F1 is to get a new safety car in 2010. Mercedes are to use their flagship SLS AMG sports car to lead the field when the track is neutralised during races this year.
The company, which has supplied F1’s safety cars since 1996, has also used Michael Schumacher to promote the car in a video advert which was shown before the team revealed the livery for their 2010 contender.
See below for pictures of the Mercedes SLS AMG safety car.
The SLS AMG has a 6.3-litre V8 engine with 571bhp. It’s 0-100kph (62mph) time may not rival an F1 car’s but at 3.8 seconds it’s not to be sniffed at.
The SLS AMG replaces the SL 63 AMG, introduced two years ago. The existing Medical Car, a C63 AMG estate, will remain in use.
Image (C) Daimler
YeaMon
26th February 2010, 22:52
This car has a more Brute Strength look to it. I really like the update.
UneedAFinn2Win
26th February 2010, 23:38
Looks to me like the AMG engineers got hold of the old Viper designs after the divorce…
Mark Hitchcock
26th February 2010, 23:49
hmm, yeah. I was about to say that the back end looks just like a Viper.
The front looks too wide as well.
It looks good as a safety car, but as much as I want to like it, I wouldn’t spend money on it as a road car.
Oliver
28th February 2010, 8:46
The rear looks like a Porsche 928 while the front is like a 50s/60s Mercedes 300 gull wing.
MigueLP
27th February 2010, 17:39
i dont like it it looks a bit too flashy but the main reason i dont like this one its because i really love the old one
Prisoner Monkeys
26th February 2010, 23:00
I like the SLS. It’s like the new Fiat 500 in that it’s one of those very few cars that are both retro and look good.
Tom
26th February 2010, 23:03
It should be worth hearing too.
How much do they want for the old safety car?
gabal
26th February 2010, 23:06
I love it. That car looks great.
Cube
26th February 2010, 23:11
It’s ugly. The SLS is a horrid car. Its only use s scrap metal.
Plink Plonk Plunk
27th February 2010, 1:18
That is a great car. Is it stock or does it have upgrades over the street version.
I’ll have two.
Rob Wilson
26th February 2010, 23:17
It’s a beaut, gullwing doors as well
Insert_Name
26th February 2010, 23:20
Don’t like the look of the car. Looks awkward to me.
I’ve always believed the safety car should be provided by a neutral third party car manufacturer.
spawinte
26th February 2010, 23:32
Yeah maybe they could get Tata to provide the safety car seeing as Bernie wants to get India interested. No seriously.
BBQ2
27th February 2010, 16:59
Even TATA would not be neutral as they sponsor the red car brigade :-( , Oooops! Ferrari :-(
Icthyes
26th February 2010, 23:51
Of course, it being Mercedes it will deliberately reverse into all the cars behind it until Schumacher is at the head of the pack…
James
26th February 2010, 23:21
If they’re ever in need of spare driver, I’m willing to give a hand. Wouldnt cost them anything either!
Jarred Walmsley
27th February 2010, 3:31
Haven’t you heard that you have to be a pay driver for the safety car? :)
manatcna
26th February 2010, 23:35
Do I hear anti Mercedes comments? :)
Aleksandar Serbia
26th February 2010, 23:40
It’s retro, the look goes back in ages, older generation will appreciate it!
joe
26th February 2010, 23:49
I heard those chose this car so when the doors opened they would not get driven into by Nick Heidfeld
newnhamlea1
27th February 2010, 0:05
lol, i hate gull wings they make the car look like a right old (for lack of a better word) munter.
Mike
27th February 2010, 3:48
lucky for them it shouldn’t be a problem this year with him on the sidelines and all…
on a second note I know he’s not the fastest, but he’s dam good and a competent driver….. surely some one will pick him up next year?!?
James_mc
27th February 2010, 11:55
I was about to say the same! Hahahaha!
christopher (sennaboy3)
27th February 2010, 1:03
i’ll be honest. always have hated mercedes. can’t stand either of the drivers. hate their cars here in the US. but i get a distinct pleasure out of watching & listening to the F1 safety car & this girl is looking very very naughty…can’t wait for Montreal!
George
27th February 2010, 14:24
Yeah those big Merc V8s are earth shatteringly awesome
wasiF1
27th February 2010, 1:13
A lot is changing in F1 so why not the safety car.Can anyone tell me why do Mercedes always gets the chance to supply safety car? Why not Ferrari BMW ( when they where in F1)?
wasiF1
27th February 2010, 1:18
What is the top speed of the new Mercedes SLS AMG safety car?I knew the old one used to do 260-280 km/h.
wasiF1
27th February 2010, 1:31
The 13th picture have Schumacher’s picture in the car’s monitor.
James_mc
27th February 2010, 12:00
Well spotted! :)
Jarred Walmsley
27th February 2010, 3:34
I think that they have a contract with the FIA for X number of years however once that contract is up any manufacturer can bid for the right to supply the safety car. I’m assuming thats why if anyone actually knows please feel free to correct me.
Adrian
27th February 2010, 8:53
Sounds about right to me…
…which raises an interesting question, what car would you choose as safety car?
