Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series (2013-2014) review – AMG’s ultimate Ferrari F12 rival

Before the Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series appeared, AMG’s most hardcore, exclusive line of cars had been a bit hit and miss. They were thrillers to be sure and appreciably jewel-like objects, but there was  latent potential to make Black Series so much more – a line of AMG’s to appeal to the most hardcore, dedicated drivers. 

That’s exactly what AMG managed with the car created to wave off its gullwing-doored SLS AMG supercar, the 2013 SLS AMG Black Series. It was a true answer to Porsche’s most potent GT cars of the day and a Mercedes-AMG to genuinely challenge the Ferrari F12 in terms of its properly special and exotic feel. 

At evo Car of the Year 2013 this ultimate SLS was the winner for some testers, even if it dropped to third step in the aggregate, just one point down on the F12 that took second.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series in detail

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• M159 V8 revs higher, is more powerful and less torquey
• Upgraded e-diff, suspension, transmission
• 70kg weight reduction

The legendary Mercedes-AMG 6.2-litre V8 was already different enough in the standard SLS to warrant its own M159 name code. For the Black Series it underwent further changes and refinement to increase power, raise the revs and boost intensity. 

The jump from 563 to 622bhp at 7400rpm was thanks to redesigned valve gear, modified camshafts and a revised intake system. It also allowed the V8 to rev to 8000rpm – that’s really high for such a high-capacity engine. Such was the focus on power and a thrilling higher end that the Black Series actually ended up down on torque by comparison to the standard SLS – 468lb ft at 5500rpm versus 479lb ft at 4750rpm. 

It did have less weight to shift, though. The SLS Black Series dropped 70kg in comparison to the standard car for a 1550kg official kerb weight (though we weighed it at 1644kg). The weight loss comes thanks to an upgraded titanium exhaust (saving 13kg), lightweight seats, a carbonfibre bonnet, a lithium-ion battery (saving 8kg), a carbonfibre prop shaft (saving 13.3kg) and various other weight saving measures. 

The dual-clutch speedshift gearbox received a shorter final drive, new software and promised quicker shifts. Most importantly, it delivered better response to inputs from the paddles – an area where the standard SLS always frustrated.

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It also featured two stage adjustable dampers with stiffer springs, a specifically tuned Sport Handling setting for the stability and traction control, ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres, an upgraded active rear locking differential and revised power steering.

Then there was the most obvious bit and a Black Series trademark – the dramatic looks. The SLS AMG Black Series featured a wider track – 20mm at the front and 24mm at the rear clothed in wider bodywork and carbonfibre aero addenda providing a nominal reduction of drag. The wing was manually adjustable, so you could optimise it to reduce drag on the road, then add downforce for track work.

The gullwing doors are enormously dramatic on the standard SLS and remain so on the Black Series. Likewise the interior is probably the aspect of its presentation that at once dates it and adds intrigue. Nicely put together but a total button fest, with a tiny screen and intricate dials, it’s as much a product of its time as it is jewel-like in 2026. The carbon and Alcantara trim and Recaro Pole Position carbonfibre seats with the AMG insignia add a special feeling, not to mention strong support and a great driving position in the case of the latter.

Driver's note

'The SLS Black is direct and firm and grippy and bellowy, just as I imagine the Nürburgring 24-hour AMG SLS GT3 racers are. All it needs is some Rowe Racing stickers. It’s an aggressive, choppy, busy sort of car, which is fine at low speed, but it doesn’t settle at speed and that’s my issue. You make stunning progress but every now and then the throttle softens and you realise the stability system is cutting the power over what feel like mild bumps.' – John Barker, evo editor-at-large, evo 200.

