Last week Mercedes-Benz gave us new pictures and details of its SLS AMG Roadster. It’s a great looking car and with a 420kW V8 snarling from under the bonnet it’d be great to drive as well.
Tennis star Roger Federer has been given a preview drive of the Roadster through the streets of Dubai. Looks like fun, and probably a more satisfying way to spend your time than coming across an impenetrable Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
We figured you have probably seen enough of Sebastian Vettel on the victory dais, so we’ve given the Red Bull Racing images a miss from Monaco. Actually, that’s not true, it looks like the Red Bull media site is having a few technical issues so, for now, we’re missing photos from them and Toro Rosso. It’s shame, because, as usual, there’s some great pics in there. Hopefully we’ll have them for you shortly.
In the meantime, there’s another 62 pics from the Monaco Grand Prix for you after the break. We’d love to hear which one is you think is best. So take your time, have a good look and leave your comment below.
UPDATE 1 June: New pics from RBR and STR have now been added.
The ragtop version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG isn’t due for its public debut until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but that hasn’t stopped the three-pointed star from releasing a big image gallery of their new Roadster.
Driven by the same 420kW/650Nm 6.3 litre V8 and 7-speed DCT as the “Gullwing” tintop, the Roadster gives the filthy rich, or those who truly deserve it—depending on your bank balance—access to the open sky in just 11 seconds. The soft top can be opened at speeds up to 50km/h as well.
The SLS AMG Roadster introduces some new in-cabin tech, too. It’s called “AMG Performance Media” and it brings some Nissan GTR-like telemetry to the main display screen—G forces, engine data, lap times; that sort of stuff.
After the break you can see 60-plus images from Benz, as well as a short promo clip and lengthy presser.
UPDATE: A quick note from Mercedes-Benz Australia: “The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster will launch in Australia and New Zealand during quarter one, 2012. The selling price will be confirmed closer to its local launch.”
Despite being teased by our own Mark Webber when he scored pole position, the Spanish GP ended up being yet another Sebastian Vettel victory. That’s four from five races for the 2010 champ and history suggests that impressive start is already enough to put Vettel at almost unbackable odds to make it a second world crown.
As usual there’s some great pics from the latest race and there’s a couple of shots where you can see how dramatic the marbles are with the new Pirelli tyres.
We’re already in another Grand Prix week with the classic Monaco GP just a few days away. Can Mark match his unstoppable performance from 2010, or is he fast becoming a broken man with shattered confidence?
A little later than usual, here’s your hit of Formula One images from the 2011 Turkish Grand Prix. It was a walk in Istanbul Park for Sebastian Vettel. It was also the origin for the latest, and to date, most fervent, rumours suggesting Michael Schumacher will retire at the end of this season. He is contracted with Mercedes GP until the end of next season. We’ll keep an eye on that one and see how it progresses.
For now, sit back and enjoy 82 of the best images from Turkey. The pics of Nico Rosberg in pit lane illustrating the seating position of an F1 driver is quite interesting.
Another Grand Prix, another pole position for Sebastian Vettel. The reigning champ has now put his Red Bull Racing machine on pole for all four races in 2011. His best time of 1:25.049 was four tenths quicker than his teammate Mark Webber (1:25.454), who achieved his best qualifying result for the year to date. Nico Rosberg (1:25.574) also notched up his best quali result for 2011 and showed signs of an improving Mercedes GP outfit by qualifying in third place.
Interestingly, the Red Bull duo completed just one quick lap in the third qualifying session, opting to conserve tyres for the race. It’s a tactic that’s already been used in 2011, but it certainly attracted attention to see Vettel climb out of his car with 90 seconds of the final session remaining. Supreme confidence shown by the Red Bull team and perhaps a clear indication of a “catch us if you can” attitude to their rivals.
Make sure you read the full transcript from the post-qualifying press conference below. There’s some interesting discussion about the Webber–Vettel incident from last year. And, Rosberg’s final line, in written form at least, seemed particularly cutting; especially when you consider the glum face produced by Michael Schumacher (1:26.646) after qualifying in eighth place.
[Pic: Red Bull Racing/Getty Images]
Mercedes-Benz has released these official images of the SLS AMG Roadster which document the car’s development from tin top to rag top.
According to Benz the SLS AMG Coupé and Roadster were created in parallel. That has given the engineers a head start in refining NVH levels, body rigidity, handling and the soft top roof.
The Roadster has completed 20,000kms of testing, half on urban roads, the other half around the Nürburgring. It will debut in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.
Last week the Australian dollar hit a new high against the US dollar. That high was $1.07 for the record. The news prompted Drive.com.au to publish an article comparing the prices Australian buyers pay for luxury cars compared to other countries, chiefly the United States.
The Drive article states, “Inflated luxury-car prices are not a recent revelation but a rampant Australian dollar—continuing to break post-float records as it stretches beyond parity with the US ‘greenback’—has many car buyers again asking questions.”
Still buzzing after the excitement of the Chinese Grand Prix? We reckon Lewis Hamilton probably is after he managed break the grip Sebastian Vettel was starting to force on the 2011 Formula One season.
Here’s 90 pics to help you relive all the action.
Already the 2011 Formula One season is looking like it could be a Sebastian Vettel procession. Thankfully, there’s still another 17 races to go; with any luck someone else will get a look in very soon. This weekend in China, perhaps?
Until then, here’s 78 images from the Malaysian Grand Prix to keep you busy.
The Mercedes-Benz comedy team is at it again and has followed up the “Compliments” ad with this new clip “Decision”. It’s a nice lighthearted way to illustrate the intra team rivalry faced by Formula 1 drivers. Just a shame the Mercedes GP team isn’t performing as well as these ads are.
This funky little hatchback is on its way to Auto Shanghai, but Mercedes-Benz has shared these pics ahead of the public debut. The Concept A-Class might have come from another planet, according to Benz, but we reckon it’s more like the spawn of Chris Bangle’s flame surfacing, with a few soft edges.
The Concept A-Class actually draws it’s inspiration from the F800 concept we first saw early last year. Regardless, we like that the new A-Class is moving away from its high-top look and reckon it’s heading in the right direction.
With a 155kW 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder is this the first genuine Golf GTI from the world’s oldest car maker? The Concept A-Class has a dual clutch transmission, as is fast becoming the norm, and brings higher spec features down the food chain, such as full LED headlamps and radar based collision warning systems.
This concept is pretty wild—check the interior pics after the break—and it will be interesting to see just what the final model looks like once it hits the production line.