissions output of 0g/km CO2 and a total range of 155 miles.
You would think the SLS black series would beat the SLS AMG electric drive on power, but it certainly isn’t the case. The electric drive has a total of 118bhp and 270lb ft more than the black series.
Not only is the electric SLS supercar AMG’s most powerful to date, it is also the quietest due to its electric motors. Although the car is not silent, a start-up noise can be heard at the push of the power button and a “dynamic” sound can be heard under hard acceleration. Certainly different from the usual 5.5L twin-turbo V8 or the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 roaring engines AMG normally place under the bonnet.
The car is limited to the chrome blue pictured, neon yellow and four other colours.
The price tag of this unique car will be €416,500 and will be limited to fewer than 200 for the European market.
Overall, this exclusive electric supercar packs a real punch and maintains some extraordinary figures. A very impressive piece of engineering by AMG.
Please comment and share your thoughts on the SLS AMG electric drive.
