Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Review // Gull Winged Fury

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ($328,888 listed for sale in Canada, ~$244,000 USD converted) is a high performance car, designed from the ground up by AMG with a 563 horsepower naturally aspirated V8 and iconic gullwing doors. Outside of its exotic style and striking road presence, the SLS AMG has many other things to boast about. Such as a seven speed transaxle transmission, an aluminum space-frame body, and a desirable 47:53 weight distribution front to rear. But these highly sought after gullwing AMG’s fetch quite a high price. Do they drive as well as their pricing might suggest? Thomas and James are excited to find out! We hope you enjoy the episode. And then subscribe, silly.

Huge thank you to MVL Leasing for loaning us their beautiful SLS - it’s for sale here!

Editor: Karston Chong
Sound: Harrison Dickson and Karston Chong
Magical Genius Logistics Planners: James Engelsman and Joey Alford

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#AMG #V8 #Gullwing

[bmstylee]

That was a hell of a year. The SLS, R8, 412C, 458, GT3 RS, Gallardo all dropped. Yep we'll never see rhat again. I guess i was fortunate enough to live in a great era of performance cars. I missed the 60s muscle cars but I'm thankful for being able to see these great machines.

[LemtemPoktui]

We went from this to the 4 pot C63S. It's so painful to be a merc fan in 2023.

[b_music]

Can we just appreciate how much better analogue dials look compared to cheap looking digital ones of today. Especially here in the SLS they are as beautiful as a breitling time piece💯

[austinetc]

There's a reason you see a little Viper in the styling of the SLS. When that chassis was developed it was still Daimler Chrysler. The SLS was supposed to be the next gen Viper but when the companies split, MB took the chassis for their own and created this car. That's why the next Viper was so delayed, they had to start over.

[deancostello]

The best sounding car I've ever heard was an SLS GT3 when I was testing with my college race team at Snetterton Circuit. The absolute thunder of that thing every time it went past was just amazing.

[mattgibbia]

It's wild how this 10 year old car is so much better than anything Merc currently has for sale

[VladiDusil]

My neighbor across the street has been daily driving his silver SLS for ten years, I love hearing it pull away from his driveway. Special car from a special time in motoring.

[DonDahlmann]

I had the opportunity to drive an SLS Black Series a few years ago. And yes, it is a different animal. Meaner, bolder, louder, quicker. It is until today the most impressive car, I have ever driven. And I have driven Ferrari 458, Gallardo, Aston and 991 Turbo. But the Black Series is breathtaking and I am not even a Mercedes Fanboy.

[kennethsmith]

I thought Mercedes came to its senses and gave us a V8. 😂. This car is timeless.

[karacha]

1. I love these retro reviews and 2. This is a timeless design

[stevp]

Still my dream car after all these years. Amazing engine, awesome looks, dramatic and well built. Certainly a classic in the future

[RideWithDanger]

Its one of those cars that has a unique soul. Its not JUST a fast and fun car, its a personality you have to learn to live with. Something not found in most modern cars, unfortunately. Truly an amazing vehicle and its earned its respect. Great video as always, guys!

[Mithrandir]

I have a story about this car (sorry, it's a bit long).

Way back in 2008, I was on a tour of a country and one of the other people on the tour were from Canada. Anyway, I was somewhere between 10 and 13 and had already begun my massive foray into petrolheadonism and had annoyed many people about my constant talking about cars. The people from Canada had bought a magazine on the airport on their way to the tour and showed me said magazine. In it, I saw the American versions of cars for the first time - Acuras, Infinitis, Tahoes, Yukons, F-150s, etc. All the new models for the 2009 model year (for the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the magazine, and I cannot find it in my collection - even though I know I still have it).

Anyway, I flicked through the pages and read all of the descriptions and what was new for the model year ON EVERY SINGLE CAR. Then I got to Mercedes-Benz. I turned the page and there it was, a silver SLS AMG with the Gullwing doors open. My mouth actually dropped. I read and re-read the few paragraphs over and over and over and fell in love with the car. I finished the magazine and gave it back to the Canadian - after which he told me to keep it. I thanked him and re-read the SLS entry again to celebrate.


Fast-forward to 2010 and the first deliveries arrived in my country. I had to do an art class for school and every week I would drive past a Mercedes-Benz dealership. It had the normal Mercs on one side and the AMGs on the other. Low and behold, there sat a silver SLS SMG. I freaked out in the car - so much so that I startled my mother and she created a rule that stated I was not allowed to freak out about a cool car while she was driving ever again - a rule that still stands even though I am in my late 20s now.

I pestered my dad to take me to go see the SLS and after about two weeks, he agreed. I actually got to sit in the SLS and close the doors. It was a dream come true. A year later, we were on holiday about 1000 km from home and drove past a dealership which had a blue SLS. Again, I asked my dad if we could go check it out and we did! Still, it was gorgeous. In 2012, I was still doing the art classes and guess what was parked in the window of the Merc dealership? A yellow SLS Black. AN SLS BLACK!

I immediately asked my mom to stop and we went to check out the car. It was cordoned off behind red rope - the kind a you'd find separating the VIP section of a restaurant. So we just stood there, looking at it. My mom was off looking at an ML63 and an SLK, but I stood there, frozen, staring at the brilliance that is this car.

Since I first saw the SLS AMG in the magazine, I decided that the SLS is my favourite car. All the videos I've seen of it, people praise the car for it's sportiness and awesomeness and is not anything like the "you shouldn't meet your heroes" thing people experience with cars like the Lambo Countach and so forth - which I am glad about.

So yeah, the SLS AMG has been my absolute favourite car since I first saw it in 2008 and it will likely remain so. I just hope that I will at least have the opportunity to drive it - at least once.

[brandankankel]

Y'all could've made this a 4 hour video and I'd watch the entire thing. This is a top 3 car for me. The doors. The sound. It's what GT cars should strive for.

[jasonnguyen]

I remember seeing and hearing about the SLS ' debut on OG Topgear's news segment back then. Then hearing Jeremy praise the SLS highly on that Topgear US roadtrip with James May driving the Ferrari 458 and Hammond driving the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. I knew that Mercedes made a lovely gem of a car based on Clarkson's reviews. The SLS is definitely a legend for the history books.

Great video as always gentlemen.

[sparkplugbarrens]

Lol that intro - honestly no words and James just standing their was enough to make me laugh 😂

[Just_a_commenter]

The second I heard that helmet being handled, I got such a good laugh- a callback to one of my favorite moments on this channel with the i8

[angusjohnson]

I'm an inventory photographer for a few high-end dealerships in my area and the SLS was one of the first special cars I got to drive. Even as a convertible, I could tell it was one to remember. I was sort of indifferent towards convertibles up until that point but after it, I had a different appreciation for being able to drop the top and really hear the car.

[struk]

The sounds is like music to any car purist. So beautiful, so emotional!

[kiddwid]

I always loved the SLS AMG, especially its timeless design and the gullwing doors!