Josh Whelan had plenty of time to fantasise about owning a new $450,000 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG gullwing supercar, as he mopped the floors around the sleek visitor at Armstrong Prestige Mercedes-Benz in Dunedin yesterday.
The car, which was sold before it arrived in New Zealand, will be on display for public viewing today and tomorrow as part of a tour of Mercedes-Benz showrooms around the country.
The brochure says the hand-built car is "the jewel" in the Mercedes-Benz crown - a "masterpiece" oozing style, strength and speed, one of only 10 being brought into New Zealand this year.
The vehicle is the reborn 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, which was powered by a six-cylinder, 3.0-litre engine.
Named Sports Car of the Century and the fastest production car of its day, the 1954 beauty accelerated from 0-100kmh in 7.4sec.
Sporting many technological advancements, the 2010 SLS AMG accelerates from zero to 100kmh in 3.8 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 317kmh.
It weighs a little over 1600kg and is powered by a 6.3-litre V8 engine, which develops 420kW or 563hp at 6800rpm, making it one of the most powerful sports cars in its class.
Armstrong Prestige Mercedes-Benz brand manager Matt Smith said orders for more SLS AMGs were being taken, and the first would be delivered to Dunedin in January.
For those with a little extra cash available, the car can be upgraded with ceramic brakes for $26,000; painted red for $10,000; and an ashtray fitted for $150.
The car will be on display at Armstrong Prestige in Princes St, Dunedin, today (9am-5pm) and tomorrow (10am-4pm).
