What’s the one car Michael Schumacher cannot pass? The official Formula One Safety Car, of course! That’s the riddle Mercedes-Benz’ Dr. Dieter Zetsche asked before introducing the SLS AMG F1 Safety Car at the Geneva Auto Show.

The SLS AMG Safety Car then drove to the stage and its gullwing doors opened up to reveal the driver, Michael Schumacher and his passenger, Grand Prix teammate Nico Rosberg.

The SLS AMG at every round of the 2010 F1 season, ready to deploy whenever accidents or bad weather make it too dangerous to race.

The official safety car needs to be fast enough to lead the F1 grid at a high enough speed to prevent the race cars’ tires and brakes from cooling down or their engines from overheating. With a 6.3L v8 engine claiming 571 hp and 479.4 ft-lb. of torque, the SLS AMG should be up to the task.

As impressive as the standard-production SLS AMG is, the Safety Car receives a number of updates to fit its role. Apart from the F1 logos and integrated television camera, the Safety Car is distinguishable by its carbon-fiber mirrors and a new carbon-fiber hood. The rear aerofoil pops up when the car reaches 93 mph, and together with the rear diffuser, provides added downforce.

Inside, the Safety Car is equipped with monitors and a radio system to help driver Bernd Maylander and co-driver Pete Tibbetts see and hear what’s going on in the race. A second interior mirror is installed so Tibbetts can keep an eye on the F1 cars following the Safety Car. The central display on the instrument cluster and on the glove compartment provide the same marshalling signals the F1 drivers see in their cockpits.

The SLS AMG Safety Car will be joined by another Mercedes-Benz at F1 races. The C63 AMG Estate returns in 2010 as the official F1 Medical Car, ready to respond to race emergencies.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Formula One Safety Car

It’s not likely to help sell a single car, but Mercedes-Benz has just kicked-off a marketing effort in Europe for the new SLS AMG exotic which will help draw attention to the brand as a whole. Included in the new campaign, Mercedes asks the question, that with an engine, a cockpit and two wings, “Is it still a car?” Some ads will even feature Mercedes’ newest Formula One driver Michael Schumacher.

In addition to more traditional advertising, Mercedes has announced that the SLS AMG will be featured in a new iPhone racing application called “SLS AMG,” as well as in the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 (a game that’s been delayed so many times, the SLS might be a classic before we ever get a chance to play it). The SLS will even be featured on the cover of the game box.

Mercedes has also launched an interactive website about the car, with videos, photos and downloads, which can be seen here:

http://www.sls-amg-magazine.com/

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Marketing Campaign

[Source: InsideLine]

With a very large percentage of all AMG vehicles sold in Southern California, it’s not surprising that Mercedes-Benz chose the LA Auto Show as the first North American location to showcase the performance brand’s first ever ground-up vehicle.

Inspired by the 300SL Gullwing, the new SLS AMG is powered by AMG’s first “from scratch” engine. That engine, a 6.2-liter mill, makes 563-hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque in the SLS – enough to propel the company’s new flagship sports car all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph. Helping achieve that low sprint time is a sophisticated double-clutch automatic transmission, that can be operated via paddle shifters. The SLS is the first production Mercedes to get double-clutch technology.

The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle. That transaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.

The curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body. Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.

GALLERY: Mercedes SLS AMG Debut in LA

For the first time since the car’s world premiere at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Mercedes is getting ready to display its new supercar. This time, however, it will be on U.S. soil at the LA Auto Show.

Inspired by the 300SL Gullwing, the new SLS AMG is the first ground-up car to be built by Merc’s high-performance AMG division and uses AMG’s first “from scratch” engine. That engine, a 6.2-liter mill, makes 563-hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque in the SLS – enough to propel the company’s new flagship sports car all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph. Helping achieve that low sprint time is a sophisticated double-clutch automatic transmission, that can be operated via paddle shifters. The SLS is the first production Mercedes to get double-clutch technology.

The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle. That transaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.

The curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body. Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.

We’ll be sure to bring you plenty of photos with live coverage of the LA Auto Show starting December 2nd.

See AutoGuide’s Live 2009 LA Auto Show Coverage Here Starting December 2nd

GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes SLS AMG

GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes SLS AMG Frankfurt Debut

There’s no official word yet, but Mercedes’ high-performance AMG division is looking to expand and may do so by adding a baby SLS to the lineup. As the new sports car flagship for the Mercedes brand, the 563-hp SLS has just launched in the U.S. and is the first-ever ground up vehicle to be built by AMG.

A new, smaller version of the SLS would reportedly use the new car’s chassis, but with smaller dimensions, which is certainly possible as the SLS, with its front/mid engine configuration already has plenty of space up front that can be cut. A new V8 engine would be built for the car with a displacement under the current car’s 6.2-liters. It would get direct-injection as well as a new cylinder cut-off technology (using just four-cylinders when all eight aren’t needed), which is currently being developed for the next generation SLS.

This new AMG model would ideally be a shopping alternative for those in the market for a Porsche 911.

[Source: PistonHeads]

Well ahead of the car’s launch at the Frankfurt auto Show this September, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super car has been revealed by not one but two European sources. The first is respected German car magazine AutoBild and the second is the lesser-known Autowereld publication from the Netherlands.

The design of the 571hp, 6.2-liter super car is most certainly reminiscent of the iconic 300SL gullwing, something which isn’t surprising considering the new SLS was designed to pay homage to that great sports car by using the very same type of doors.

There is the possibility that both publications are using an identical artist’s rendering, but that seems unlikely.

GALLERY: Mercedes SLS AMG

[Source: Autowereld and AutoBild]

If the pictures of Mercedes’ new supercar, the SLS AMG, weren’t enough for you, then we’re happy to announce that we have video!

Mercedes has released several short clips of its new supercar undergoing testing at such locales as Pikes Peak, Laredo, Texas and, of course, in the snow-covered Swedish north.

The SLS AMG uses the awesome 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with even more power. Thanks to reworked internals the engine now makes 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.

The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.

The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.

Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.

It’s baaaaack! After the SLR recently bowed out with it’s last (Stirling Moss) iteration, Mercedes hasn’t wasted any time in producing a new supercar – with gullwing doors!

No photos sans-body camo are available but we do have all the details on this new beast.

Called the SLS AMG, the new model from AMG seems to finally be something that driving enthusiasts and magazine bench-racers alike can enjoy.

For starters, it uses the awesome 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with even more power. Thanks to reworked internals the engine now makes 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.

Hold on.. it gets better! The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. Finally, a Benz that doesn’t come with an automatic!

That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.

Want more? How about launch control and an average fuel economy of 18 mph combined.

But there is still one important thing missing.. the weight. But once again with this new car,  AMG hit it right on the nose. The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.

Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.

“Mercedes-Benz is presenting an exhilarating super sports car in the guise of the new SLS AMG, which is bound to set the pulses of all car enthusiasts racing that extra bit faster. The SLS AMG is emotion pure and simple for the Mercedes-Benz brand and is set to become one of the most alluring sports cars of our era,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

As for AMG Boss Volker Mornhinweg, he had this to say: “Our customers will experience with the SLS AMG the expertise of our sports car manufacturer Mercedes-AMG, built up over 40 years of motor racing, along with the kind of scintillating design that only a top athlete from the Mercedes-Benz stable can offer.”

The SLS AMG will be launched in the Spring of 2010.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

More on the SLS AMG after the jump: