First official details and pictures of the absolutely superb Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster revealed.

This is basically a SLS without the roof and with proper normal doors. So you still get the thrilling experience of 563 bhp, brutal exhaust noise, savage speed and if the mood takes you, lots of sideways action. Only now people won’t think of you as a show off because there’s no gullwing doors. What’s more you can hear the amazing V8 bellow even more clearly with the top down. We think it looks brilliant. That cloth roof boosts the retro-classic style of the car. That is just swell.

Of course if you get one of these people will come to you saying the roadster is heavier and not as good to drive as the hardtop. But who cares, the SLS has always been a bit lairy and that’s what makes it so awesome. This car is all about fun and the roadster has that plenty.

The car features a three-layered fabric soft top that is a weight-optimized magnesium/steel/aluminum construction and comes in three colors of black, red and beige. It goes up and down electrically in eleven seconds, and can be operated on the move at speeds up to 31 mph.

Technicalities? Well as mentioned it’s pretty much the same as the hardtop with a 563 bhp and 479 pound-feet of torque 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with E-select shifter and AMG driving modes. It gets 265/35 ZR 19 (front) and 295/30 ZR 20 (rear) which can be had in matte black finish. With a curb weight of 3,661 pounds (estimated), the Roadster is only 88 pounds heavier than the Coupé. That is due to the reinforced aluminum spaceframe that’s been optimized for the roadster.

To achieve the same level of driving dynamics – without a fixed roof, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster incorporates several features specifically designed to strengthen the bodyshell, including side skirts with greater wall thicknesses and additional chambers. The dashboard cross-member is supported against the windshield frame and center tunnel by additional struts, and a curved strut between the soft top and the tank reinforces the rear axle. The lack of a roof and gullwing doors means that the open-top SLS AMG has a reinforcing crossmember behind the seats to support the fixed roll-over protection system. This also accommodates the 250 watt subwoofer of the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG high-end sound system.

The standard appointments of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster include black designo leather, heated AMG sports seats, a detachable glass windstop, COMAND with Navigation and DVD player, anti-theft alarm system with tow-away protection and interior monitoring, dual-zone automatic climate control and the KEYLESSGO starting function. The standard AIRSCARF® system exclusive to Mercedes-Benz acts like an invisible scarf warming the head and neck areas of the occupants. It is integrated into the backrests of the AMG sports seats, and blows warm air from vents in the head restraints. The airflow can be adapted for different occupant sizes by means of adjustable louvers, and the level of warmth can be selected in three stages at the touch of a button.

The only weird thing is that Mercedes will launch the car from Fall just as the open-top driving season is over!

Pricing and availability for different markets will be announced soon. For now enjoy the pictures: