Mercedes SL 63 AMG V8 Safety Car
Het nieuwe Formule 1 seizoen zit eraan te komen (14 maart in Melbourne) , dus is het tijd voor Mercedes om haar nieuwe en alomgekende Safety Car en Medical Car voor te stellen.

De Safety Car van dit jaar zal gebaseerd zijn op de Mercedes SL 63 AMG, maar uiteraard is het niet de ‘standaard’ SL 63 AMG die dienst zal doen. In Genève stelde AMG de nieuwe Safety Car voor en dit zijn zijn features: de 6,3l atmosferische V8-motor die we kennen van de SL 63 AMG levert 525Pk en kan na 4,6 seconden de kaap van de 100 km/h overschrijden. Door een nieuw uitlaatsysteem met bredere uitlaatpijpen en dempers aan de achterkant, klinkt deze wagen ook in hogere toeren beter en kan hij vrijer ademen.

Ook de Medical Car heeft wat extra’s meegekregen. De Medical car is de wagen die je achter de F1-bolides ziet rijden bij de eerste ronde. Dit is omdat de eerste ronde een kritieke fase in de race is en op zo’n momenten is medische zorg vaak geen overbodige luxe. Op het moment dat er ergens een ongeval plaatsvindt, snelt deze C63 AMG ter plekke. De V8-motor die we kennen van de SL hierboven levert hier ‘slechts’ 457Pk en 600Nm torque. Deze wagen heeft ook het nieuwe uitlaatsysteem gekregen dat de SL meekreeg van AMG. Omdat deze wagen de prestaties die hij moet leveren op het circuit niet gewoon is, heeft AMG nog voor volgende dingen gezorgd: extra koeling, op allerhande wijzen werden de smeermiddelen van de wagen geoptimaliseerd en last but not least: grotere luchtgaten aan de voorkant. We like! AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC PLUS zorgt voor de vlotte overgang van de ene versnelling naar de andere.

Verder werden de wagens lichter gemaakt, kregen ze een nieuw koelingsysteem en werden de remmen aangepast. Ook aan het interieur werd er gedacht. Zeer functioneel is dit niet bepaald, maar het ziet er wel goed uit. Naast de gebruikelijke portie zwaailichten en F1-stickers kregen deze vehikels ook nog wat aanpassingen aan het chassis, die die wegligging ten goede moeten komen.

En dan nu het leuke deel: alle extra opties die op deze wagens geplaatst zijn, zijn ook beschikbaar om op jouw AMG-wagen te plaatsen. Meer informatie over die opties vind je onderaan in het persbericht. Eerst is het tijd voor foto’s:

De SL 63 AMG Satefy Car:

De C63 AMG Medical Car:

 

Transfer from motor sport to series production

Both the SL 63 AMG Official F1™ Safety Car and the C 63 AMG Estate Official F1™ Medical Car impressively document the transfer from motor sport to series production. With reference to the example of the SL 63 AMG, numerous components in the Safety Car are available straight from the factory. The AMG Performance Package for the SL 63 AMG includes, for instance, the 360-millimetre composite disc brakes on the front axle; the rear-axle differential lock; the 19-inch AMG light-alloy forged wheels and the AMG performance steering wheel. The same is true of the Medical Car: the AMG Performance Package for the C 63 AMG (saloon and estate models) includes, for example, the composite disc brakes on the front axle of size 360x36mm and the rear-axle differential lock. The 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels are optionally available.

Special cooling measures and heavy-duty composite braking system

In the interests of best possible reliability even at tropical ambient temperatures, the vehicle incorporates large-size, additional coolers for engine oil, transmission oil, cooling water and power steering. Outstanding driving dynamics are guaranteed by the newly developed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with column shift, which makes it possible to change gear in just 100 milliseconds. The combination of 3-stage ESP® and rear-axle differential lock with 30 percent locking effect provides optimum traction in all weather conditions. Not only the newly developed thread chassis, which has proved its worth in races, guarantees ideal racetrack performance, optimal road feel and sportscar-like cornering and over/understeer characteristics, but also the numerous adjustment possibilities for ride height, track width and camber enable the chassis setup to be customized to the particular racetrack.

The front and rear axles feature 19-inch extra-light AMG forged light-alloy wheels. The 8.5-inch (front) and 9.5-inch (rear) rims are fitted with tyres of size 255/35 and 285/30, respectively, from Formula 1 tyremaker Bridgestone. The design of the rims, with their intricately styled double spokes, optimizes both the cooling of the highly stressed braking system and the specially engineered cooling-air flow. Optimum fading resistance and best-possible deceleration values are among the self-evident characteristics of the AMG high-performance braking system, which is equipped all round with internally ventilated composite brake discs. The front axle is fitted with six-piston fixed callipers and discs of size 390 x 36 millimetres, while the rear axle features four-piston fixed callipers with brake discs of size 360 x 26 millimetres.

