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10th
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Circuit Mont Tremblant, QC - Sometimes, life is good... no, scratch that: Sometimes, life is glorious. Just such a glorious occasion arose when I was handed the keys to a pumped up 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GTand told to take it out on one of the most well known and loved tracks in North America.
Nestled in the valleys of a popular ski resort, the Circuit Mont Tremblant offers everything from tight hairpins to elevation changes and blind, cresting corners; I love it. And I love it even more behind the wheel of a hopped up version of the already fantastic MB SLS AMG.
What is a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT?
This is the MB supercar, the cream of the crop, and it's the first such car to emerge from Mercedes since the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Developed in-house by Mercedes and AMG, the SLS first appeared as a 2010 model.
In just three short years, Mercedes-Benz unveiled 13 separate “versions” of the SLS AMG, the GT being one of them. With the same body and styling as a regular SLS AMG, the GT gets a boost in the horsepower department as well as a set of fancy rims.
Technicalities
A quick look on the Mercedes-Benz website will prove the GT isn't actually listed there, but trust me when I tell you that this version of the SLS AMG gets a 20-horsepower jump, making the 6.2L V8 good for 583 glorious horses and 479 lb-ft of torque.
An AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed transmission handles all that fantastic power as it's pushed out the rear wheels. The 0-100 km/h sprint is covered in 3.4 seconds.
A base 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT will set you back at least $207k, so it's safe to assume the GT version will cost more coin. However, I'd say it's well worth every penny if you've got 'em.
Driving the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
It's not so much “driving” as it is experiencing the track through the SLS AMG GT. From the moment your anxious finger brushes the bright red start/stop button and the gnarly V8 barks to life, spitting glorious expletives out the oversized dual exhaust pipes, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT will try to kill you -- and that's bloody fantastic.
Throttle response is almost telepathic, and will have you flying towards corners and rumble strips at mad speeds. Speed-sensitive power steering ensures you're fully in control and able to keep the SLS AMG GT on the right line. The precision with which the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT turns is shocking at first and some adjustment is needed after the first few turns.
In Sport Plus mode with the AMG button activated, this sporty beast will rip through gears faster than any human ever could, executing spot-on downshifts and throttle blips (the sound!). The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is a happy track monster.
For all that power, nestled behind the SLS AMG GT's stunning 20” matte black, AMG light-alloy rims are a set of AMG high-performance phenomenally powerful ceramic composite brakes. Really, I need not say more.
I was drunk on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT's power after the first lap and couldn't wait for the next round. This is a car that asks to be pushed, wants to be tested, and needs to be driven to the limits.
Ins and Outs of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
The SLS AMG is hot; there's really no other word for it. It's sexy, seductive and curvy in all the right places. Mercedes-Benz and AMG designed a proper supercar in the SLS AMG, and thankfully the GT model sticks to the coupe, gullwing look. Only the rims and a small “GT” badge give it away.
Inside, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is sumptuous and sporty. Wrapped in red Nappa leather, the cockpit of the SLS AMG GT is a place to behold -- once you get that gullwing door closed. As a 5'2” (on a good day) driver, I had to coordinate my entry, grabbing the door as I sat down as there was no way I could reach the handle once seated.
Despite a complicated-looking middle console, it's actually quite straightforward throughout the cabin of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, which I was also grateful for.
Comparing the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
After driving the SLS AMG (and its predecessor, the SLR McLaren -- another glorious day), I must say there's very little on the road today that feels quite like a Mercedes-Benz supercar. However, on a non-personal level, the SLS AMG has some steep competition in the Porsche 911 Turbo S, Ferrari 458 and the brand new (and much anticipated) Jaguar XKR-S.
Nestled in the valleys of a popular ski resort, the Circuit Mont Tremblant offers everything from tight hairpins to elevation changes and blind, cresting corners; I love it. And I love it even more behind the wheel of a hopped up version of the already fantastic MB SLS AMG.
 |
What is a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT?
This is the MB supercar, the cream of the crop, and it's the first such car to emerge from Mercedes since the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Developed in-house by Mercedes and AMG, the SLS first appeared as a 2010 model.
In just three short years, Mercedes-Benz unveiled 13 separate “versions” of the SLS AMG, the GT being one of them. With the same body and styling as a regular SLS AMG, the GT gets a boost in the horsepower department as well as a set of fancy rims.
 |
| This is the MB supercar, the cream of the crop, and it's the first such car to emerge from Mercedes since the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre) |
Technicalities
A quick look on the Mercedes-Benz website will prove the GT isn't actually listed there, but trust me when I tell you that this version of the SLS AMG gets a 20-horsepower jump, making the 6.2L V8 good for 583 glorious horses and 479 lb-ft of torque.
An AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed transmission handles all that fantastic power as it's pushed out the rear wheels. The 0-100 km/h sprint is covered in 3.4 seconds.
A base 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT will set you back at least $207k, so it's safe to assume the GT version will cost more coin. However, I'd say it's well worth every penny if you've got 'em.
 |
| This version of the SLS AMG gets a 20-horsepower jump, making the 6.2L V8 good for 583 glorious horses and 479 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone) |
Driving the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
It's not so much “driving” as it is experiencing the track through the SLS AMG GT. From the moment your anxious finger brushes the bright red start/stop button and the gnarly V8 barks to life, spitting glorious expletives out the oversized dual exhaust pipes, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT will try to kill you -- and that's bloody fantastic.
Throttle response is almost telepathic, and will have you flying towards corners and rumble strips at mad speeds. Speed-sensitive power steering ensures you're fully in control and able to keep the SLS AMG GT on the right line. The precision with which the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT turns is shocking at first and some adjustment is needed after the first few turns.
In Sport Plus mode with the AMG button activated, this sporty beast will rip through gears faster than any human ever could, executing spot-on downshifts and throttle blips (the sound!). The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is a happy track monster.
For all that power, nestled behind the SLS AMG GT's stunning 20” matte black, AMG light-alloy rims are a set of AMG high-performance phenomenally powerful ceramic composite brakes. Really, I need not say more.
I was drunk on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT's power after the first lap and couldn't wait for the next round. This is a car that asks to be pushed, wants to be tested, and needs to be driven to the limits.
 |
| For all that power, nestled behind the SLS AMG GT's stunning 20” matte black, AMG light-alloy rims are a set of AMG high-performance phenomenally powerful ceramic composite brakes. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone) |
Ins and Outs of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
The SLS AMG is hot; there's really no other word for it. It's sexy, seductive and curvy in all the right places. Mercedes-Benz and AMG designed a proper supercar in the SLS AMG, and thankfully the GT model sticks to the coupe, gullwing look. Only the rims and a small “GT” badge give it away.
Inside, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is sumptuous and sporty. Wrapped in red Nappa leather, the cockpit of the SLS AMG GT is a place to behold -- once you get that gullwing door closed. As a 5'2” (on a good day) driver, I had to coordinate my entry, grabbing the door as I sat down as there was no way I could reach the handle once seated.
Despite a complicated-looking middle console, it's actually quite straightforward throughout the cabin of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, which I was also grateful for.
 |
| Mercedes-Benz and AMG designed a proper supercar in the SLS AMG, and thankfully the GT model sticks to the coupe, gullwing look. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone) |
Comparing the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT
After driving the SLS AMG (and its predecessor, the SLR McLaren -- another glorious day), I must say there's very little on the road today that feels quite like a Mercedes-Benz supercar. However, on a non-personal level, the SLS AMG has some steep competition in the Porsche 911 Turbo S, Ferrari 458 and the brand new (and much anticipated) Jaguar XKR-S.