2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS-Class LT Factory Warranty

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a luxury sports car that's offered in two body styles: a convertible (dubbed the Roadster) and a coupe with vertically raising gullwing doors. Under the hood of both is a 6.2-liter V8 that puts out 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. All that power gets sent to a rear-mounted seven-speed automated manual transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles and four separate driving modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport-Plus and Manual). As you'd expect, the SLS AMG comes loaded with high-end standard features including huge alloy wheels (19-inchers in front and 20-inchers out back), bi-xenon headlights, parking sensors, a rearview camera, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery and a faux-suede headliner, dual-zone automatic climate control, a navigation system and a premium audio system with a CD/DVD changer, satellite radio and iPod input. The Roadster adds a power-operated soft top roof and Mercedes' AirScarf feature. The options list includes a wide range of goodies from cutting-edge carbon-ceramic brakes and an 11-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system to unique exterior paint finishes. Inside the SLS AMG's cabin is generally comfortable, though the passenger seat offers less legroom than the generous driver seat does. Most folks -- especially the vertically challenged -- will find it takes some effort to reach the handles on the coupe's open gullwing doors. The convertible obviously doesn't suffer from such issues. Once settled in, your surroundings couldn't be more luxurious. The trunk provides only 6 cubic feet of space in both trims, but that's actually generous for an exotic and will still swallow a golf bag or enough luggage for most folks' weekend getaways. As for the driving experience, the SLS AMG offers surprisingly neutral handling given its radical cab-rearward design. The steering that seems light at low speeds feels wonderfully tactile and responsive once the speedometer needle begins spinning clockwise. The SLS also turns in some mighty impressive performance numbers, starting with a sprint to 60 mph of just 3.8 seconds. Braking distances are equally noteworthy, with a panic stop from 60 mph requiring less than 100 feet. The automated manual transmission does a good job of serving the needs of everyday driving and more sporting weekend jaunts, but its shift response is slow compared to the latest automated manuals from Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche.