TheDeadPrussian
Active Member
I have now owned my SLS AMG for nine days – and I have covered just over 1,000 miles in it.
The vast majority of these miles were done whilst driving to and from the Le Mans Classic event this weekend. It was a trip I had planned a number of months ago – before I decided to buy the car, so the fact the car was delivered to me just in time for the outing was great news and it has provided me with an opportunity to get the miles under the tyres and the ‘running in’ period out of the way!
Whilst in Le Mans I only saw 2 other SLSs, one in silver, the other black (both UK registered) – wherever you go, the car attracts an enormous amount of attention – all of it positive so far in my limited experience, people love the look of it (they tell me) and everyone wants to photograph it with the doors open. Having originally thought of ordering the car in silver, I have to say I am very pleased with the Le Mans Red; I think it shows the cars’ lines and styling detail extremely well and again it attracts very positive comments (but then people would say that to my face wouldn’t they!).
So how does it drive – effortlessly in a word.
It is a GT car – at least at the moment, as it has been run in meticulously. Now I am through 1,000 miles I hope to begin to exploit its’ sportier elements, but for cruising French autoroutes and D roads, it was epic.
The cabin is wide – very wide, but with surprisingly little space, the central transmission tunnel is a very effective barrier between driver and passenger! The glove box is tiny, i-Phone, sunglasses and breathalyser kit (French law) is about as much as it will hold and even the service book and manual have to stored on the central transmission tunnel in elasticated netting…not exactly spacious – but it is very driver focused. Even the fuel tank behind the seats eats in to the limited space in the passenger compartment, but it does provide a useful shelf on which to mount the very good B&O speakers.
All the controls fall to hand easily, once you get used to the Mercedes-Benz trait of no second stalk behind the steering wheel; I have lost count of the number of times I have tried to indicate with the cruise control!
Things I don’t like:
The steering wheel is a joy to hold (AMG version), but it vibrates too much – I’m not sure if this is Mercedes-Benz idea of ‘feedback’ but to me it just feels too lively. I may get the steering looked at, it is that intrusive.
The rear view is adequate, however it is greatly reduced when the spoiler deploys, but the over-the-shoulder view is far worse – I don’t have blind spot warning and if I had the choice again I most definitely would, you must plan your overtaking carefully as the blind spot is considerable and any impromptu manoeuvre could end in tears…
Things I like:
Pretty much everything else.
Things I love:
The noise. The exhaust is definitely sounding better and better the more miles it has under its’ wheels.
The responsiveness – both the engine and the steering, but also the brakes as well.
The potential – even when running it in, you can feel the power the engine has.
The response of others to the car – it is not an obvious choice of supercar (I am not sure it really is one), and people like the fact it’s not a Ferrari or Lamborghini.
So, so far so good. I am very happy with my choice and the car will only get better the more familiar I become with it and the more use it gets.
The vast majority of these miles were done whilst driving to and from the Le Mans Classic event this weekend. It was a trip I had planned a number of months ago – before I decided to buy the car, so the fact the car was delivered to me just in time for the outing was great news and it has provided me with an opportunity to get the miles under the tyres and the ‘running in’ period out of the way!
Whilst in Le Mans I only saw 2 other SLSs, one in silver, the other black (both UK registered) – wherever you go, the car attracts an enormous amount of attention – all of it positive so far in my limited experience, people love the look of it (they tell me) and everyone wants to photograph it with the doors open. Having originally thought of ordering the car in silver, I have to say I am very pleased with the Le Mans Red; I think it shows the cars’ lines and styling detail extremely well and again it attracts very positive comments (but then people would say that to my face wouldn’t they!).
So how does it drive – effortlessly in a word.
It is a GT car – at least at the moment, as it has been run in meticulously. Now I am through 1,000 miles I hope to begin to exploit its’ sportier elements, but for cruising French autoroutes and D roads, it was epic.
The cabin is wide – very wide, but with surprisingly little space, the central transmission tunnel is a very effective barrier between driver and passenger! The glove box is tiny, i-Phone, sunglasses and breathalyser kit (French law) is about as much as it will hold and even the service book and manual have to stored on the central transmission tunnel in elasticated netting…not exactly spacious – but it is very driver focused. Even the fuel tank behind the seats eats in to the limited space in the passenger compartment, but it does provide a useful shelf on which to mount the very good B&O speakers.
All the controls fall to hand easily, once you get used to the Mercedes-Benz trait of no second stalk behind the steering wheel; I have lost count of the number of times I have tried to indicate with the cruise control!
Things I don’t like:
The steering wheel is a joy to hold (AMG version), but it vibrates too much – I’m not sure if this is Mercedes-Benz idea of ‘feedback’ but to me it just feels too lively. I may get the steering looked at, it is that intrusive.
The rear view is adequate, however it is greatly reduced when the spoiler deploys, but the over-the-shoulder view is far worse – I don’t have blind spot warning and if I had the choice again I most definitely would, you must plan your overtaking carefully as the blind spot is considerable and any impromptu manoeuvre could end in tears…
Things I like:
Pretty much everything else.
Things I love:
The noise. The exhaust is definitely sounding better and better the more miles it has under its’ wheels.
The responsiveness – both the engine and the steering, but also the brakes as well.
The potential – even when running it in, you can feel the power the engine has.
The response of others to the car – it is not an obvious choice of supercar (I am not sure it really is one), and people like the fact it’s not a Ferrari or Lamborghini.
So, so far so good. I am very happy with my choice and the car will only get better the more familiar I become with it and the more use it gets.
.
if it only does it when crossing a white line without indicating then that will be by design 
