Clearly for symbolic reasons, Mercedes-Benz had the folks that transferred the all-new 2010 SLS AMG coupe to the roof terrace of its Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, open the supercar's gullwing doors during the air-lift. Luckily, the silver colored SLS AMG did not need to use its metal wings as the operator of the 120-ton hydraulic crane successfully placed the car 42 meters up on the museum's roof terrace.
The 571-horsepower SLS AMG coupe, which had its world premiere just recently at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, will be on display at the museum between the 6th and 16th of October 2009.
Normally, the 465 square meter outdoor area of the Mercedes-Benz Museum is not open to the public, so it's definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the 'neighborhood'.
"This will be a very emotional experience for our visitors," commented Michael Bock, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH. "This super sports car stands for excitement, passion and high-tech. As museum for the past present and future of the automobile we provide an ideal setting for the exclusive presentation of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG."
Starting from Monday, 16 November 2009, Mercedes-Benz outlets as well as the brand's sales partners in Germany will begin taking orders for the new SLS AMG. The sales price for the 571HP supercar with the characteristic gullwing doors in its home market is €177,310 (including 19 per cent VAT), which comes to about US $264,000 at today's exchange rates.
"Following a high-profile world premiere at the IAA, we are very excited about the SLS AMG's commercial release on Monday. There is huge interest in our new super sports car and we are convinced that the SLS AMG will captivate our customers," said Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of the Management Board at Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
SLS AMG buyers may also choose from a variety of options including special paint finishes, carbon fiber trims and ceramic brakes. You can check out some of the main options in the list below.
AMG performance suspension with a stiffer setup for optimum lateral dynamics: €1200 net / €1428 gross
AMG light-alloy wheels in a 5-twin-spoke design, size 9.5 x 19 inches (front) and 11.0 x 20 inches (rear), tyre sizes 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear): €950 net / €1130.50 gross
AMG forged wheels in a 10-spoke design, size 9.5 x 19 inches (front) and 11.0 x 20 inches (rear), with tyre size 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear): €2000 net / €2380 gross
AMG performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara: €400 net / €476 gross
AMG sports bucket seats: €3300 net / €3927 gross
AMG carbon-fibre engine compartment cover: €4000 net / €4760 gross
"AMG alubeam silver" paint finish: €10,000 net / €11,900 gross
AMG carbon-fibre trim (front stowage tray and rear stowage compartment including lid, AMG DRIVE UNIT surround, surrounds for the centre console, shiftgate and rear, trim strips for centre console and door armrests): €3500 net / €4165 gross
AMG interior carbon package (carbon-fibre trim, trim on seat backrests and sides, door sill panels): €3500 net / €4165 gross
leather nappa exclusive single-/two-tone: €2500 net / €2975 gross
Memory package with electric seat and steering column adjustment, as well as four-way lumbar support: €1225 net / €1457.75 gross
6-disc DVD changer: €660 net / €785.40 gross
Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG surround sound system: €5900 net / €7021 gross