Limited edition SLS GT3 revealed

Bernd Schneider is a five-times DTM champion, an FIA GT world champion and overall ITC winner from 1995. Now, it appears, he's also handy with a set of spanners and some oil.

We know this because Mercedes has just announced a very exclusive run of SLS AMG GT3 cars that have each had the 6.2-litre V8 hand-fitted by Bernd and an AMG technician. Welcome to the SLS GT3 ‘45th Anniversary', Intertweeps.

It exists to mark 45 years since AMG was born, and as such uses a very exclusive and special paint job called ‘designo magno graphite', previously reserved for the SL65 AMG ‘45th Anniversary', itself unveiled in April this year. Even the wheels of the SLS GT3 are painted in the same colour to complement the body. Cool, no?

You get branded logos on the gullwing doors - as well as exposed carbon fibre - while the bonkers aero frippery including the rear wings, front and rear apron, front splitter and rear diffusor are all built using carbon fibre reinforced plastic.

Inside the exclusive paint theme continues, with a magno graphite steel rollcage, and steering wheel and dashboard decked out in silver and carbon fibre. Also, there are buttons. Many buttons.

And that engine? Well, in typical AMG fashion, not only do you get the signature of the AMG technician who fitted it, but in this case, Bernd's too. He's also on hand as your personal salesman should you choose to purchase one: Schneider himself takes you through the goodies within the SLS GT3 upon collection in Affalterbach.

Want it? It'll set you back €446,250, which, in proper money, is around £360k. Oh, and just five are being built, so you might want to hurry up and bag this "collector's item". To give some context, 49 SLS GT3s have been sold for customer competition since it's launch, and in its first season (2011), it scored 26 wins. This year, it took a triple victory at the Dubai 24hrs with a straight 1-2-3 flush. Also, it looks epically cool in grey.