2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT First Drive

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Supercar buyers are basically just big kids -- they need constant excitement or they quickly lose interest and move onto the next shiny new thing. It's little wonder, then, that Lamborghini produces a special edition of its ancient Gallardo roughly every two weeks, and Porsche feeds us endless 911 variants evenly dispersed through the life cycle.

Relative supercar newbie Mercedes seems to have adopted a similar philosophy, which likely explains why the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT has emerged just two years after the standard car exploded onto the scene. Essentially a faster and more driver-focused version, it will be sold alongside the standard SLS (and from next year, the 650 horsepower SLS Black Series) in Europe and other markets around the world. Here in the U.S. it will replace the standard car altogether, which makes sense, as the overwhelming majority would go for the GT anyway.

If you're currently scanning the pictures looking for a wild new rear wing or jutting chin spoiler, you'll be sorely disappointed. Visual changes on the outside amount to headlamps and taillights with darkened glass, red brake calipers, and a GT badge next to the AMG logo on the trunklid. Hardly remarkable, but in keeping with the subtle evolution vibe.

Release the gullwing doors on the Coupe, or swing open the conventional doors on the Roadster version, and it's more of the same inside. Added extras include red seatbelts, red stitching on the wheel and dash, and the option of quilted leather on the seats, but then the SLS never really needed any help getting noticed.

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It's under the skin where Mercedes has been busy, starting with the 6.2-liter V-8. A larger intake manifold and an increase in peak pressure have squeezed an extra 20 horsepower from this remarkably unstressed engine -- no matter how much Mercedes extracts, it will always feel like there's more to give. Total power is up to 583 horsepower, while torque remains constant at 479 lb-ft, and if we're being honest, the increase is barely detectable. That's not to say the GT isn't quick; it's just that the SLS was so biblically fast in the first place.

The SLS AMG GT doesn't accelerate down the road in any conventional sense -- you twitch your right foot and it explodes forward in a mass of mechanical anger and booming fury. There are no changes to the exhaust system, but it's worth a mention as it dominates the driving experience from the moment you push the starter and hear it ignite just a few inches from your face.

Whether using the endless torque to cruise through town, or stretching its legs on a clear road, the sounds is magnificent, rising from small tremor to a full-on earthquake at the limiter, with shotgun pops and bangs on the overrun. You get a fuller aural sensation in the GT Roadster, of course, but it's a car I still don't see the point of. If you're prepared to sacrifice the SLS's USP -- those incredible gullwing doors -- why not save yourself a slice of cash and go for the SL63 AMG instead?

The most significant changes have been applied to the seven-speed AMG Speedshift DCT gearbox, which disappointed us with its ponderous shifts in the standard car. A complete recalibration has cut shift times by some 50 percent, to around 60 milliseconds on average. The result is a box that's just as smooth as it always was in auto, while full-bore upshifts are now executed with only a microscopic interruption in the torque delivery. Downshifts are noticeably more urgent, and accompanied by a blip of the throttle and a backfire from the exhausts. Officially a decision is yet to be made, but Mercedes is considering offering the software upgrade to existing SLS owners as a retro fit.

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There are changes at each corner, too -- stiffer springs and dampers have been fitted in a bid to hone the handling, while the Comfort mode has been ditched altogether from the three-stage AMG Ride Control system. That leaves Sport and Sport+. The softer of the two settings is supple enough for public roads, as long as the surface is in good shape. Hit a series of ruts or ridges, though, and you're quickly reminded that the SLS is very much a sports car first and a GT second.

Sport+ is best left for the racetrack, so it's a good thing we had Hockenheim circuit to ourselves to try it out. First things first: Anyone expecting scalpel-sharp dynamics a la the Ferrari 458 will be sorely disappointed. The SLS is a car that bullies a road -- or track -- into submission rather than working with it. What the GT adds is a fraction better body control, allowing you to exploit a fraction more of the power reserves, but in reality you'll find yourself reaching for the T/C off switch and unleashing this car's inner hooligan.

So the engine upgrades, suspension updates and visual changes are fairly negligible, but SLS was already well-endowed in those areas. What has made a difference are its sharper shift times, which bring Mercedes within touching distance of the crisper twin-clutch gearboxes in the McLaren MP4 12C, Ferrari 458, and Nissan GT-R. For most SLS buyers, though, the GT is the new range-topper, which makes it the one to go for regardless.

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