What happens when you take a Mercedes SLS AMG, strip out the superfluous baloney, amp-up the engine and install race seats, gauges and gear? You get this — the factory-built Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 racer. Awesome.

The racer will use the same 6.3-litre V8 as the road car, but tuned to produce around 600bhp, according to what race organisers deem acceptable. It is linked to a six-speed racing gearbox with steering wheel mounted paddles, and an integrated multi-disc locking differential. It will also be significantly lighter than the road car.

Changes from the road car are chiefly aerodynamic. The GT3 racer sports a new front bumper with a splitter, the bonnet with a central cooling air vent and wider front and rear wings. There are also cooling vents in the side wheel arches and the sideskirts.

The underbody is now smooth, and a rear diffuser is fitted, as is an adjustable rear aerofoil. The C-pillars accommodate the standardised filler pipes for the fast-refuel system.

The car has double-wishbone suspension of forged aluminium at the front and rear. The springs and shock absorbers, the suspension height, the stabilisers, the track width and camber are all adjustable. Rack-and-pinion steering with a more direct ratio and speed-sensitive servo assistance improve handling. The brakes have also been uprated for racing.

“This exciting GT3 version is our response to strong customer demand for a car designed for these attractive motor sports series,” said Volker Mornhinweg, chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The stripped out interior has been modified for racing. Pricing hasn’t been announced.

[Source: AutoCar]