Mercedes Sold Two SLS Supercars In 2020, Six Years After Production End

Mercedes-Benz released its 2020 American sales info a couple of days later than other automakers, but there's a huge surprise in the report. Somehow, the German brand sold two examples of the ancient Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG over the course of the year. The supercar wasn't the only retired model to leave a showroom, either, because the company moved a single example of the B-Class, too.

To put how weird selling 2 SLS AMGs in 2020 into perspective, Mercedes introduced the supercar at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, and production commenced in January 2010. The company then launched the limited-run Final Edition at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show ahead of putting it on sale for the 2014 model year.

This means that these two cars have been sitting in showrooms for at least six years and possibly as long as 10 years. Making the situation even more fascinating, Mercedes hasn't delivered an SLS AMG since 2016, and even that year, the company only moved a single unit. The last year with any notable sales was 2015 by moving 29 of them.

Mercedes introduced the SLS AMG to replace the SLR McLaren as the brand's halo supercar. Unlike its predecessor, the SLS had retro-inspired styling with clear cues from the 300SL like the gullwing doors.

The SLS AMG has a fascinating history. Development started while Mercedes' parent Daimler still owned Chrysler. At one point, the Dodge Viper was going to share the supercar's platform and suspension. The project apparently reached a prototype phase, but Chrysler's financial issues prematurely ended the project.

Delivering one example of the B-Class is a bit less surprising because the company retired the model more recently than the SLS. The company moved eight of them in 2019.