Autoblog UK

Mercedes have given the boys and girls at AMG a free hand and just look what they have come up with: one of the most exciting cars available today. Sporty through and through, possessing luxury aplenty and with an historical pedigree - that's how to build a supercar and show that German engineering is still in the premier league. One perfect technology package consisting of, aluminium space-frame body shell with gull-wing doors, AMG 6.3L, front-mounted V8 engine having dry sump lubrication, rated at 571bhp and 650 Nm, transaxle-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and sport's chassis with twin aluminium wishbones, guarantees superior driving dynamics and fun of the highest order The bad news, as always, is the price. At around 178,000 euros (£164,000), it's not exactly peanuts. But we can all have our dreams, more so than ever, given the present climate.

No fewer than 53 press conferences were held on the first day of the Frankfurt Motor Show, one of which proved so popular that they almost had to lock the doors of the Frankfurt Festival Hall. Fifty camera teams were on hand at the Mercedes-Benz press gathering to record the moment when the latest supercar from Affalterbach would be driven onto the stage – the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. For AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg, it was an emotional moment which left him struggling for words: "The whole team has been working really hard on this project for the past three years, so it's just a fantastic feeling to be presenting the vehicle to a worldwide audience here at the Frankfurt Motor Show. I won't try to hide just how proud we are of what we have achieved."

Since 11am on Tuesday, the red SLS AMG has been the centre of attention in the Mercedes hall. Camera crews have been queuing up to film the car from inside and outside, while photographers have been prostrating themselves to capture the full visual effect of the distinctive front end or chunky rear. The SLS is a real beauty. So much so that even Daimler CEO Dieter got a little carried away when the supercar rolled onto the stage shrouded in mist and illuminated by flashing cameras: "For someone like me who has petrol flowing in their veins, the fascination of a vehicle such as this is quite irresistible. It's a fantastic new product that obviously fills me with immense pleasure and pride: I also think it has been attractively presented." If you're one of those people for whom the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a must-have, you're in for a long wait: the first SLS isn't due for delivery until 27th March 2010.

After exactly 55 years, the legendary Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing has been reborn. Without doubt, it's going to be the star of this year's IAA in Frankfurt. More photos of the Mercedes SLS AMG have now been released and they're delicious.

The star of the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show is bound to be the new gull-winged Mercedes SLS AMG. The gracefully flapping doors are a real eye-catcher. This car is the epitome of myth and mystique. On a par with the legend of the big bird is the degree of secrecy surrounding the work being done over recent months by Mercedes off-shoot AMG on a super sports model in the 300 SL mould. The raw figures are astonishing: for 170,000 euros, you get 571 horsepower and 0 to 62 in under four seconds. This reincarnation of the 1954 classic is set to become a standard bearer for the marque. AMG claim it is capable of a top speed of 195mph (315km/h).

Top 10 preview IAA Frankfurt: Aston Martin Rapide, Audi A5 Sportback, BMW X1, Ferrari 458 Italia, IndiKar, Lexus LF-A

The canny Swabians in Stuttgart will soon be putting the most powerful E-Class ever on the road, in the shape of the E 63 AMG. It's not quicker, but more powerful and 12% more economical than its predecessor and in-house tuner AMG will be ready to roll out the E 63 in August 2009. With its 525 PS strong naturally aspirated 6.3 litre V8 engine, the AMG leaps from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds. The AMG Performance Studio will also be ready to add more custom individuality when orders are placed. The Mercedes E 63 AMG will be gracing showrooms from August 2009.

Mercedes-Benz have been providing the safety cars for Formula One for more than ten years now. The first model to perform this function was the Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG during the 1996 season. More recently, Mercedes have made extensive use of this vehicle for advertising purposes: "Nobody gets past a Mercedes!" The company's expertise was not confined to making racing cars go faster: they also sent increasingly sophisticated safety vehicles along to accompany the F1 circus on its travels and quite frequently play a major role in the outcome of the event. Every time they came out onto the track, even 'big brother' McLaren-Mercedes had to cede priority.

Last year, it was the SL63 AMG doing the honours in the top echelon of motor racing. This season too, the same model with a few modifications has made the long journey to Australia for the GP curtain-raiser. Amongst other things, the car has been equipped with three-stage traction control, massively boosted brakes and additional cooling for the hotter race weekends. Thanks to carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), the weight of the vehicle has also been considerably reduced. Take a look at the gallery and you'll envy Bernd Mayländer who gets to sit in this car, biding his time until the race stewards switch on the red lights...