For Sale at Auction: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS in Newport, Rhode Island

Chassis No. WDDRJ7HA8BA005265

It is not often that engineers and designers are asked to create a super sports car from a clean sheet of paper, but that was precisely the challenge given to Mercedes-AMG in the late 2000s. Led by designer Mark Fetherston, the team created a spiritual successor to the legendary 300 SL Gullwing, combining its signature doors and long-hood proportions with thoroughly modern engineering. Making its world premiere at the 2009 Frankfurt International Auto Show, the SLS AMG was the first car designed and developed entirely from the ground up by Mercedes-AMG.

At its heart was the AMG-designed 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8, producing 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Derived from AMG's motorsport experience, the dry-sump engine allowed a lower installation and a low center of gravity, while its hand-built construction followed AMG's "one man, one engine" philosophy. A carbon-fiber driveshaft connected the front-mid-mounted engine to a rear-mounted transaxle, providing an ideal 47:53 front-to-rear weight distribution. With a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch transmission, the SLS could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and reach an electronically limited 197 mph.

Hailing from the 2011 model year, this U.S.-market SLS AMG wears a highly individual yet classic specification. Finished in optional designo Alanite Grey Magno matte paint over a designo Exclusive single-tone Classic Red leather interior, this SLS AMG combines a rarely seen exterior finish with an interior that echoes the classic Gullwing form with a modern twist. Additional factory-fitted options include an AMG performance steering wheel, interior trim in high-gloss carbon fiber, exterior AMG carbon-fiber package, AMG performance suspension, and Bang & Olufsen's 1,000 Watt Sound System, among other desirable options as recorded on its digital build sheet.

First sold via Keyes European Mercedes-Benz in Van Nuys, California, its CARFAX Vehicle History Report reveals that it remained with its original owner until a public sale in 2022 with only 3,470 miles recorded at the time and all servicing performed by the original selling dealership. It then passed to only its second owner in Canada. A mileage inconsistency reported by CARFAX is likely the result of a miles-to-kilometers conversion error recorded when the car was serviced in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June 2024.

Now returned to the United States for Broad Arrow's inaugural Audrain Auction, this exceptionally specified SLS AMG is offered in excellent, collectible condition and is now fitted with the optional AMG 10-spoke forged wheels, showing just 4,191 miles. As the modern reinterpretation of one of Mercedes-Benz's most celebrated shapes, the SLS AMG occupies a singular place in the marque's lineage, with this exceptionally specified example carrying the Gullwing tradition forward with contemporary AMG performance and a highly individual specification.