The 2024 SEMA Present is now lower than three months away. As at all times, we’re wanting ahead to seeing what new builds will flip up on the Las Vegas Conference Heart.
At SEMA 2013, a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG instantly piqued our curiosity – and for good purpose. The supercharged and wide-bodied Speedconcepts SLS wasn’t only a showfloor looker – it had loads of efficiency to again it up, having been constructed to compete in One Lap of America. For this week’s throwback put up, let’s revisit Mike Garrett and Larry Chen’s characteristic from 2014…
2014 Characteristic
I spend numerous my day fascinated by automobiles. In all probability far more than is wholesome. After all I might be forgiven as automobiles are my profession, nevertheless it nonetheless looks as if I usually spend all the day with cars driving by means of my thoughts. A variety of the occasions it’s fascinated by a characteristic I’m attempting to jot down or a narrative I’m attempting to chase. Different occasions it’s scheming about elements and plans for my very own venture automobiles.
Maybe it’s as a result of I’m so busy fascinated by different issues, however I haven’t had a lot time these days to really dream about automobiles. You recognize, simply throw out all the true world limitations and fantasize concerning the automobiles we’d prefer to personal and drive.
And as uncommon as these moments may be as of late for me, it’s at all times nice enjoyable to only lay again and take into consideration what we might drive if cash was no object. Once you throw the monetary issue out the window, it’s pure that your thoughts will wander to supercars and exotics. They’re in spite of everything, the last word type of automotive fantasy for many individuals.
So on this fantasy world, what sort of automobile would you prefer to hop into? A Ferrari? A McLaren? Lamborghini? Possibly one thing modest like a Porsche? It’s a enjoyable however tough selection isn’t it?
Whereas it’s possible unimaginable to slim issues right down to a single automobile, the one mannequin that I preserve coming again to is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It may not be on the highest of most individuals’s unique automobile lists, however there’s one thing concerning the SLS that simply presses the appropriate buttons for me.
For one thing you will drive on daily basis, the SLS simply appears so proper. It seems to be unique, however not too unique as to trigger spectator pile-ups all over the place you go. It’s obtained all the luxurious goodies you’d count on from a top-of-the-line-Mercedes, and all of the horsepower you can need.
However most of all, I believe there’s simply one thing that units the SLS aside from different automobiles in its class. Whether or not it’s these iconic gullwing doorways or that basic lengthy hood, brief deck physique design, it’s a simple automobile to dream about.
So sure, the SLS is a quick, distinctive and well-rounded automobile – one I’d be ecstatic to have in my very own storage. However what about relating to modifications? When a automobile is so spectacular from the manufacturing unit, bettering it with aftermarket elements can change into fairly a problem.
That’s what brings me to the Speedconcepts SLS, which we had the pleasure of capturing on the 2013 Optima Final Avenue Automotive Shootout following the 2013 SEMA Present. Let this serve for example of find out how to take a automobile that’s already rattling good and make it higher.
Speedconcepts is a full service race and fabrication store situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that works with all matter of excessive efficiency autos, together with the Nissan GT-R. It was with a modified GT-R that Speedconcepts competed within the famed One Lap of America – an eight day endurance occasion that spans a number of the USA’s high race tracks.
For the 2013 One Lap occasion, Speedconcepts’ Todd Treffert determined he would do one thing totally different and compete together with his 2012 SLS AMG. With the times to the occasion counting down, the inventory SLS was reworked into the automobile you see right here in simply eight weeks.
Simply probably the most dramatic change on the automobile is the widebody package, which was designed and constructed completely by Ty from Speedconcepts through the span of these two brief months.
The package attracts numerous inspiration from the SLS GT3 race automobiles, with the entrance fenders being an inch wider than inventory and the rear fenders being two inches wider. The one elements of the physique that weren’t altered have been these well-known gullwing doorways.
The consequence may be very a lot one thing that appears like a barely toned-down race automobile, and it’s unbelievable to assume that the entire package was constructed from the bottom up in solely two months.
However as you most likely know, One Lap of America is just not a contest of which automobile seems to be the perfect, it’s about efficiency and the widebody conversion would solely be one a part of the automobile’s transformation.
Below the hood, the blokes handled the double overhead cam V8 to a supercharger package from Mercedes blower specialists Kleeman in Denmark.
Together with an identical Kleeman exhaust system, the Speedconcepts SLS is now placing down almost 800 horsepower, which is the right bounce from the already spectacular inventory output.
Beneath the automobile, the staff put in a set of KW Clubsport three-way adjustable shocks together with a customized air suspension package that permits the automobile to be dropped by as much as two inches throughout observe days.
Filling up the aggressive bodywork are a set of Forgeline GA1R wheels, 20×11-inch within the entrance and 20×12-inch within the rear with 305/30R20 and 335/35R20 Michelin tires respectively.
For the reason that automobile could be seeing loads of onerous driving, the manufacturing unit seats have been eliminated in favor of Sparco fixed-back buckets with SCHROTH Racing harnesses and harness bar.
Amazingly, the race-ready Sparcos look very at dwelling within the matching pink inside and assist the cockpit preserve an amazing steadiness of each operate and luxury.
Whereas the automobile was accomplished simply in time for the 2013 One Lap occasion, there was sadly no time for observe testing earlier than the large present started. Due to this, final yr’s occasion basically turned a shakedown for the automobile.
By the second to final day, the SLS was working seventh total, however an off-course tour at Virginia Worldwide Raceway broken the entrance fascia, oil cooler and popped a tire. For Speedconcepts the occasion was over.
Subsequent got here the 2013 SEMA Present and the Final Avenue Automotive Problem that adopted.
Together with his observe expertise within the automobile nonetheless restricted, Todd positioned the SLS in twelfth place of 60 complete opponents through the USCC.
It wasn’t a nasty consequence by any means, however Todd says with extra observe time a podium end must be inside simple attain.
So what’s subsequent for the automobile now? For now, the plan is to return to the One Lap of America in 2014 with the automobile totally dialed in and able to assault – with a podium end being the clear objective.
After that, the automobile will reside a comparatively simple life in Florida the place it would function Todd’s each day driver and in addition because the occasional observe day weapon.
Todd says the automobile itself is nice to go, with no future modifications deliberate. He simply needs extra observe time so he can get comfy extracting each little bit of potential from the SLS.
With race automobile seems to be, race automobile efficiency and all the identical fashion and sophistication that makes the SLS AMG such a particular machine, I’d say Speedconcepts has actually set the right instance of find out how to modify a dream automobile.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Images by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