220 kilograms lighter than the series-production vehicle thanks to targeted lightweight design measures

Like its predecessor, which was based on the CLK 63 AMG, the SL 63 AMG Safety Car weighs in lighter than its series-production counterpart thanks to targeted lightweight design measures allied to the selective omission of some comfort features on account of the vehicle’s specific mission – and this despite a larger braking system including brake cooling, additional cooling measures, lighting system and communications equipment. In order to deliver top-drawer racetrack performance, the specialists from AMG have produced the engine bonnet, front and rear aprons, front wings and luggage compartment lid from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), a material that has been tried and tested in motor sports. Since the Safety Car is always driven with its top up, it has been possible to dispense with all the mechanical and hydraulic components of the Vario roof. Likewise, the sound-absorbing materials, which serve primarily to improve the ride comfort, have been removed. The result is a weight reduction of 220 kilograms, with the Safety Car weighing in at just 1750 kilograms (with a full tank and without occupants).

Apart from its roof bar and F1 logos, the SL 63 AMG Official F1™ Safety Car is distinguished from the standard-production AMG high-performance roadster by a newly designed front apron with larger cooling-air openings. A prominent feature at the rear of the vehicle is the modified diffuser insert in the rear apron, which incorporates the active rear-axle cooling, this compensating for temperature peaks in the highly stressed differential housing. The white LED flashlights in the headlamps and tail lamps are always in operation whenever the vehicle is in use and have a neutral signalling function. An all-new feature is the number plate with Safety Car lettering: illuminated by means of 672 LEDs, it guarantees even greater safety, particularly in rain or darkness.

Interior with undiluted motor sport flair

The inside of the Safety Car is dominated by an atmosphere of undiluted motor sport flair. The workplaces of Bernd Mayländer and his co-driver feature two AMG sports bucket seats with 4-point seatbelts, trim parts in real carbon fibre, black leather appointments and the AMG performance steering wheel with its 365-millimetre steering wheel rim, flat underside and AMG aluminium shift paddles. The centre console is equipped with two monitors for supervising the action on the racetrack, and the two-way radio system allows the crew of the Safety Car to remain in contact with the race management. A roll-over bar serves to increase both the safety of the occupants and also the stability of the vehicle.

New thread chassis and AMG high-performance braking system

Like the SL 63 AMG Safety Car, the C 63 AMG Estate Official F1™ Medical Car also features a newly developed thread chassis combining sportscar-like driving dynamics with versatile adjustment possibilities, thus additionally allowing the chassis setup to be customized to a specific racetrack. Equally responsible for perfect road feel is the selected wheel/tyre combination: the 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels of 8.5-inch (front) and 9.5-inch (rear) width are fitted with Pirelli tyres of sizes 255/35 and 285/30, respectively. Concealed behind the attractive multi-spoke wheels is a powerful AMG high-performance braking system, which guarantees extremely short stopping distances with its internally ventilated and perforated composite brake discs on the front axle of size 360 x 36 mm with six-piston fixed callipers together with 330 x 26 millimetre, internally ventilated and perforated discs on the rear axle. The newly developed cooling system for the especially highly stressed front-axle brakes optimizes the fading resistance of the braking system at high ambient temperatures.

F1 logos, roof bar and flashlights as distinctive marks

At first glance, the C 63 AMG Estate Official F1™ Medical Car closely resembles its standard-production counterpart. However, a closer inspection reveals the new AMG front apron with its larger cooling-air openings. At the rear, the cooler which has been integrated into the diffuser insert points to the active cooling of the rear-axle differential. Like the Safety Car, the Medical Car, too, draws attention to its special role on the track through its F1 logos, roof bar and strobe-like LED flashlights at front and rear. Enhanced visibility in darkness or bad weather is ensured by the LED-illuminated number plate with Medical Car lettering on the boot lid tailgate.

The Official F1™ Medical Car is driven by Dr. Jacques Tropenat (France), who is a medic and amateur race driver. His co-driver is Dr. Gary Hartstein (Belgium), who is the official FIA Grand Prix Chief Medical Officer. Both of them are accommodated in AMG sports bucket seats with 4-point seatbelts, as are the two medical assistants in the rear. Two monitors in the centre console help the crew to supervise the action on the racetrack, while an on-board two-way radio system is responsible for communication with the race management. The functional feel of the interior is marked by black leather appointments and carbon-fibre trim parts. The 365-millimetre AMG performance steering wheel with its flat underside on the steering wheel rim and AMG aluminium shift paddles guarantees perfect control over the vehicle. With its unrivalled volume of 485 litres, the luggage compartment offers ample space for the full complement of emergency equipment, including defibrillator and respirator.

AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO responsible for development

The development, track-testing and production of the two Safety Cars and the two Medical Cars – in both cases, there is one emergency vehicle and one replacement vehicle available – is carried out by the specialists from the AMG development team and the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO. This involves drawing on over 40 years of know-how from the field of motor sport as well as the wealth of experience in the design of high-performance sports automobiles. Numerous test drives were carried out on various Formula 1 racetracks in order to tune the suspension and verify all the systems and components.