Personally I’d go with an Audi R8…
Jarred Walmsley
27th February 2010, 8:56
A R8 would be good, independent manufacturer and a good car. A Nissan GTR would also be good.
BBQ2
27th February 2010, 17:07
Have you ever seen the quality of the interior of a Ferrari? Appalling! You can remove the rear light of the F430 with your bare hand! Seriously….. I have done it before.
Remember this car is not coming direct from Mercedes but from their tuner AMG. So, that is an additional quality. As a Mercedes fan and owner ….. I know what I am talking about :-)
Jezson
27th February 2010, 1:53
Much prefer the SL AMG. Sorry.
xmizanx
27th February 2010, 3:07
wow… really awesome car even just for safety
Ylan Marcel
27th February 2010, 5:08
Beautiful enough for F1!
rabbit
27th February 2010, 7:04
Its a beautiful car , I welcome the change .
Jay Menon
27th February 2010, 7:35
The thing with retro designs are that, it never ever looks as sexy as the original. For some unknown reason, all the re-makes just look so beefy, bulky and rather crude.
The SLS looks pretty decent when compared to the likes of the Mustang and Charger. I really like the way the front looks, but the back doesn’t cut it for me, somehow falls short, its almost as if they were in a hurry to finish it off.
My favourite re-make of a retro car thus far is the Dodge Challenger, but once again, it just isnt as sexy as the original, same can be said about this car.
AP
27th February 2010, 8:38
I dont care what anyones say that car is dam UGLY….
And add to that it’s a Mercedes road car, so cornering isn’t it’s main strength…LOL
Plink Plonk Plunk
27th February 2010, 9:48
LOL?
Whats so funny? That you think its ugly or cant corner?
On second thought, that is funny. LOL
AP
28th February 2010, 1:30
Well it is really ugly and if you don’t get the cornering joke you never owned a merc…or never driven a BMW as comparison…
Now thats funny….
AP
28th February 2010, 1:31
Although I will say this it will have some straight line grunt! for sure…that’s never been a problem.
F1Yankee
27th February 2010, 9:03
maybe i’m a nut, but i love the safety car. IMO the most impressive machine on the track every year. i love that v12!
JV
27th February 2010, 9:32
It’s a beautiful car. Change is always welcome.
Zarathustra
27th February 2010, 11:20
Disgusting, new cars who trying to look like retro looks bad (especially Europeans), damn that’s a really ugly car you got there Benz…
Old Safety car was not pretty but far better than this.
Marc Connell
27th February 2010, 12:19
on wet days this will be going twice as fast as the f1 cars :)
commodore
27th February 2010, 12:51
i like the sls, but not this one. gull wing doors mean the lights on top have to b positioned rearward which makes it look like ronaldinho with a led hair band.
Peter
27th February 2010, 14:02
I think I saw I car like this in a Top Gear special about the Lamborghini Murcielago, that happend to come acroos this one. The SLS beat the Lambo in the Top Gear show.
I think it is very different then all the other super sports cars because they all look a like. But htis one does not. In the video you see the revs at 3000 while stationary! Impressive.
Tt would be nice for a change with my Vito :-)
mtss
27th February 2010, 18:55
That was an SLR 722 not SLS.
This car -> http://www.babez.de/mercedes/slr722mclaren/mercedes-benz-slr-722-mclaren-edition-02.jpg
mike
27th February 2010, 16:33
Its bloody beautiful!!
hope is sounds similar to the old one
GeorgeK
27th February 2010, 22:45
Too bad they don’t use a red color, just to tweak Luca’s ego a bit more.
Beautiful car until you get to the back end; looks like they ran out of creativity.
I wouldn’t toss it out of my garage if it magically appeared there.
jak
28th February 2010, 21:02
It looks just as a Merc used to, and as it should look.
Some of the more recent Mercs looked as if they were relatives of the ugly old Triumph TR7.
That it is reminiscent of the 50’s 300SL is a good thing…a real sports car.
The gullwings are great until you put it on it’s roof…then how do you get out???
Jarred Walmsley
1st March 2010, 3:57
They apparently have a little bit of explosive in the hinges that will blast the doors off if you put it on the roof.
GeorgeK
1st March 2010, 4:58
If you manage to put that beautiful car on the roof you don’t deserve to get out.
Chaz
3rd March 2010, 16:52
I want one…
Walter O'Malley
14th March 2010, 22:43
Its just a modern take on the original gullwing.. Bit bulkier and mean looking!!
http://www.motorera.com/dictionary/pics/g/gullwing.jpg
Daffy Duck
3rd December 2010, 6:19
God this thing is atrocious.. What the hell is mercedes thinking? The SLR McLaren was much more attractive than this thing and the SLR wasn’t even that great of a supercar. The SLS is not going to catch on, its simply too ugly. It does not look like a high performance car. It looks like a ‘chick car’. And that 0-60 time? Sure 3.8 isn’t ‘slow’, but this is Mercedes’ very fastest car. Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and even Nissan and Chevrolet all have cars that will do 0-100km in the low 3 seconds, and Chevy and Nissan will do it for a third of the price. Epic fail, get your **** together Mercedes, that’s two halo cars in a row now that have failed to be world-beaters. The SLR wasn’t even great, but this thing is HORRID.