The revised and improved Mercedes SLS GT has replaced the standard SLS, and so it’s time for its Formula 1 safety car version to make way for the new boy. The SLS GT Safety Car will make its track debut at the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix, where it will have a great chance of being deployed since it’s a night race.
The SLS GT is not that different over the normal model. Sure, it has darkened headlamps and tail lamps and the addition of “GT” to the AMG badge, and a couple of gloss black details. But on the whole it looks exactly the same. The Safety car of course features a spacial livery, a light bar, and a modified interior featuring stuff that race marshals need for their job.
Where it’s better than the old car is under the bonnet. The AMG 6.3-litre V8 in the SLS GT is tweaked to make about 30 more horsepower at 435 kW (591 hp) and 650 Newton metres of peak torque. The power is delivered to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, which helps this 1.6 ton car to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, and reache the 200 km/h mark after just 11.2 seconds.
The new SLS AMG GT will be driven by Bernd Mayländer who has been doing this job since 2000.