With convertible->ke144 weather already upon us, the current stock of drop-tops is definitely on the decline, but over the next couple of years, Mercedes-Benz->ke187 will have three new convertibles in its portfolio. There will be updated versions of the SL-Class and SLK-Class, and a convertible version of the AMG GT.->ke4853

Expected to debut next spring, the SLK Roadster will get a significant design update, but more importantly, it will also be renamed the SLC-Class to better fit in with Mercedes’ rebranding. Soon after the SLC-Class debuts, the SL-Class will undergo its own styling refresh to a bolder and more aggressive design. In recent months, we’ve seen spy shots->ke166 of both updated convertibles running around Germany.

At the top of Mercedes’ convertible lineup, the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster is expected to debut by 2017. Taking the place of the dearly departed SLS AMG Roadster, the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster will stand as the performance-oriented convertible with AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 under the hood cranking out 456 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, but unlike the SL and SLC, the AMG GT Roadster will stick with a more conventional (and weight-saving) soft top rather than a retractable hard top.

The SL will continue to be positioned against the 2016 BMW 6 Series Convertible, white the AMG GT Roadster will take on the 2016 Porsche 911 Convertible.

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Why it matters

While convertibles continue to disappear from the lower end of the automotive market, luxury automakers like Mercedes-Benz are starting to expand their drop-top offerings. Within the next several years, Mercedes-Benz will have six convertibles in its lineup.

2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC

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