Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, at the SLS introduction in Frankfurt.
Magna Steyr will develop and manufacture the aluminum body for the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Graz, Austria, the company announced today. The super car is due for a launch next spring.
Weighing only 1,620 kg, the car has the latest in lightweight technology and will be available as a coupe or a convertible.
“We are very proud that we are the only automotive supplier in Europe to master the technology needed to manufacture a pure aluminum body,” said Magna Co-CEO Siegfried Wolf.
The SLS 2-seat sports car arrives 55 years after the original gull wing Mercedes 300SL appeared to rave reviews and moderate sales. While the SLS clearly harkens back to that classic, “It is not a stroll down memory lane but a look into the future,” claimed Dieter Zetsche at its Frankfurt Motor Show introduction last month. Zetsche serves as both the Mercedes brand boss and CEO of its parent, Daimler AG.
Based around an aluminum space frame, there are design updates, starting with the rectangular, rather than round, headlights, which flow up into the front fenders; a more steeply-raked windshield; a decidedly taut and aerodynamic body; larger, wider tires; and a Formula One-style wing that cuts across the cross-hatched, blackout grille.
What SLS does have in common with the 300 SL is its gullwing doors, though even here, the new model doesn’t require driver or passenger to crawl across the massive door sills of the original 2-seater.
In addition to the aluminum body, Magna Steyr will develop and manufacture other major parts and modules of the vehicle, including the gullwing doors, as well as hood and deck lids. Most of the paintwork will also be completed in Graz.
Magna Steyr says it will also provide engineering support for the development of the complete vehicle. The 2010 SLS, which will reach showrooms by mid-year, replaces the automaker’s previous supercar, the controversial SLR. Moreover, it will be a relative bargain, by comparison, with a price tag estimated at around $300,000, roughly $100,000 less than the outgoing supercar.
The SLS is a continuation of the long-term cooperation between Magna Steyr and Mercedes-Benz which includes 30 years of building the G-class at Magna Steyr’s Graz facility.