# Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (2011–2015)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/mercedes-sls-amg-gt3/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: car · Brand: Mercedes
- Discipline: gt-racing
- Series: gt3
- Era: 2010s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The SLS AMG GT3 was Mercedes-AMG's first GT3 customer car, built with HWA from 2011. It used the road car's 6.2-litre V8 and a Hewland transaxle. It won the Nürburgring and Spa 24 Hours in 2013. Today it suits buyers who want a front-engined GT3 for historic endurance grids.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | Mercedes-AMG M159 V8, 6,208 cc, naturally aspirated, dry sump, front-mid mounted [2][4] |
| Power | About 550 hp at 7,300 rpm and 650 Nm at 4,800 rpm (Rowe Racing, 2014); output set by FIA Balance of Performance [4][0] |
| Weight | Over 1,300 kg; the 2013 update removed 9 kg [2] |
| Gearbox | Hewland six-speed sequential transaxle with paddle shift and multi-plate locking differential, joined to the engine by a torque tube with carbon shaft [0][2][3] |
| Chassis | Aluminium spaceframe stiffened by a steel roll cage, CFRP seat safety cell, carbon body panels [0][2] |
| Brakes | Steel discs on aluminium hats, six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, racing ABS [1][0] |
| Fuel Tank | 120-litre CFRP safety tank with inner bladder, mounted at the rear axle [0] |
| Wheels | 18-inch centre-lock, 12 x 18 front and 13 x 18 rear [1] |
| Years | Shown March 2010; customer deliveries from February 2011; late cars built in 2014 [1][0][14] |
| Built | 86 sold according to Wikipedia; about 100 SLS race cars according to The Drive [8][10] |

## History

Mercedes-AMG presented the SLS AMG GT3 in March 2010, at the same time as the road car went on sale [1]. It was built to FIA GT3 rules as a customer car for sprint and endurance racing [0]. AMG developed and built it with HWA AG, the company that ran the Mercedes DTM team [0]. Bernd Schneider did most of the test driving from June 2010 [0].

Orders opened in August 2010 at €334,000 before VAT, with left-hand drive only [0]. Deliveries started in February 2011 after FIA homologation [0]. The car kept the road car's M159 6.2-litre V8 with dry-sump lubrication [2]. A Hewland six-speed sequential gearbox replaced the road car's Getrag dual-clutch unit, still at the rear axle [2][3]. A torque tube with a carbon shaft links engine and gearbox, as on the road car [0].

The car kept evolving during its life. The FIA approved carbon doors in mid-2012, replacing the first aluminium doors [2]. For 2013 AMG cut 9 kg with carbon pedal-box slide housings and lightening holes in non-structural frame parts [2]. In October 2012 AMG offered five 45th Anniversary cars in matt graphite paint at €450,000 including VAT [5]. Schneider helped install their engines and signed each certificate [5].

Customer cars raced across Europe, Asia, Australia and the USA [8]. AMG still ran a points trophy for SLS GT3 entrants in the 2015 season [7]. Its successor, the Mercedes-AMG GT3, kept the M159 engine family, which helps engine parts supply today [10]. Late SLS cars were still being built in 2014 [14][13]. Many survivors now run in historic GT and endurance series [12][15].

## Palmarès

The car won its first VLN race at the Nürburgring in October 2010, before customer deliveries began [8]. Black Falcon won the Dubai 24 Hours with it in 2012 and 2013 [8]. In 2013 it won the Bathurst 12 Hour with Erebus Motorsport [8]. The same year Black Falcon won the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the first Mercedes win there [9]. Its drivers were Bernd Schneider, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Sean Edwards and Nicki Thiim [9]. It then won the 2013 Spa 24 Hours, the first Mercedes win in that race since 1964 [8]. In Super GT, GAINER won the 2013 GT300 season opener with an SLS [2]. Rowe Racing finished third overall at the 2014 Nürburgring 24 Hours [4].

## What to check before you buy

Match the chassis number to its race history and ask about any shell replacement: At least one car had a new shell fitted late in its life, which matters for value and historic acceptance. Get written kilometres since the last engine and gearbox service, and who did the work: One documented car had its gearbox rebuilt by HWA 1,000 km before sale. Without such records the next bill is a guess. List which updates are fitted: door material, 2013 weight-saving parts, data system: The car changed in 2012 and 2013, so two SLS GT3s can differ in parts and weight. Count the spares package: spare engine, gearbox, wheel sets and body panels: Dealer cars have been offered with a spare engine and gearbox or several wheel sets, and this changes the real price. Ask for the fuel-cell bladder's manufacture and certification dates: The car uses a 120-litre CFRP tank with an inner bladder; an old bladder may need replacing before racing. Sit in the car before buying: The carbon seat shell is fixed; pedals and steering wheel slide to fit the driver, so check your size works. Confirm with the organiser that the car is accepted for your target series: Masters lists the SLS GT3 for its Endurance Legends grid, but historic rules and windows change from year to year.

