duPont REGISTRY will be taking delivery of the first all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS Roadster to be offered to the United States. The first SLS Roadster was purchased by the duPont REGISTRY at the 5th annual Boca Raton Concours d' Elegance. Proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County—a not-for-profit private agency that helps young people reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Steven Chapman, CEO of duPont Publishing Inc., was thrilled to participate in the auction for such a great cause.

The exciting chance to bid on the first-ever SLS Roadster follows last year’s auction of the 2011 SLS Gullwing coupe and a long line of first sales including the 2010 Ferrari California and 2010 Audi R8 V-10 5.2 FSI Quattro in 2009 and the 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia and 2011 Audi R8 Spyder in 2010. After configuring the car’s colors and options and upon delivery of the car (at the company’s Florida-based headquarters just in time for convertible season, we will add), the duPont REGISTRY will obtain a Letter of Authenticity from Mercedes-Benz stating that this vehicle is the first SLS Roadster delivered in the United States. Despite Mercedes-Benz auctioning off the first-ever SLS Roadster, the car has never been officially announced by the luxury automobile brand. Beyond a number of camouflaged spy photos, it was only seen briefly in a Mercedes-Benz television commercial during Super Bowl XLV.



Like the original 300SL Roadster, the SLS Roadster ditches its classic fixed roof and gullwing doors for an open-top design complete with conventional doors with sedan-style pulls. Another exterior change is the elongated trunk lid, which serves to cover the electronically operated convertible top. Any safety concerns are snuffed out with the car’s fixed roll hoops for rollover protection.

Other than those exterior modifications, the SLS Roadster will stay true to the SLS AMG’s awesome blend of show car, track toy, and grand touring vehicle. Power will come from an AMG-built 6.2-liter V-8 engine producing 563 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Power is diverted to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Despite losing the car’s top and any extra weight added from the convertible mechanism, Mercedes-Benz quotes exemplary acceleration statistics, including 0–60 mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 199 mph.



A video from the “duPont Registry Live!” hangar party will be posted in this blog in the near future.

Provided by duPont REGISTRY