Coinciding with the market launch of the SLS AMG on 27 March 2010, Mercedes-AMG is presenting a GT3 variant. This racing version of the gullwing model stands out with its spectacular design and thoroughbred motor sports technology. Developed to comply with the GT3 specifications of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), the SLS AMG GT3 is designed as a racing sports car for customers competing in sprints and long-distance races. These race series for near-series GT cars are noted for their very varied participants and great excitement. Not least because of their comparatively favourable cost structure, they are enjoying increasing worldwide popularity.

AMG, the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz, is entering a new business sector with the new SLS AMG GT3: the development, production and marketing of sports racing cars intended for customer use. Sales of these customer cars are expected to commence in autumn 2010, and homologation of the GT3 variant will be completed in time for the 2011 racing season.

"Thanks to uncompromising lightweight construction and superior handling dynamics, the SLS AMG provides an outstanding basis for a highly competitive racing car. This exciting GT3 version is our response to strong customer demand for a car designed for these attractive motor sports series. Once again, it demonstrates AMG's huge experience gained in more than 40 years of motor sports, and its great expertise in the development of unique high-performance cars," says Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

The new SLS AMG GT3 is an emphatic continuation of AMG's commitment to motor sports. AMG has been a pioneer in the motor sports world ever since its foundation in 1967. The new racing version of the SLS AMG is developed and produced by AMG in close cooperation with HWA AG. HWA is responsible for the DTM racing team on behalf of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports. The HWA team is one of the most successful in international motor sports, as witness nine driver championships in the DTM and ITC, as well as two championship titles in the FIA GT Championships.

The SLS AMG GT3 is set to write another chapter in this success story, and harks back to the 300 SL racing sports car of 1952 which first established the "gullwing" legend. Its historic victory in the "Carrera Panamericana" long-distance race also made Mercedes-Benz a household name in North and Central America, and demonstrated the know-how and expertise of the Stuttgart-based automobile company.

Spectacular racing car looks and top-class performance

The new SLS AMG GT3 is wide, flat and has spectacular racing car looks. The main focus when modifying the body of this gullwing model was on aerodynamic performance – as is seen not only in the new front apron with a splitter, the bonnet with its central cooling air vent and the wider front and rear wings, but also in the the side wheel arch air vents, the sideskirts with cooling ducts for the rear brakes, the smooth underbody with a rear diffuser and the adjustable rear aerofoil. All these features ensure a low drag coefficient and maximum downforce – while guaranteeing effective cooling of thermally highly stressed components. The C-pillars accommodate the standardised filler pipes for the fast-refuel system.

The FIA will determine the maximum output of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication on the "Balance of Performance" principle. This is intended to ensure that all the racing cars taking part have an equal chance. The classification process, during which the kerb weight is also determined, will be completed in 2010. Power transmission in the GT3 variant is by a sequential six-speed racing transmission with steering wheel shift paddles and an integrated multi-disc locking differential. As in the standard SLS AMG, the transmission is located at the rear axle: the engine and transmission are connected by a torque tube within which a carbon-fibre shaft rotates at the engine speed, as in the roadgoing version.

The wheels are located by a double-wishbone suspension of forged aluminium at the front and rear. Adjustment facilities for the springs and shock absorbers, the suspension height, the stabilisers, the track width and camber allow an individual setup for the racetrack. Rack-and-pinion steering with a more direct ratio and speed-sensitive servo assistance make for extremely agile handling. Behind the central-locking AMG light-alloy wheels, a composite steel racing braking system with racing ABS ensures outstanding deceleration.

Functional racing car atmosphere in the interior

The interior of the SLS AMG GT3 is dominated by a functional racing car atmosphere: the steel rollover cage not only ensures the driver's safety, but also adds additional reinforcement to the aluminium spaceframe. Another eye-catching feature is the racing buucket seat with a six-point seat belt and HANS system (Head and Neck Support). The central display is perfectly positioned in the driver's field of vision, and shows all the relevant information such as speed, engine rpm, operating temperatures, lap times and the selected gear. The open-top racing steering wheel with gearshift paddles makes perfect vehicle control possible.

Additional controls are located on the centre console. This is where the driver can not only start the AMG V8 engine or adjust the traction control, but also select reverse gear or – if the worst comes to the worst – activate the integrated fire extinguisher system. The adjustment control for the brake balance is located on the torque tube tunnel.

On 30 July 2011 the customer team Black Falcon will be at the starting line of the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. The gull-wing with start number 35 has been given the same look as the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG with which Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz achieved a class victory and overall second place 40 years ago. Among the drivers of the SLS AMG GT3 will be Kenneth Heyer, Hans Heyer's son. A total of seven gull-wings will compete in this classic Belgian long-distance race.

