AN OEM SLS AMG… WITH A TWIST
At its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG mesmerized onlookers with its aluminum space frame body and gull-wing doors. When drivers finally had a chance to actually get behind the wheel though, that is when the magic really happened! Powered by an AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine, the vehicle had 420kW/571 hp peak output and 650 Nm of torque and dry sump lubrication. In layman's terms, the way this vehicle was handled lived up to every car buff’s dreams!
SLS stands for the German words Super Leicht Sport, which translates to Super Light Sport and it was exactly that. A light, agile, aerodynamic vehicle capable of achieving super high speeds. Sadly though, due to changing market demands, production ended in 2014 solidifying the model as a rare classic vehicle and one we don’t see often… until recently!
When a client pulled up with a used SLS AMG with only around 30,000 km on it, we couldn’t hide our excitement. Even without any work done to it, the vehicle was… well, there isn’t really any other way to describe it, sexy! But with a fleet of all gloss-black vehicles, the client wanted his SLS AMG to stand out the way it deserved. In essence, the mission was to spice things up and bring up the heat without losing those iconic OEM features that make the vehicle legendary.
To start, we applied a full-body matte PPF conversion. To achieve maximum coverage and all the possible edges wrapped to perfection, we used a custom cut and even went as far as disassembling the bumpers, mirrors and trim pieces to ensure OEM-level paint results.
Next, we blacked out the vehicle. This was achieved by painting all of the satin chrome pieces on the front grille, side vents and hood vents. During this painting process, we intentionally omitted the OEM chrome when it came to the emblems and front wing slats to maintain authenticity.
For a used car, the interior was in impeccable condition so, in order to keep it that way, we applied a ceramic tint to all the windows, including the windshield. The tint not only blocks harmful UV rays that cause fading and damage to the interior, but they also keep things cool, allowing the driver and passenger to enjoy a comfortable ride. In addition to the practical benefits, the tint only added to the sleek and stealthy look.
At ABE we like our cars fast and loud so in order to dial up the volume a bit, we upgraded the exhaust headers with RENNtech stainless steel long tubes. Long tube headers start from the engine to the mid-pipe, which in turn creates an aggressive sound. What it also does is prepare your vehicle for any future modifications to improve performance. When you swap out OEM headers though, that means you also have to change the catalytic converters, which results in a CEL (check engine light) being triggered. To combat this, what we do is tune the computer to essentially let the car know what’s happening and then we can use the extra exhaust flow to our advantage. This step ultimately boosted the vehicle's performance to 604HP and 505 ft-lb/tq, making the whole process worth the effort!
When it came to the wheels, we went with a custom set of ADV1. Along with aesthetic goals, our client wanted the widest setup possible in order to achieve maximum grip and aggressiveness while going down the road. With that in mind, we wrapped the wheels in 345-wide Michelin Pilot Sport 4s and finished the wheels in a 3-piece configuration in all gloss-back to contrast the matte-black body. We then left the silver hardware exposed to pick up on the chrome accents across the vehicle.
When changing any set of wheels to aftermarkets, it is also important to ensure that the vehicle’s suspension is adjusted accordingly. To complete the transformation on the SLS, we lowered the suspension to achieve the desired stance and aggressiveness.
Ultimately, when modifying special vehicles of this nature, it’s all about balance. The goal is to change the aesthetics and performance just enough to bring the vehicle to life but without losing that OEM magic that the owner fell in love with in the first place! At the end of the day, we like to think we took a classic and turned it into a collector.