Mercedes claims an electronically-limited top speed of 317 km/h, but good luck finding a safe and legal stretch of pavement to witness that.

Using dry-sump lubrication, which basically means there’s no oil pan on the bottom of the engine, the V8 has been mounted just inches above the ground for a lower center of gravity.

With the Sport+ mode selected, 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.8 seconds. (photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com)

That also means the car is prone to scratch or scrape its front lip spoiler on speed bumps and uneven driveway entrances, so if there are such road hazards on your way to the country club where you’re planning on showing off your SLS to your rich buddies and make them regret their Audi R8 purchase, you’ll have to be careful or find another way to get there.

The car’s dynamic prowesses are also noteworthy. Hugging the ground, boasting a near-perfect weight distribution (actually 47/53 front/rear), a precise speed-sensitive steering and immediate power delivery in Sport+ mode, the SLS is easy to drive fast. Even on a track, during a brief session in Las Vegas last spring, it behaved extremely well and always seemed willing to bite into corners at a higher velocity.

Inside, our SLS tester wore superb red leather upholstery, and occupants were surrounded in a mix of soft textures and metallic surfaces. You’ll probably feel the Alcantara headliner more often than expected, as you’ll likely rub your head while approaching your face to the rear view mirror to admire yourself.

So, what cars does the SLS AMG rival? Well, you could consider the 525-hp Audi R8 5.2, the 530-hp Porsche 911 Turbo S, the 560-hp Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4, the 570-hp Ferrari 458 Italia, the 510-hp Aston Martin V12 Vantage and, arguably, the 638-hp Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

In the realm of exotic sports cars, we assume having the latest one is as important as having the fastest one. The SLS AMG is a fantastic car, and is more noticeable when you arrive at your destination than on your way there.

My kids’ drawings have been removed off the fridge, replaced by a high-res picture of the SLS. Until another new exotic supercar comes along, owning this Mercedes has become my new goal in life. Money can’t buy happiness, but it *censored* helps.

Our test car’s Alu-Beam paint job costs an extra $14,500. (photo: Philippe Champoux/Auto123.com)