The 40th anniversary on the occasion of the 63rd 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps celebrates the astonishing success achieved in 1971, when the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG won a class victory and second place in the overall ranking on its first outing. The SLS AMG GT3 is being entered by the private team Black Falcon, and is visually reminiscent of the legendary racing touring car that made AMG world-famous overnight. The red paint finish, the start number 35 and the sponsor stickers keep the memory alive, and almost give the two AMG racing cars the appearance of twins.

During the 24-hour race this very special gull-wing car will be driven by Kenneth Heyer (31, Wegberg), Thomas Jäger (34, Munich) and Stéphane Lémeret (37, Ophain-Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, Belgium). Kenneth Heyer has been an active racing driver since 2000, and on this 40th anniversary he is following in the footsteps of his father Hans Heyer, who achieved the sensational 1971 success for AMG with his team colleague Clemens Schickentanz on the same racetrack.

Kenneth Heyer: "It's a great honour, exactly 40 years after my father's success, for me to be bringing the Black Falcon SLS AMG GT3 to the starting line of the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps. Together with my team colleagues, I will be trying to achieve at least second place. The car will no doubt attract plenty of attention in the line-up with its look reminiscent of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG, but naturally the focus will be on a good racing performance. The SLS AMG GT3 has the potential for a place on the winner's rostrum, but as we all know, a 24-hour race obeys laws of its own."

Hans Heyer: "40 years after our class victory and second overall place, I think it is a great idea to enter the Spa-Francorchamps race with the SLS AMG GT3 in the same look as "my" 300 SEL 6.8 AMG. Naturally I wish the Black Falcon team and my son Kenneth every success – and will be delighted if he wins at least second place!"

Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "This project of entering an SLS AMG GT3 in the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps with the same look as the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG of 1971 deserves a round of applause. I wish Kenneth Heyer, his team colleagues and the Black Falcon customer team every success. Naturally we at Mercedes-AMG also have our fingers firmly crossed for the other private teams who are competing in the race with the SLS AMG GT3. The customer sport programme for the gull-wing, which commenced in 2010, has made a good start, and the SLS AMG GT3 has immediately shown itself to be a racing car with great potential. To date we have sold 35 examples to private teams all over the world."

Hans Werner Aufrecht, founder of AMG and Chairman of the Supervisory Board at HWA AG: "For me this project is an outstanding example of how passionate commitment to motorsports can manifest itself. It is also impressive to see how AMG has developed 40 years after our second place in the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps in 1971. I have my fingers crossed for Kenneth Heyer, and of course also the other teams who will at the starting line with the SLS AMG GT3."

In addition to Black Falcon with start number 35, six more SLS AMG GT3s will be competing in Spa-Francorchamps. The teams and drivers are as follows:

Koen Wauters (B)/Anthony Kumpen (B)/Mike Hezemans (NL), start number 15, KRK Racing Team Holland (Belgium). The driver duo Kumpen/Hezemans won the 24-hour race in 2009.
Raf Vanthoor (B)/Marius Ritskes (NL)/Bernhard Van Oranje (NL)/Dennis Retra (NL), start number 16, KRK-Racing Team Holland (Belgium)
Kenneth Heyer (D)/Thomas Jäger (D)/Stéphane Lémeret (B), start number 35, Black Falcon (Germany)
David Jones (GB)/Godfrey Jones (GB)/Mike Jordan (GB), start number 90, Preci Spark team (Great Britain)
Andrii Lebed (UA)/Bret Curtis (USA)/Peter van de Kolk (NL)/Jeroen van de Heuvel (NL), start number 46, Black Falcon (Germany)
Olivier Panis (F)/Nicolas Lapierre (F)/Eric Debard (F)/Grégoire Demoustier (F), start number 54, Graff Racing (France)
Philippe Haezebrouck (F)/Massimo Vignali (I)/Gilles Vannelet (F)/Mike Parisy (F), start number 55, Graff Racing (France)

The 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps is one of the classic events in the international long-distance racing calendar. The race was first held in 1924, and until 1978 the 14.8-kilometre course was used. Since 1979 the race has been held on the shorter, 7.0-kilometre course. This tradition-laden circuit in the Belgian Ardennes is the favourite racetrack of many drivers. 70 cars have been entered in this year's 24-hour race, which comes under the FIA's GT3 and GT4 rules. 250 drivers will be competing. The race starts at 4 p.m. on 30 July 2011.