Driving the SLS AMG Black Series

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• Engine is an all-time thriller
• Responsive, balanced
• But the ride can be prohibitively bouncy on a rough road

‘The size of the SLS Black Series and narrow roads that suddenly feel more like Lord March’s driveway, only with oncoming traffic and potholes, immediately puts you on edge. Then there’s the combination of the incredibly stiff ride, sharp throttle, super-pointy front end and a rear axle that’s just can’t deliver total traction like a 911 GT2 RS. When the 325/30 ZR20 Michelin Cup 2 rear tyres are warm they put up a really impressive fight, but in the cold and damp they struggle with the V8’s intensity.

‘The 6.2-litre V8 is magical – like a different engine from lesser versions fitted to cars such as the W204 C63. And I can’t ever remember complaining too much about the more prosaic applications. But this thing is something else. It has an amazing sharpness at any revs and a focused blast-wave of performance that builds and builds and then goes berserk. The top end is insane, almost shockingly so. And while you might think that 622bhp isn’t much to shout about in the context of, say, a Ferrari F12, I can assure you that the Black Series feels ballistic.

‘It takes time but eventually the Black Series starts to feel like it’s digging into the road rather than skimming along it. The steering doesn’t breathe with the levels of feedback that a 997 does, but there is confidence-building detail there. The body control is stunning with no roll or dive at all and the front end is completely trustworthy. Trust what it’s telling you and you discover a front end of extreme agility and huge resilience. It just turns. This is the key dynamic trait to appreciate because in an instant the Black Series stops being a point-and-shoot machine and allows you to carry real speed.

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‘That means on a corner exit the rear axle isn’t being shocked by a sudden torque loading and starts to find real bite... The SLS clicks, front and rear working as one, engine climbing its vast power curve, the twin-clutch ’box expertly hitting home perfect upshifts and – finally – decisive downshifts. It’s taken a while but the Black Series has shown the composure, agility and immense capability that allowed it to run the 991 GT3 and Ferrari F12 so close at evo Car of the Year 2013.

‘You can’t beat front-engine/ rear-drive cars for a bit of over-the-edge fun. What limits the SLS is its sheer girth, a slight inconsistency in the brake pedal and incredibly aggressive damping with very little suspension travel. This never revealed itself on the Route Napoléon at eCoty 2013, on smoother roads or on a racetrack, but in the Scottish Borders the Black’s track focus is palpable and, on occasion, little short of terrifying. 

‘In a straight line in fourth or even fifth gear, a little bump that a GT2 RS would barely register is a big deal in the Black. Hit a similar bump mid-corner and the whole car can leap half a car’s width from your chosen line. It only takes one incident like that to deconstruct the confidence you’ve built in the car and suddenly it once again feels big, edgy and likely to bite when you least expect it.’ – Jethro Bovingdon, evo 204.

Driver’s notes – evo Car of the Year 2013

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‘Despite appearances, it’s a nuanced machine. It’s vast and looks totally unwieldy, but with time you discover it’s exceptionally precise, with the lightweight feel of something like a 911 RS. It’s also surprisingly adept at going slowly. Definitely one to make room for in the Meaden Fantasy Garage.’ – Richard Meaden, evo editor-at-large.

‘I never thought I’d vote a Mercedes top in performance car terms, and I never thought I’d put it ahead of the 991 GT3, but I found it more thrilling more of the time. Of all the cars on the test, it was the one I was mentally speccing up in my head.’ – Nick Trott, former evo editor.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series values and rivals

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The SLS AMG Black Series was considered expensive at £229,985 when revealed in 2013. Especially when the 997 Porsche 911 GT2 RS with which we compared it back in evo 204, could be had for almost £70,000 less when it was new just a year before. But such is the passage of time, the mysterious whims of the market, the fact fewer than 400 were made and the draw of the kind of naturally-aspirated V8 we’ll probably never see again, that these are now worth well over £600,000.

What could you have instead? Well, the aforementioned GT2 RS is a similarly punchy hopped-up coupe of Teutonic origin. You could also look to a Ferrari 599 GTO or a Lexus LFA – both commanding closer to £1million than £500,000. In reality, a Ferrari F12 for £140,000 has all of these, including the Mercedes, covered for thrills and certainly performance.

Specs

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