At first, you'll probably focus on the glitzy, star-studded Mercedes SL roadster with the gold grille, but look a bit closer on your right and you may see something very strange and perhaps disturbing...
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The package is called "Shadow Line" and it treats the hardtop roadster's cabin with handmade leather goods starting from the seats and door panels and finishing up with the steering wheel, which is also upgraded with a thicker rim featuring a more flattened bottom area. The colors of choice for the leather seats and door panels are red and black with contrasting silver stitching completing the look.
While Vilner did not release pricing for the customized interior, the Bulgarian company did publish a neat video showing us the work that goes into the creation of the tailor-trimmed steering wheel. You can watch it right after the break.
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According to Quality Planning, a division of Verisk Analytics Inc., American Mercedes SL drivers are at least four times more likely to get ticketed than a run-of-the-mill motorist who presumably drives a Camry Solara or...no, wait, the Camry Solara/Coupe and Scion tC come in at second and third.
Oddly, the Pontiac Grand Prix is still on the list and making waves (scroll down for the full list with stats).
We not sure if you'd be better off just buying a used pre-facelift SL65 AMG and get the whole package, but if you already own the SL500 of the same series and you insist on spicing up your car with an AMG bodykit plus a few more upgrades here and there, then Inden Design will happily do the job for you. The German firm's exterior package comprises of a full SL65 AMG bodykit with a front bumper and spoiler, rear bumper with a carbon fiber diffuser, side skirts, rear spoiler as well as rear lights.Furthermore, the door handles, mudguards and front grille also painted black while the 20-inch alloy wheels in the same shade wrapped in 255/30 rubber up front and 305/25 at the back sum up the exterior mods.
The interior package includes carbon fiber decorative trim and an SL65 AMG Black Series flat-bottom steering wheel.
Finally, Inden Design also offers a suspension module that can adjust the ride height up to about 50mm, a sport exhaust system and an engine kit that raises output to 330HP or 282HP less than the standard 2007' SL65 AMG...
Modification costs:
- SL 65 AMG Bodykit incl. varnishing and installation 5,498.00 euros
- SL 65 rear lights AMG incl. installation 548.00 euros
- The third brake light from facelift in white 119.00 euros
- Black Series steering wheel 1,059.00 euros
- Clavier varnish black decorative features 950.00 euro
- Pure carbon interior 1,998.00 euros
- Adjustable sport suspension module 1,398.00 euros, installation 250.00 euros
- Inden Champion wheel set 10.5 and 11,75x20 with 255/30 and 305 / 25R 20 (star black, high-grade steel and polished rim base) 11,700.00 euros
- Body works necessary for the wheel set 2,200.00 euros
- Stainless steel exhaust system with the '65th' exhaust pipe 2,498.00 euros
- Pure carbon rear diffuser 1,448.00 euros
- Roof control module 298.00 euros
- Door handles and mudguard in black incl. disassemble and installation 820.00 euros
- Door handles and mudguard in pure carbon incl. disassemble and installation 1,420.00 euros
While in Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz is adding the final touches on the legit heir of the iconic 300SL Gullwing in the form of the all-new SLS AMG Gullwing, Arturo Alonso and his team that gained famed with the Bentley S3 Project - a car which we've only seen in computer generated images, has announced the creation of a modern-day 300SL that will blend the classic shape with contemporary technology and materials.
Once again, we only see renderings of the car but the company that will distribute the vehicle, "Gullwing America" has released initial details on the project that will be based on a reproduction model from Hoope'r, Gullwing-AG in Germany.
According to the release, the 300SL's body is made out of aluminum-reinforced fibreglass while the chassis is constructed from powder coated RHS steel. The vehicle will come with an independent suspension with adjustable coil overs, four wheel disk brakes, "old-school" 17-inch AMG alloy wheels wrapped in 235/45 R17 Continental Sport Contact tires and most importantly, a 5.5 liter Mercedes-Benz V8 engine hooked up to a six speed transmission.
In the 300SL Panamericana, the V8 will produce around 370HP and 530Nm of torque. The company said that in 2010, it will also offer buyers the option of a Merc's new V6 engine that delivers 320HP and 360Nm torque and can be ordered with a six-speed manual transmission.
No word on prices, but the firm said that the basic models will be painted in silver with blue accents in the front fenders with the option of a white finish with red stripes and a blacked out version. Inside, the cabin will be dressed in a red leather and plaid cloth while the instrument panel will be identical to the original 300Sl.
If the project captured your attention, you can contact Arturo Alonso at info(at)gullwing-america.com.
Via: Worldcarfans
Once again, Mercedes-Benz is the automaker of choice for the 2009 Formula One World Champion series. The specially-modified SL63 AMG safety and the C63 AMG Estate medical vehicles will make their debut at the first race of the 2009 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne that runs from 27 to 29 March 2009.
As in 2008, the role of the Official F1 Safety Car is being fulfilled during this year's new season by the Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG. While retaining the same 525HP 6.3-liter V8 engine as the road-going model that provides acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 4.4 seconds, AMG has equipped the car with a newly developed sport exhaust system with larger pipe diameter and special rear silencers.
Other mechanical upgrades on the SL63 AMG Safety car include the tweaked seven-speed automatic transmission, the large-size, additional coolers for engine oil, transmission oil, coolant and power steering, the specially developed coil-over suspension and the heavy duty composite brake discs.
Furthermore, thanks to the extended use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic on the engine bonnet, front and rear aprons, front wings and luggage compartment lid, the SL63 AMG Safety car is 220kg or 485lbs lighter than the series-production model.
Apart from its special roof attachments, F1 logos and the special LED illuminated number plate, the SL 63 AMG Safety Car is distinguished from the standard model by a front apron with larger cooling-air openings, the modified diffuser insert in the rear apron and the interior which features two bucket seats with 4-point seatbelts, trim parts in real carbon fibre, black leather appointments plus two monitors on the center console that enable crew of the Safety Car to supervise the action on the racetrack.
The C63 AMG Estate medical car that follows the Formula 1 field on the first lap, is powered by a 6.3-litre V8 engine delivering 457HP and 600Nm of torque. Like the SL63 AMG Safety car, the C63 AMG Estate has received a bevy of upgrades including optimized brake and suspension components. The cooling of coolant, engine oil, transmission oil and power steering have also been upgraded to improve reliability in harsher climate conditions.
The Official F1 Medical Car differs on the outside from the standard-production C63 AMG Estate with its new front apron with larger cooling-air openings, the F1 logos, roof bar and strobe-like LED flashlights at front and rear. Inside, the C63 AMG Estate features a set of bucket seats with 4-point seatbelts and two monitors in the centre console tha the crew to supervise the action on the racetrack.
