F1 Gets New SLS AMG GT Safety Car

With the upgraded SLS AMG GT replacing the SLS AMG for the 2013 model year, Mercedes-Benz has outfitted its revised flagship to serve as the new safety car for Formula One - starting with this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix. The new safety car replaces the previous SLS safety car which itself succeeded the SL63 before it. The SLS AMG GT shouldn't have too much trouble getting out onto the track quickly, as its 6.2-liter V8 packs an impressive 591 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a revised seven-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch gearbox for a 3.7-second 0-62 time and an 11-second sprint to 124 mph. Veteran safety-car driver Bernd Maylander will pilot the new SLS AMG GT around the track at the grands prix, as well as the GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercar races that support F1. "The new SLS AMG GT is the best Safety Car I have driven," says the former DTM driver. "I have now been driving the different Safety Cars since 2000, and with each new vehicle I notice a significant enhancement over the previous model."