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Oluwafemi Awodele
1 month ago
Overview
First off is one of the latest in town, announced on the last month of the year, a true celebration of speed from the folks in Stuttgart Germany
Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed Is a 196-MPH SL63 Without a Windshield
Earlier this year ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes took the covers off of the PureSpeed concept, previewing a limited-production model set to launch the brand's series of Mythos ultra-exclusive models. Now the automaker has revealed the production-ready Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and, well, it looks basically the same. But Mercedes has now provided full details of the open-top car, of which only 250 units will be built.
Formula 1 Influence
The styling is unchanged from the concept, with a body shape, headlights, and taillights that appear to be borrowed from the Mercedes-AMG SL-class. But while the SL-class is the convertible, the PureSpeed banishes the windshield entirely. Instead, a single tubular steel pillar rises up between the seats and merges with the rear roll bars, taking inspiration from the "halo" used by Formula 1 race cars since 2018 to protect the driver's heads. There is LED accent lighting on the underside of the halo, which is also complemented by small deflectors sticking up from the hood to lessen the amount of turbulence experienced by the occupants.
Under the Hood
The big news is that Mercedes has announced performance figures for the PureSpeed, which uses the 577-horsepower twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 from the SL63. Mercedes claims that the PureSpeed will rip from zero to 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph, which frankly sounds terrifying without the protection of a windshield. Shifting duties are handled by a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the 590 pound-feet of torque is sent to all four wheels.
Luxury Equipment
The cabin is also clearly shared with the SL-class, with the same placement for the screen and climate control vents and the same steering wheel design. The PureSpeed, however, gets decked out in a white and black two-tone look with special leather and stitching for the heated AMG Performance seats, the stitching said to emulate the way the air flows around the car. The door sills are also wrapped in leather and a custom analog clock designed by IWC Schaffhausen sits atop the dashboard on a carbon-fiber base. The cabin also features a 15-speaker Burmester surround sound system and a badge on the center console reading "1 out of 250."
Read full article: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a63136371/mercedes-amg-purespeed-revealed/