## Did you know

- The SLS AMG GT3 won its first VLN race in October 2010, months before customer deliveries [8].
- Its 2013 Nürburgring 24 Hours win was the first for Mercedes at that race [9].
- One Rowe Racing car covered 50,150 km on a single engine without a rebuild by October 2014 [4].

## Frequently asked questions

**What gearbox does the SLS AMG GT3 use?** It uses a Hewland six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shift, mounted at the rear axle. A torque tube with a carbon shaft joins it to the engine, as on the road car. A multi-plate locking differential sits inside the gearbox. The road car's Getrag dual-clutch unit was not used.

**Is it the same engine as the road SLS?** It is the M159 6.2-litre V8 with dry-sump lubrication, sharing its design with the road car. Output depends on restrictors set by Balance of Performance; Rowe Racing quoted about 550 hp in 2014. The same engine family went into the later Mercedes-AMG GT3, which helps parts supply.

**Where can I race an SLS AMG GT3 today?** Masters Historic Racing names it on the 2026 eligibility list for Masters Endurance Legends. One dealer also lists Peter Auto's Endurance Racing Legends and US historic events such as the Daytona and Sebring Classics. Always confirm with the organiser, because historic windows and accepted specifications change.

**What is special about the 45th Anniversary cars?** Only five were offered, in October 2012, at €450,000 including VAT. They have matt graphite paint, '1 of 5' badges and a passenger-side carbon seat shell. The engine badge is signed by Bernd Schneider and an AMG fitter. Ask for Schneider's signed certificate when one is offered.

**How many were built?** Sources differ. Wikipedia gives 86 sold, citing a 2019 article, while The Drive put the total at about 100 SLS race cars in 2022. Production ran from 2011 deliveries to late cars built in 2014. Treat any 'one of X' claim from a seller with care.

## Sources

- Sales launch for the SLS AMG GT3 (Mercedes-Benz press release) — https://www.autoevolution.com/pdf/news_attachements/mercedes-benz-sls-amg-gt3-available-for-order-23345.pdf
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 revealed (press release text) — https://www.automotiveaddicts.com/?p=10578
- GT3 anatomy (2): Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 — https://www.as-web.jp/past/連載gt3解剖（2）メルセデスベンツsls-amg-gt3
- New Merc Gullwing racer — https://www.carenthusiast.com/news/article/4560/-/2011-Mercedes-Benz-SLS+AMG+GT3/New+Merc+Gullwing+racer.html
- ROWE Racing: 50,000 km without engine rebuild — https://archivesovh.endurance-info.com/en/?p=41980
- Exclusive special edition: AMG presents limited edition of SLS AMG GT3 — https://www.adac-motorsport.de/en/adac-gt-masters/news/2012/exclusive-special-edition-of-championship-winning-amg-presents-limited-edition-of-sls-amg-gt3/
- Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3 45th Anniversary model — https://evo.co.uk/mercedes/sl/12790/mercedes-benz-sls-gt3-45th-anniversary-model
- New one-make trophy for Gullwing drivers — https://www.adac-motorsport.de/en/adac-gt-masters/news/2014/new-one-make-trophy-for-gullwing-drivers-sls-amg-drivers-can-score-points-in-new-trophy-competition/
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SLS_AMG
- Bernd Schneider steers Mercedes to first Nurburgring 24 Hour victory — https://speedcafe.com/bernd-schneider-steers-mercedes-to-first-nurburgring-24-hour-victory/
- Inside Mercedes-AMG's rolling bank of GT race car parts — https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/inside-mercedes-amgs-rolling-bank-of-gt-race-car-parts
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Lot 222, chassis 136 — https://www.iconicauctioneers.com/2013-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-gt3-rec02612-1-0715
- Mercedes-AMG SLS GT3, chassis 106 — https://en.ascottcollection.com/mercedes-amg-sls-gt3
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, chassis 135 (Mecum lot S139) — https://classiccars.com/listings/view/927939/2014-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-gt3-for-sale-in-kissimmee-florida-34744
- $1.6m car with no turbos, no gimmicks — https://autofile.co.nz/16m-car-with-no-turbos-no-gimmicks-
- Masters Endurance Legends MEL1 eligibility list 2026 — https://cms.mastershistoricracing.com/files/uploads/2026/04/masters-mel1-eligibility-list-2026-1.pdf
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 market — https://www.classic.com/m/mercedes-benz/sls/gt3
- racingcarnetwork.com search: SLS — https://racingcarnetwork.com/?s=SLS

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