Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has been voted as the most attractive car by around 100,000 German readers of AUTO BILD magazine. The two-door super sports car got most votes than any other newly launched models. Trailing the super sports car was another one from Mercedes, the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. The Mercedes -Benz F 800 Style won the much sought-after “Studies & Concept Cars” award.

AUTO BILD is the most popular and largest automobile publication in Germany. For the past five years, the magazine has been conducting top-class automotive beauty pageant, AUTO BILD Design Awards, in Germany. This time around, there was a choice of 103 new products in five categories. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG was crowned as the one on top of the newly launched models.

Mercedes-Benz Chief Designer Prof. Gorden Wagener: “Our vehicles are self-assured examples of refined sportiness. The SLS AMG, the E-Class Cabriolet and the F 800 Style exhibit the unmistakable style of Mercedes-Benz design, and set design trends for the future”.

The awards were ruled by the same German car manufacturing company last year as well. The readers gave first place to the E-Class Saloon as Germany’s most attractive car and the E-Class Coupe emerged as winner in its category.

Well, the scene would not be so different in India. The super sports car has got quite some fame for its unique design concept. What else could explain it better than the confirmed bookings that it has got since its launch at the 10th Auto Expo held in New Delhi!

Agreed that it is quite a car to be cruising around in but hold your breath till you have heard the price quote of the very desirable Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. While it is quite an affordable buy in the European countries, the import duties and other taxes will skyrocket the price of the SLS AMG in India. And if we are not on the same page regarding the affordability (or non-affordability) of the SLS AMG, here is the quote – Rs 5 crore onwards.

Piyush Arora, Mercedes-Benz India director, says, “The SLS AMG will be available in India in the third quarter, though a date for the official launch has not yet been determined.” He said that completely build units attract 120% duty on the price of the car. And the basic custom duty also will be no less than 106%.

But wait, the steep price of the SLS AMG has not dampened the spirits of the rich ones in India. According to sources, about half a dozen Indians have already booked the car.

Meanwhile, impressed by the Indian engineering talent, Mercedes is planning to set up a R&D centre in India. In the coming two years, Mercedes Benz will shift from component development to model development in India. The total investment for the R&D centre is expected to be close to Rs 150 crore. This means that the R&D manpower will increase threefold to 1200 engineers shifting from component development to model development in the course of two years.

Prof. Balasubramaniam, president of product innovations and process technologies, Group Research & Advanced Engineering at Daimler AG, said, “We see increase in the activity in the Indian R&D centre. This is not directly coupled with the additional sales or volumes. It depends much more on potential and talent in India and cost advantage that we have in India and we are ramping up in the coming years.”