Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster (R197) Tuning Guide 2026 — Body Kits, Wheels & Performance

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster (R197) is the open-top sibling of the gullwing SLS AMG Coupé and the first convertible ever developed entirely in-house by AMG at Affalterbach. Launched in 2011 alongside the Coupé, it trades the theatrical gullwing doors for conventional hinged doors and a three-layer fabric soft top that folds in 11 seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h. Underneath sits the same aluminium spaceframe chassis, front-mid-mounted M159 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 producing 571 hp and 650 Nm, and rear-mounted 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT transaxle — a package that reaches 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and tops out at 317 km/h. This guide covers every meaningful upgrade available for the SLS Roadster — body kits, forged wheels, performance programmes and interior retrims — and explains what genuinely works on a naturally aspirated AMG halo car that is already, by any sensible measure, complete from the factory.

Platform Overview

The R197 Roadster shares its C197 aluminium spaceframe with the SLS Coupé, reinforced at the A-pillars, windscreen header, rockers and behind the seats to compensate for the missing roof. Dry weight rises by 40 kg to 1,660 kg — a remarkably small penalty, thanks to Mercedes-AMG retaining the same wheelbase, same front-mid engine placement (the V8 sits fully behind the front axle line) and the same rear transaxle layout for near-perfect 47:53 front/rear weight distribution. The SLS project was the first car designed, engineered and assembled entirely by AMG without significant Mercedes-Benz parts-bin sharing, and the Roadster was the halo open-top of the range until the 591 hp SLS AMG GT Roadster replaced it in 2012-2013. Production of the original 571 hp Roadster ran from 2011 through 2014, with roughly 2,700 units built globally — making it rarer than the Coupé and a growing collector interest.

Technical Specifications — SLS AMG Roadster (R197, original 571 hp, 2011-2014)

Body Kits & Exterior Programmes

Brabus 700 Biturbo Roadster

Brabus is the only serious tuner ever to twin-turbocharge the naturally aspirated M159. The Brabus 700 Biturbo programme was offered in single-digit numbers on both Coupé and Roadster, bolting bespoke low-pressure turbochargers, reinforced conrods and pistons, a stainless high-flow exhaust and a Brabus PowerXtra ECU onto the 6.2-litre V8 to produce 700 hp and 820 Nm — while keeping the original DCT transaxle intact. The exterior treatment is deliberately subtle: a carbon front lip with integrated LED DRLs, gloss-black side-skirt extensions that feed cooling to the rear transaxle, a small carbon ducktail on the decklid and Brabus Monoblock F 20-inch forged wheels. On the Roadster version, Brabus also supplies a carbon tonneau cover that replaces the factory soft-top cassette trim. Lead times are notional — each car is built to order and takes four to six months. This is the Roadster for owners who want the engine character fundamentally transformed.

Mansory Cormeum Widebody

Mansory's Cormeum programme is the most extreme visual package ever offered for the SLS family and was launched specifically to showcase the Roadster. The kit comprises a full carbon-fibre widebody: front bumper with huge apertures and canard blades, vented carbon bonnet, arches widened 25 mm per side, side-skirts with integrated aero blades, a double-decker rear wing, vented rear bumper and a bespoke diffuser. Mansory tunes the M159 to 630 hp via cam-profile changes, an intake and a titanium exhaust — modest gains compared to Brabus, because the Cormeum is a stylistic statement first. Wheels are Mansory forged three-piece 20/21-inch in custom colours. Interior is fully retrimmed in quilted Alcantara and carbon. Expect six-figure pricing on top of the donor car, and a very short list of previous customers — fewer than 15 Cormeum Roadsters exist.

FAB Design Jetstream

Swiss atelier FAB Design offered the Jetstream package for the SLS Roadster through 2013. It is a bolt-on carbon aero programme rather than a widebody: new front splitter, side-skirt blades, a carbon decklid spoiler and a multi-element rear diffuser. The Jetstream is finished either in exposed 2x2 twill carbon or body-colour paint, and pairs with FAB Design's own 20/21-inch forged wheels in a multi-spoke design. Performance is lightly tweaked via a free-flow exhaust (stock internals, ~590 hp). The Jetstream is the best-looking option for owners who want more presence than stock but refuse to mask the SLS silhouette under a widebody — the fender lines remain untouched.

