Mercedes-Benz
SLS AMG Black Series

Why it matters

The SLS AMG Black Series was the track-derived top version of the gullwing SLS, premiered at the 2012 Los Angeles show and built in 2013. RM Sotheby's calls its 6.2-litre V8 the highest-output naturally aspirated production V8 in the world at the time, and puts the run at 350 cars.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series)
  Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series)
  Photo: Charles from Port Chester, New York · CC BY 2.0

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The archive lists the car as design name C 197 E 63 A, type 197.377, produced in 2013 and priced at EUR 249,900 in February 2013. The M 159 E 63 engine has a 6208 cc displacement and a rated output of 464 kW / 631 hp at 7400 rpm, with 635 Nm and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the archive does not give a unit count.

Bonhams says the car was inspired by the SLS AMG GT3 racer, trimmed about 70 kg from the standard SLS with more carbon-fibre panels and a titanium exhaust, and cut 0-60 mph to 3.2 seconds. RM Sotheby's quotes 622 hp, 468 lb-ft, a limit of 8,000 rpm, 3.5 seconds to 60 mph and 196 mph. Gooding notes a Solarbeam Yellow example as one of only 30 US-delivery cars in that colour.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Compared with the standard SLS, RM Sotheby's lists wider fenders, a fixed carbon-fibre rear wing, staggered forged alloy wheels and a titanium exhaust. The archive gives 10 J x 19 front and 12 J x 20 rear rims with 275/35 ZR 19 and 325/30 ZR 20 tyres, 402 mm front brake discs, and the AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed transmission. The design name is C 197 E 63 A and the chassis numbers in the cached lots start WDDRJ7HA.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Supercar Nostalgia – Guide: Mercedes-Benz C197 SLS AMG Black Series Level B

   • 350 units

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   SLS AMG Coupé Black Series, 2013 (Classic M@RS) Level A Mercedes-Benz Group AG (Classic M@RS, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive)

   • Engine designation / type : M 159 E 63 / 159.980 (Technical data)
   • Number of cylinders / arrangement : 8 / 90° V (Technical data)
   • Displacement : 6208 cc (Technical data)
   • Bore : 102.2 mm (Technical data)
   • Stroke : 94.6 mm (Technical data)
   • Compression ratio : 11.3 (Technical data)
   • Valve operation : 2 overhead camshaft per cylinder bank (variably adjustable) (Technical data)
   • Injection pump / injection system (type) : HFM-Motronic (Technical data)
   • Rated power : 464 kW / 631 DIN/hp at 7400 rpm (Technical data)
   • Nominal torque : 635 Nm at 5500 rpm (Technical data)
   • Gearbox type designation : AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission (Technical data)
   • Forward gears (total) : 7 (Technical data)
   • Gear ratio : I. 3.40; II. 2.19; III. 1.63; IV. 1.29; V. 1.03; VI. 0.84; (Technical data)
   • Axle drive ratio : 4.44 (Technical data)
   • Drive : rear wheel drive (Technical data)
   • Front axle : Aluminium double wishbone (Technical data)
   • Rear axle : double wishbone (Technical data)
   • Brakes front : discs, internally ventilated and perforated (Technical data)
   • Steering (type) : rack-and-pinion (Technical data)
   • Wheelbase : 2680 mm (Technical data)
   • Vehicle length : 4646 mm (Technical data)
   • Vehicle width : 1977 mm (Technical data)
   • Vehicle height : 1264 mm (Technical data)
   • Front track gauge : 1702 mm (Technical data)
   • Rear track gauge : 1677 mm (Technical data)
   • Unladen weight (according to the respectively valid measurement or calculation methods) : 1625 kg (Technical data)
   • Maximum speed : 315 km/h (Technical data)
   • Acceleration 0-100 kpm : 3.6 s (Technical data)
   • Fuel tank capacity/of which reserve : 85 / 14.0 l (Technical data)

   Accessed 2026-11-12