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 submit, let’s revisit Mike Garrett and Larry Chen’s function from 2014…
2014 Function
I spend a whole lot of my day interested by vehicles. In all probability far more than is wholesome. In fact I will be forgiven as vehicles are my profession, nevertheless it nonetheless looks as if I typically spend the complete day with cars driving by my thoughts. A whole lot of the occasions it’s interested by a function I’m attempting to put in writing or a narrative I’m attempting to chase. Different occasions it’s scheming about components and plans for my very own mission vehicles.
Maybe it’s as a result of I’m so busy interested by different issues, however I haven’t had a lot time recently to really dream about vehicles. You recognize, simply throw out all the true world limitations and fantasize in regards to the vehicles we’d prefer to personal and drive.
And as uncommon as these moments is likely to be lately for me, it’s at all times nice enjoyable to simply lay again and take into consideration what we might drive if cash was no object. If you throw the monetary issue out the window, it’s pure that your thoughts will wander to supercars and exotics. They’re in any case, 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 troublesome alternative isn’t it?
Whereas it’s possible unattainable to slim issues right down to a single automobile, the one mannequin that I hold coming again to is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It won’t be on the highest of most individuals’s unique automobile lists, however there’s one thing in regards to the SLS that simply presses the suitable buttons for me.
For one thing you will drive daily, the SLS simply appears so proper. It appears 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 anticipate from a top-of-the-line-Mercedes, and all of the horsepower you may need.
However most of all, I feel there’s simply one thing that units the SLS other than different vehicles in its class. Whether or not it’s these iconic gullwing doorways or that basic lengthy hood, quick deck physique design, it’s a straightforward 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 in the case of modifications? When a automobile is so spectacular from the manufacturing unit, bettering it with aftermarket components can grow to be fairly a problem.
That’s what brings me to the Speedconcepts SLS, which we had the pleasure of capturing on the 2013 Optima Final Road Automobile 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 positioned in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that works with all matter of excessive efficiency automobiles, 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 few of the USA’s prime race tracks.
For the 2013 One Lap occasion, Speedconcepts’ Todd Treffert determined he would do one thing completely 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 equipment, which was designed and constructed completely by Ty from Speedconcepts in the course of the span of these two quick months.
The equipment attracts a whole lot of inspiration from the SLS GT3 race vehicles, with the entrance fenders being an inch wider than inventory and the rear fenders being two inches wider. The one components of the physique that weren’t altered have been these well-known gullwing doorways.
The outcome may be very a lot one thing that appears like a barely toned-down race automobile, and it’s unbelievable to suppose that the entire equipment was constructed from the bottom up in solely two months.
However as you in all probability know, One Lap of America isn’t a contest of which automobile appears the most effective, 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 equipment from Mercedes blower specialists Kleeman in Denmark.
Together with an identical Kleeman exhaust system, the Speedconcepts SLS is now placing down practically 800 horsepower, which is the proper soar from the already spectacular inventory output.
Beneath the automobile, the crew put in a set of KW Clubsport three-way adjustable shocks together with a customized air suspension equipment that enables the automobile to be dropped by as much as two inches throughout monitor 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.
Because the 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 residence within the matching pink inside and assist the cockpit hold an awesome stability of each perform and luxury.
Whereas the automobile was accomplished simply in time for the 2013 One Lap occasion, there was sadly no time for monitor testing earlier than the massive 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 operating 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 Road Automobile Problem that adopted.
Together with his monitor expertise within the automobile nonetheless restricted, Todd positioned the SLS in twelfth place of 60 whole opponents in the course of the USCC.
It wasn’t a foul outcome by any means, however Todd says with extra monitor time a podium end ought to be inside straightforward 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 absolutely dialed in and able to assault – with a podium end being the clear purpose.
After that, the automobile will reside a comparatively straightforward life in Florida the place it’ll function Todd’s day by day driver and likewise because the occasional monitor day weapon.
Todd says the automobile itself is nice to go, with no future modifications deliberate. He simply needs extra monitor time so he can get comfy extracting each little bit of potential from the SLS.
With race automobile appears, race automobile efficiency and all the identical model and sophistication that makes the SLS AMG such a particular machine, I’d say Speedconcepts has actually set the proper instance of find out how to modify a dream automobile.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
Images by Larry Chen
Instagram:Â larry_chen_foto
