The new Formula 1 Safety Car is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, which replaces the regular SLS that had marshalled the events at the F1 race since 2010. There have been several AMG safety cars that had served as safety cars in the past years at this event. The GT is basically a modified version of the present SLS supercar. It delivers 583bhp from its 6.2-litre V8 (up 20bhp) and comes with a retuned dual-clutch gearbox that offers better shift times. With these revisions, the SLS can accelerate from zero to 62mph by about a tenth of a second faster to just 3.7 seconds. It has a limited top speed of 197mph. Another feature that’s new to the SLS GT is AMG Ride Control. This is the replacement for the three-mode system on the current car. It supposedly improves its dynamics with its aggressive suspension tuning. The automaker will be unveiling a production version of the SLS GT at the Paris motor show before it arrives this November at the UK showrooms. Mechanically, it is identical to the safety car. It features darkened head and tail lamp lenses and its fins and grille-mounted Mercedes badge have a gloss black finish to distinguish it from the standard SLS. The steering wheel gets a coating of Alcantara while the dials and sections of the dashboard and centre console have a gloss black finish.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT is the new Formula 1 Safety Car
by Andrew Christian, Email, 21 Sep, 2012
SLS AMG GT F1 Safety Car
