2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

If you never saw or heard of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG then you have missed out on a piece of automotive design that reminds us that not all cars have to be practical or void of exterior beauty. Oh and the 563 hp under the hood doesn’t hurt the package either. However, for the true sports car enthusiast there was one thing missing from the original SLS AMG—a roadster variant. Mercedes has been renowned for their roadsters for decades…almost a century. The SL line of roadsters is easily the most identifiable luxury drop head coupe to have ever been on the market. Mercedes, knowing their market, is now previewing the SLS AMG Roadster ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show set to start this September.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster in final test stage

The Roadster will arrive on American soil late this year as a 2012 model and represents the culmination of three years worth of development. The word on the street is that the development period allowed for engineers to pay extensive attention to rigidity and handling. What is even more impressive is that the roadster comes in only 536 pounds heavier than its coupe sibling. Of course the Roadster will have a substantial 563 hp under the hood. For those who live in unpredictable climates, they will enjoy the ability to close the electrohydraulically operated ragtop while traveling at speed up to 31 mph. Worried about how noisy the roadster version will be compared to the coupe? Mercedes has ensured interior comfort with a three-layer fabric top.

Now if I could just get one dropped off in my driveway.

 

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[Source: AutoWeek]