2010 Essen Motor Show: Brabus Mercedes SLS AMG Widestar

For most people, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 'Gullwing' looks just fine in factory tune. But not for Brabus. The German tuning house chose this week's Essen Motor Show to present its "wide-body" take on the Gullwing model.

The aero package is called Widestar and it encompasses a front spoiler, a rear apron with a new diffuser, blistered rear wheel arches with air inlets and outlets, and a boot lid spoiler. Engineers also sculpted the rocker panels, optimizing airflow between axles, and added bigger air outlets for the front fenders.

All components are made from carbon fiber and have been tested in the firm's wind tunnel. Clients can choose between a matte or glossy clear-coated finish for the body parts. If that's not their thing, optionally, the company can paint them in the body's color or in a contrasting tone.

To complement the SLS' new look, the ride height was lowered by 30 mm and a new, height-adjustable suspension was developed in collaboration with Bilstein. The driver can adjust the suspension's height with the touch of a button to make the car sportier or more comfortable than the stock SLS. Stiffer sway bars are also on the [optional] menu.

There's no Brabus without a proper set of wheels and the Widestar SLS is no exception. The Germans offer custom tailored ultra-light 20- and 21-inch front and rear Monoblock F Platinum Edition forged wheels, wrapped around in 275/30 ZR20 and 295/25 ZR21 Yokohama rubber. The new rims are bigger and lighter reducing unsprung weight and, thus, improving handling, the tuner claims.

Under the bonnet you'll find the same 6.2-liter V8 engine, albeit fitted with a high-performance and lighter (-12 kg or -26 lbs.) titanium exhaust system with sound management, which increases power by 10 hp.

As for the interior, Brabus offers a plethora of custom options, ranging from carbon fiber inlays in any desired color to an ergonomically shaped steering wheel. Premium upholstery is also offered, made from the fine leather and Alcantara.

By Csaba Daradics

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FAB Design Shows Off 611HP Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 'Gullwing'

Swiss tuning firm FAB Design has just pulled back the sheets on its powered-up Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG proposal. Though the company has yet to publish all the details, we do know that the tuner found a way to extract 40 more ponies from 'Gullwing' door supercar's V8 engine pushing total output to 611-horsepower. The extra oomph allows the SLS AMG to do the 0-to-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 3.7 seconds instead of the stock model's time of 3.8 seconds.

FAB Design has also crafted a new body kit for Stuttgart's supercar comprising a restyled front bumper with added vents and a lip spoiler, side skirts, a race-like roof scoop, a new rear bumper that houses quad exhaust tips and a fixed rear wing. The 20-inch alloy wheels and the lowered suspension round off the changes.

Source: Fab Design , Via: Autoblog.nl

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130 mph Mercedes SLS AMG-Inspired Speedboat has everything except Gullwings

U.S. boat builder Cigarette Racing has released some new images and details of its new 46 foot Rider speedboat, inspired by Mercedes-Benz's SLS AMG Gullwing supercar.

Though the SLS influence is debatable, the numbers certainly aren't. Fitted with two 552-cubic inch (that's a little over 9.0-liters) twin-turbo Mercury Racing engines that are good for 1350 hp (1007 kw) each, the Rider has more than five times the power of its road-going inspiration and a top speed of over 130 mph (209 km/h).

It also comes with two-tone silver and white paint, AMG decals and marine-grade upholstery which emulates the Nappa leather available on the road-going SLS AMG. At least the pews are suitably SLS-like. The price has yet to be announced, though it is likely to make the cost of its road-going counterpart look like chump change.

By Tristan Hankins

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing done the Brabus way

Brabus has a solution to anyone looking to augment their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sports car with some flamboyant styling bits and modest performance upgrades. The German tuners start with a new carbon fiber aero kit, which is available in a clear coat or painted to match or contrast the Gullwing's exterior color.

The aero package includes a front spoiler said to further reduce lift on the front axle, new covers for both the air inlets on the front bumper and fenders, a small rear boot spoiler, and a new rear bumper element that features custom-tailored cutouts for the four exhaust tips of the sport exhaust system.

To complete the look, the Mercedes-Benz tuning specialist equipped the SLS AMG with 20-inch alloys in 275/30 ZR20 low profile rubber at the front, and 22-inch rims with 295/25 ZR21 tires at the back.

Brabus is still working on a comprehensive tune for the 6.3-liter V8 that produces 563-ponies out of the factory, but for now it offers a titanium sport exhaust system with four slanted exhaust tips that adds an extra ten horsepower to the engine's output. The exhaust weighs 12 kilograms (26 lbs.) or 40 percent less than the production exhaust and features a pneumatically controlled bypass gate that adjusts the sound levels and is activated from the cockpit.

Also available is a height-adjustable suspension system that can lower the ride height of the sports car by up to 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) while also allowing the driver to choose between damper settings that offer a more comfortable or sportier ride compared to the production suspension, all through the touch of a button.

For the interior, Brabus' customization program includes many options such as a restyled speedometer, a sports steering wheel, unique leather upholstery, stainless-steel scuff plates with illuminated BRABUS logo and matte-anodized sport pedals.