Hamann Hawk

German house Hamann developed the Hawk programme for the SLS and applied it to a small number of Roadsters. The Hawk is a full widebody with flared arches, a heavily reworked front bumper, huge side vents and a roof-height rear wing. The engine is taken to 666 hp via Hamann's ECU remap, air-intake upgrade and a high-flow Hamann sport exhaust. Hamann also offers the programme in matt-black and chrome-wrap finishes, and pairs it with 20/21-inch Hamann Anniversary Evo wheels. Hamann's engineering is TÜV-certified in Germany, which makes Hawk cars easier to register across the EU than some rivals.

RevoZport R-Spec & Wheelsandmore

Two worthwhile add-on programmes round out the list. RevoZport from Hong Kong supplies R-Spec dry-carbon panels — vented bonnet, fender replacements, a rear decklid and a GT-style front splitter — that retrofit to the original body without widebody surgery, saving around 12 kg. Wheelsandmore from Germany specialises in the 6F forged 20/21-inch wheel set combined with a low-restriction valved exhaust system worth roughly 20 hp. Neither is a full visual conversion, but both are the right choice for owners who want to refine rather than reinvent their Roadster.

Wheels & Tyres

The SLS Roadster ships from the factory on staggered 19-inch front / 20-inch rear AMG multi-spoke forged wheels with 265/35 R19 front and 295/30 R20 rear Continental ContiSportContact 5P or Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber. For most aftermarket programmes, the correct upgrade is a 20/21-inch combination that lets you retain ride quality while adding presence. Load-rated Y-speed (300+ km/h) tyres are non-negotiable on this car.

• Street / luxury (Brabus Monoblock F, FAB Design, Mansory): 20×9.5J ET35 front, 21×12.0J ET45 rear — forged three-piece, 275/30 ZR20 front, 325/25 ZR21 rear Michelin Pilot Super Sport.
• Carbon-aero (RevoZport, Wheelsandmore 6F): 20×9.5J ET38 front, 20×12.0J ET52 rear — forged mono-block, 275/30 ZR20 front, 325/30 ZR20 rear. Lighter option, closer to factory rake.
• Track-focused (HRE P101 or similar): 20×10.0J ET30 front, 20×12.0J ET45 rear with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 275/30 and 325/30 ZR20. Adds grip dramatically and suits ceramic brake usage.
• Winter/storage: stock 19/20-inch AMG wheels fitted with Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 265/35 R19 and 295/30 R20 — valuable for cold-storage tyre-pressure preservation rather than genuine winter driving.

We strongly recommend forged two- or three-piece construction over cast: the SLS's combination of short sidewalls, 317 km/h top speed and 1,735 kg mass will crack cheap cast wheels at the first kerb impact. Budget €8,500-€14,000 for a set of four branded forged wheels with Y-rated tyres mounted and balanced, plus TPMS transfer.

Performance & Exhaust

The M159 is naturally aspirated, hand-built at Affalterbach by a single technician whose signature plate sits on the intake manifold, and produces 571 hp in Roadster spec. It is one of the last great NA Mercedes V8s, and most serious tuners acknowledge that chasing more than 620 hp on the original block requires either forced induction or very invasive internal work.

• Stage 1 — Bolt-on NA (Mcchip-DKR, RENNtech): 571 hp → 600-615 hp / 680 Nm. Ported heads, high-flow intake, free-flow cat-back exhaust, AMG Race ECU calibration. Stock internals, stock DCT.
• Stage 2 — Forced induction (RENNtech RS-700 supercharger): 571 hp → 700 hp / 830 Nm. RENNtech-specific Eaton TVS supercharger system with uprated intercooler, injectors and ECU. Still driveable as a daily. Requires DCT clutch pack service at 30,000 km.
• Stage 3 — Twin-turbo (Brabus 700 Biturbo): 571 hp → 700 hp / 820 Nm with reinforced internals, forged pistons, upgraded rods. Brabus-only programme; fitment is factory-level quality and is re-homologated with German TÜV.
• Exhaust: Brabus titanium cat-back (dual carbon tips, saves 10 kg), Akrapovic Evolution Line titanium (available with electronic valving), Kleemann Stainless Sport. All three transform the soundtrack without hurting emissions compliance for EU5.
• Supporting mods: KW Clubsport two-way adjustable coilovers (for serious track use), H&R spring kit (10 mm drop for street), uprated front splitter mounts, carbon intake box, larger transaxle oil cooler for supercharged cars.

Note: Any output above 620 hp requires fuel-system attention — the OEM high-pressure pump is at its limit. RENNtech and Brabus both supply matched fuel-rail and injector packages with their power programmes.

