The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Is Playboy's 2011 Car of the Year

Here at autoevolution we really do read Playboy for the articles, no really! And to prove it, we are going to tell you the famous magazine has just announced that the Playboy Car of the Year is none other than the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

A host of other cars were awarded, including the Porsche Boxster Spyder as the best convertible, the Jeep Grand Cherokee as the best SUV and the Honda CR-Z as the best hybrid for 2011. The new Hyundai Equus was named the car that is most likely to succeed next year, while the Aston Martin Rapide was named the best sports sedan.

We like the SLS a lot, but a true playboy shouldn’t drive a Lamborghini, or he shouldn’t drive at all. With all those Bunnies hopping around the Mansion, who would even have time to drive? But since Playboy is a men's magazine with a wide readership, we have to trust them.

Let’s just turn our attention back at the Mercedes SLS AMG for a second, and forget all about Bunnies and men’s magazines. Where the silicone meets the road, this is an excellent super sports car that delivers an enticing cocktail of purist styling, consistent lightweight design and driving dynamics. Its AMG developed 6.3-liter V8 front-mid engine developing 420 kW/ 571 hp peak output and 650 Nm (475 lb-ft) of torque is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration. The 'Gullwing' accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 317 km/h or 197 mph (electronically limited).