The SLS AMG has only been a few months on the market and yet Mercedes-Benz, after unveiling the roadster version, continues to add new features to its brand-new supercar. The latest add-on is the introduction of the optional AMG Ride Control suspension featuring electronically controlled damping to improve its behavior no matter what the road surface.
The adaptive suspension offers three settings: “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport Plus” which the driver can control by pushing the AMG Drive Unit with the newly-added shock absorber symbol and view the selected mode in the AMG main menu.
You can guess the suspension settings by each mode’s name: “Comfort”, which is the default setting every time the engine is started, is supple and comfort-oriented, thus suitable for everyday driving and cruising on the motorway. “Sport” is selected by pressing the AMG Drive Unit once and it firms up the dampers’ response, reducing body roll and pitching without fully sacrificing comfort.
When you feel like really going for it, press the Drive Unit a little longer to select the “Sport Plus” mode. Mercedes recommends that this setting is best suited on a race circuit, presumably because it is too harsh for road use.
The driver can store his preferred setup in the Drive Unit. If, on the other hand, you don’t feel like shelling out €2,320.50 ($3,156) for the active dampers, you can still choose the normal or the AMG Performance suspension. As with the “normal” SLS AMG the car also features four transmission modes (Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport Plus and Manual).
Also new on the options list of both the coupe and the roadster versions of the SLS AMG is the Blind Spot Assist system (€773.50/$1,052.8) that is operational from 30 km/h (18.6 mph). This system uses the radar sensors of the standard parking assist to monitor the area around 3.5 meters on each side of the car and 3 meters on the rear and recognize vehicles in the driver’s blind spots. In this case, a red triangle lights up in the relevant exterior mirror and if the driver doesn’t react, an acoustic warning is activated.
Mercedes has also added options for the SLS’ exterior appearance. The updated list includes matt black-finish AMG 10-spoke forged alloy wheels with 265/35 R 19 and 295/30 R20 tires at the front and rear respectively (€3,272.50/$4,455) and red-painted calipers (€714.20/$972.8). Other new entries include the new “Sepang” metallic brown paintwork for the body (€2,439.50/$3,321.6) a new single- or two-tone “espresso” brown leather interior, and a high-gloss black trim on the center console (€2,320/$3,158.5).