Interior Upgrades

The SLS Roadster's cabin is already one of the best-finished in AMG history, with a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system, semi-aniline leather and brushed aluminium trim. Aftermarket attention focuses on a Mansory or Brabus Masterpiece full retrim in quilted Nappa leather with contrast stitching (€18,000-€28,000), carbon-fibre replacements for all aluminium interior trim, Alcantara headlining for the roof-down aesthetic, and a polished engine-bay treatment (chrome-plated intake plenum, carbon engine cover) that genuinely looks the part when the bonnet is open at Cars & Coffee.

Track Day or Daily Driver?

The SLS Roadster is one of those rare supercars where the tuning choices cleave cleanly into two camps, and for once we recommend the street side with real conviction. A track-focused Roadster build centres on KW Clubsport two-way coilovers, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 on 21-inch forged wheels, a carbon front splitter with aero-tuned canards, a Brabus titanium exhaust with X-pipe for weight and flow, a six-point harness bar behind the seats, and — if the car didn't already have it as a factory option — the AMG ceramic carbon brake upgrade. The M159's naturally aspirated throttle response is superb for circuit work and the DCT transaxle tolerates heat well.

A street-focused build looks very different: Mansory or FAB Design carbon bodywork with fitted luggage in the tonneau area, 20/21-inch FAB Design or Wheelsandmore 6F forged wheels on Pilot Super Sport tyres, a RENNtech Stage 1 or RS-700 supercharger tune that preserves OEM drivability, a full leather and Alcantara retrim, and a polished engine-bay treatment that rewards the inevitable bonnet-up moments at hotel forecourts. Ride height stays near OEM to clear valet ramps.

Here is the unvarnished truth: a fabric-roof Roadster makes a poor track car. The soft top is acoustic-insulated but not weight-optimised, the torsional rigidity is materially below the Coupé, and wet-track lapping risks water ingress to the (expensive) infotainment. Most SLS Roadsters in 2026 are collector-driven, low-mileage, hot-weather or Riviera-summer cars — and that is precisely the use case the street build serves best. Choose the Coupé (or better, the Black Series) for serious track days; keep the Roadster street-refined.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SLS AMG Roadster the same as the SLS AMG GT Roadster?

No — they are two distinct variants. The original SLS AMG Roadster (R197), sold 2011-2014, produces 571 hp and 650 Nm from the hand-built M159 V8 and reaches 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The later SLS AMG GT Roadster, launched for 2013 model year, is a performance-upgraded variant of the same chassis making 591 hp / 650 Nm, with revised DCT mapping, a stiffer chassis setup and a slightly quicker 0-100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds. Both share the M159 engine, the aluminium spaceframe, the fabric soft top and the 7-speed transaxle. The 591 hp GT is recognisable externally by revised DRL signatures and "AMG GT" badging on the front wings.

Can I fit a hardtop to the SLS AMG Roadster?

No factory hardtop was ever offered by Mercedes-AMG for the R197. Because the Roadster uses a fabric roof cassette that packs behind the seats rather than into the boot, there is no mounting structure for a removable hardtop. Aftermarket roofless conversions and transparent targa panels have been attempted by small coachbuilders in Switzerland and Germany (notably Inden Design), but none are TÜV-certified for road use. If you want a closed-roof SLS, buy the Coupé — the gullwing doors more than compensate for the lack of an open-air option.

Does a Brabus 700 or RENNtech RS-700 supercharger conversion void the Mercedes-AMG warranty?

For a 2011-2014 Roadster the factory warranty expired years ago, so the question is largely academic — but the answer matters for resale and for any extended warranty you carry. Both Brabus and RENNtech supply 24-month warranties on their own installed parts (engine internals, turbocharger system, supercharger, ECU, exhaust) and keep detailed fitment records. For a collector-grade SLS, keep the original OEM parts boxed and labelled so the car can be returned to factory specification at sale — tuned SLS Roadsters are a specialist market, and a reversible Brabus build often sells for more than a cosmetically identical but non-Brabus tuned car.

What is a realistic budget for a well-specified SLS AMG Roadster tune in 2026?

For a sensible street build: €28,000-€45,000 covers a full set of forged 20/21-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport, a FAB Design Jetstream carbon aero kit, a RENNtech Stage 1 NA tune taking the engine to 615 hp, an Akrapovic Evolution Line exhaust and a full leather/Alcantara interior retrim. For a show-stopping Mansory Cormeum widebody with 630 hp tune and complete retrim, budget €180,000-€240,000 before labour. A Brabus 700 Biturbo conversion with matched bodywork is typically €350,000+ and effectively doubles the market value of the donor car. As with any collector AMG, document everything and insist on TÜV or equivalent homologation paperwork for EU export.