Readers' vote for "The most beautiful cars of 2010" - Double victory for Mercedes-Benz: E-Class Cabriolet and SLS AMG are clear favourites

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Sep 23, 2010

The E-Class Cabriolet is the most attractive open-top car, and the SLS AMG is the most beautiful super-sports car among all the new models that have appeared over the last twelve months. This is the result of a major reader's survey conducted by the German motoring magazine "auto motor und sport".


This year around 21,000 readers took part in the vote for the Autonis design award, which "auto, motor und sport" presents for the most beautiful new cars. The sole criterion in this vote is which car the readers find most visually appealing. The clear winner in the "Convertibles" category was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. Among the sports cars it was the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG that found most favour with the readers.

The attractive E-Class Cabriolet received this coveted design award for the authentic open-air feeling the four-seater evokes with its classic fabric soft top. Viewed from the side, it pleases the eye with clear proportions and an elegant silhouette. With the innovative automatic draught-stop AIRCAP�, a further development of the neck-level heating system AIRSCARF� and the standard acoustic soft top, the Cabriolet not only has highly appealing looks, as the vote confirms, but also offers all-season comfort for four occupants that is unmatched in the open-top segment.

As Germany's most beautiful sports car, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG stirs memories of the legendary 300 SL from the 1950s with its exciting design and gull-wing doors. Moreover, this super-sports car shines with exquisite technology whose highlights include an aluminium spaceframe body, an AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication developing a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp) and 650 newton metres of torque, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in a transaxle arrangement and a sports suspension with aluminium double wishbones. This high-tech combination guarantees driving dynamics at the highest level for this sports car, which is already seen as a design icon.

Head of Mercedes-Benz Design, Professor h. c. Gorden Wagener: "We design cars which stand out through their refined sportiness, innovation, beauty, sensuality and uniqueness. The SLS AMG and the E-Class Cabriolet visualise all these brand values and establish a clear brand identity�.

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