The SL 63 AMG, as the Official F1™ Safety Car, is to continue to help ensure maximum safety, this time for the 2009 Formula 1 season. AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, will be on duty with the specially prepared high-performance vehicle at all 17 of the new season's Formula 1 races, starting with a first appearance at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne (27 to 29 March 2009). The specialists from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO are responsible for the development, production and servicing of the vehicle.
The 2009 Safety Car is equipped with a 525-horsepower AMG 6.3-liter V8 that rockets it from zero to 60 mph in less than 4.4 seconds. The engine is mated to a seven-speed sport transmission with column shift "which makes is possible to change gear in just 100 milliseconds."
SL 63 AMG : the Official F1™ Safety Car
The SL 63 AMG, as the Official F1™ Safety Car, is to continue to help ensure maximum safety, this time for the 2009 Formula 1 season. AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, will be on duty with the specially prepared high-performance vehicles at all 17 of the new season's Formula 1 races, starting with a first appearance at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne (27 to 29 March 2009). The specialists from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO are responsible for the development, production and servicing of the vehicle.
The Official F1™ Safety Car is always deployed whenever the safety of a race is threatened by accidents, adverse weather conditions or other hazardous situations. Sitting behind the wheel of the exceptional SL 63 AMG will be Bernd Mayländer ( Germany , 37 years of age). After receiving instructions from the race management, the former DTM driver must go to the head of the Formula 1 field and safely guide the world's fastest racing drivers around the circuit. Fast lap times are a must for the Safety Car, because otherwise the Formula 1 engines would overheat - and their tyres and brakes would also cool down excessively.
As in 2008, the role of the Official F1™ Safety Car is also being fulfilled during this year's new season by the Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG. Its distinctive driving dynamics are a basic requirement for its challenging Formula 1 assignment: the AMG6.3-litre V8 engine has a power output of 386 kW/525 hp, providing acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. A newly developed AMG sport exhaust system with larger pipe diameter and special rear silencers allows the high-revving AMG naturally aspirated engine to breathe even more freely - and gives it an even sportier sound. Outstanding driving dynamics are guaranteed by the newly developed AMGSPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with column shift, which makes it possible to change gear in just 100 milliseconds.
Special coil-over suspension and cooling measures
Optimum racetrack performance is guaranteed thanks to the specially developed coil-over suspension, which can be customised to a specific racetrack by means of individual suspension setup configurations. The combination of 3-stage ESP® and rear-axle differential lock with 30 percent locking effect provides optimum traction in all weather conditions. In the interests of reliability even at tropical ambient temperatures, the vehicle incorporates large-size, additional coolers for engine oil, transmission oil, coolant and power steering.
Special coolin
