Like the legendary 300SL Gullwing before it, the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is going racing. Dubbed the SLS GT3, the new race car roared onto the stage today in New York a fully FIA-compliant track car. The street-legal SLS AMG, meanwhile, will go on sale in the U.S. in May starting at $183,000 to help meet homologation requirements.

The SLS GT3 will leave showrooms ready to race with a stripped interior and modified body work. Despite the gigantic wing hanging off the trunk, the SLS GT3 is lighter than the street car and will rip to 60 mph in no more than 3.5 seconds thanks to a monster 6.3-liter V-8 expected to make over 600 horsepower. One thing we know for certain is that it sounds absolutely wicked.




Mercedes isn't talking pricing for the racecar yet, but we expect it to be well north of the production car's sticker. Deliveries will begin in the Fall of 2010, well ahead of the start of the 2011 GT3 Series race season but with enough time to sell enough production cars to meet homologation requirements. On the track, it's expected to go up against top offerings from rival automakers including the Audi R8 LMS, BMW Z4 GT3 and Aston Martin DBRS9.