With the new SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY", Mercedes-AMG is presenting an exclusively appointed special series which is aimed at car collectors with a particular penchant for motor racing. The customer sport racing car is being built by hand in a limited edition of no more than five vehicles in Affalterbach. Record DTM champion and AMG brand ambassador Bernd Schneider is involved hands-on in the production process, installing the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine in the SLS AMG GT3

"45th ANNIVERSARY" together with an AMG engine fitter.

The exclusive collector’s item is also a synonym for the successful AMG Customer Sports Programme: With currently 32 victories in the 2012 Motor Sports Season and the winning of three driver and team titles in the FIA GT3 European Championship, the ADAC GT Masters and the FIA GT1 World Championship, the race edition of the gullwing car of Mercedes-AMG is an impressive success story as well.

A number of exterior and interior modifications have been carried out for the special SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" model. The body of the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" gleams auspiciously in the new designo magno graphite matt paint finish, for example. To date, this matt paintwork has been exclusive to the SL 65 AMG "45th ANNIVERSARY", which was unveiled to mark the 45th birthday of Mercedes-AMG at the New York International Auto Show in April 2012. The AMG light-alloy wheels in designo magno graphite complement the body's matt paintwork to perfection.

Another eye-catching feature is the striking "45 Years of Driving Performance" logo framed in silver on the GT3 racing car's gullwing doors. The special edition's logo embodies consummate design right down to the finer points of detail: closer inspection reveals the exposed carbon-fibre structure of the gullwing doors under the matt paintwork. The doors, along with the bonnet, mudguards, boot lid, rear wings, front and rear apron, front splitter and rear diffusor, are produced in the particularly lightweight motorsport material CFRP (CFRP = carbon fibre reinforced plastic).

The interior of the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" evokes a functional racing car atmosphere, refined by high-quality, exclusive details: the steel roll-over cage is finished in matt "designo magno graphite" to match the exterior. The racing car's dashboard and centre console sport a matt carbon-fibre finish. Effective contrasts are produced by six-point seat belts and a steering wheel spider in silver.
The collector's item also boasts a seat shell in a high-strength carbon-fibre safety cell on the co-driver's side. A special badge with a "1 of 5" logo on the seats and the centre console alludes to the limited production run for this racing car. The standard appointments for the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" are rounded off by a high-quality AMG indoor car cover with "45 Years of Driving Performance" logo.

Bernd Schneider as a VIP engine fitter
In keeping with the exclusive exterior and interior equipment and appointments, the engineering under the bonnet is of a similarly exclusive standard. 48 year-old racing driver Bernd Schneider is assisting the responsible AMG engine fitter in installing the naturally aspirated AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine. The special AMG engine badge bearing the signatures of Bernd Schneider and the responsible engine fitter attest to this high-calibre duo's handiwork. Customers who acquire one of the rare SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" models also receive an exclusive vehicle certificate signed by Bernd Schneider.

The five-times DTM champion, overall ITC winner from 1995 and FIA GT world champion from 1997 works for Mercedes-AMG as a brand ambassador and an instructor at the AMG Driving Academy.
As an established expert in the field of SLS AMG GT3 customer sport Bernd Schneider has carried out the majority of the test drives for the racing version of the gullwing model. He also participates in selected races as part of the AMG driver support set-up. Bernd Schneider competed for various AMG customer teams in 2012, including the 24-hour Dubai race, at the Nürburgring and in Spa-Francorchamps. In the ninth race of the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring, Bernd Schneider took a start position together with Jeroen Bleekemolen (NED) for the AMG Customer Team Black Falcon and won the 4-hour race. After numerous podium positions in the past two years, this was his first victory with the SLS AMG GT3.

Vehicle handover directly at AMG headquarters
Handover of the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" takes place directly at Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, where customers are also granted exclusive insights into the AMG world and have an opportunity to sample AMG's hallmark excellent service and support quality. An in-depth introduction to operation of the new vehicle and its engineering and technology is provided in the new 360 square-metre handover hall. In the case of this special GT3 racing car, this instruction is provided personally by AMG brand ambassador Bernd Schneider.

The programme also includes a tour of the factory, taking in the AMG Performance Studio, where exclusive series of individual AMG cars and one-off vehicles are developed and hand-made. This is followed by a visit to the AMG engine "Manufaktur" (hand-finishing section), where Bernd Schneider and the AMG engine fitter assembled this special AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine by hand. On request, the SLS AMG GT3 "45th ANNIVERSARY" customer can enjoy a race track coaching session as part of an initiation event with the vehicle.