Rumors about a Mercedes SLC-Class started awhile back and for s short period of time, it was believed that the new SLS AMG would be called the SLC. Obviously, this is not the case, but hopes for an SLC are still not lost as Mercedes will indeed offer the SLC in an unexpected package.
The SLC-Class will actually be the baby brother of the SLS and will be set to attack models like the Porsche 911. Compared to the SLS, the future SLC will be lighter and slimmer with the use of plenty of carbon fiber and aluminum. In a shocking twist of SLS insult, the SLC will be devoid of gullwing doors. As for the engine, the future Mercedes SLC will come with two different options. The first will be a twin turbo V6 producing 350 HP and the second will be a V8 engine with an output of 500 HP.
The less dramatic specifications of the Mercedes SLC have also given way to a cheaper price tag compared to that of its brother. Expect to pay somewhere under 100,000 Euro, or about $145,000 at the current exchange rates.
As a reminder, the SLC name was first used as a market name for the Mercedes C107 from 1971 to 1981. These vehicles were sold in three different versions - 280, 380 and 500 SLC - and were powered by either an inline-6 engine or a V8 for the top versions. The name, SLC, is expected to be revived sometime in 2014.
UPDATE 11/09/2011: British magazine, CAR, is offering new details on the upcoming Mercedes SLC set to be released in 2015 - when the SLS goes out of production. The model will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions and, unlike previous rumors have stated, will only be offered with a V8 engine downsized to 4.0 liter. The model will be built on the same aluminum-intensive engineering layout as the SLS, but it will feature a lighter curb weight, even better handling qualities, and exceptional performance.
UPDATE 01/13/2012: Motor Trend has revealed that the future baby SLS will make its world debut later this year at the 2012 Frankfurt Motor Show and that it will be the first model sold under the AMG badge. Their news, however, comes with a big problem: according to them, the new baby SLS is known as the SLV and will be ready to take on models like the Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman. Previous rumors stated that the baby SLS would be known as the SLC and that it would compete against the Porsche 911. So, are we talking about two different models or a downgrade of expectations?
UPDATE 02/07/2012: Mercedes has finally green-lighted the upcoming SLC-Class, the company’s rival for the Porsche 911/991. In an interview with AutoCar, AMG boss Ola Kallenius confirmed that the model will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions and will go on sale in 2013. Prices will start from £80,000 - about $125k at the current exchange rates. Expect it to be powered by a 500 HP twin-turbocharged 5.4-liter V8 engine, which will sprint it up to a top speed of 180 mph.
After Mercedes unveiled the new generation CLS, rumors started to circulate about a Shooting Brake version. And while this isn’t the first time the vehicle has been caught testing, it is yet another confirmation that the Shooting Brake is happening, however strange it may seem.
The up and coming CLS Shooting Brake was in Northern Sweden doing some winter testing when our spy photographers caught up with it. If anyone expects to see great things from this new model, we recommend they stop dreaming. The Shooting Brake model will only be a station wagon version of the CLS and will feature the same design language as its sedan brother. The technology and engine lineup will also be shared.
This means that when the CLS Shooting Brake finally makes its appearance, it will be powered by a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 capable of producing 306 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. An AMG version is also a strong possibility.
The Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake is expected to be unveiled sometime in 2012.
While the wait for the Mercedes SLS AMG roadster version continues on, Mercedes is making the wait a little more bearable by surprising us with another SLS AMG: the GT3 version. The sports car will compete in the 2011 racing season.
The SLS AMG GT3 features a new new front apron with a splitter, the bonnet with central cooling air vent, wider front and rear wings, sideskirts with cooling ducts for the rear brakes, a rear diffuser and the adjustable rear aerofoil.
The race car will be powered by the same 6.3-liter V8 engine, but has been tuned to deliver an impressive +600 hp, a pretty significant spike from the road-going version of the SLS AMG which comes with a "standard" 571 hp.
Also on the interior, the SLS AMG GT3 version will drop all of its luxury amenities, including the air conditioning, navigation and upholstery. Instead, the car’s interior will be stripped down to only include a steel rollover cage, a racing bucket seat with a six-point seat belt and HANS system.
UPDATE 09/22/2011: Tobias Moers, Member of the Board of Directors and Head of Vehicle Development for AMG has confirmed that the SLS GT3 would not be racing in the US market because the company did not want to go through the added expense of re-certifying it for use on US soil.
UPDATE 02/03/12: Mercedes is continuing its series on the SLS AMG GT3’s production with a new video on assembling the body of the car. Enjoy!
Full story and press release after the jump.
Full story
When cars first get released, many tuners jump headfirst into trying to come out with a tuning package that outdoes anything the automaker has already provided. Others seem to be a little slow on the uptake and end up providing packages for vehicles that have been on the market for a little while longer. The Mercedes CLS 63 AMG was unveiled in 2010, but German tuner, MKB, have only recently revealed their upgrade for the luxury sedan, and the added power was well worth the wait.
MKB popped the hood of the CLS63 AMG and tuned the boost pressure, high flow exhaust systems, and ECU management. These powerful modifications gave the 5.5L twin turbo V8 engine a boost to the tune of 122 HP and 221 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the CLS 63 AMG now delivers a total of 640 HP and 737 lb-ft of torque.
With this added power, the Mercedes CLS63 AMG will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, while top speed goes up to an impressive 211 mph. That top speed is like forbidden fruit, however, because it was kept limited to 186 mph. The added punch is controlled with a new set of 19" or 20" aluminum wheels wrapped around Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
The 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG hasn’t even made its official debut just yet and already Mercedes is giving the first one away. Okay, technically, they’re not giving it away, but they are certainly not selling it directly to one of their customers. When the first unit of the SL63AMG hits Stateside, Mercedes will be sending it to the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Gala for their 6th annual auction on February 25, 2012.
The upcoming SL63 AMG will be powered by a 5.5-liter twin turbo V8 engine that will delivers about 540 HP. A Black Series version will also be offered and has been rumored to deliver more than the current 661 HP version. The model will be distinguished from the standard SL-Class by a more aggressive design including a long hood, AMG wheels, cross-drilled brakes, a rear wing, and new AMG quad exhausts.
A 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder and a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 will also be at the auction, making for a great opportunity to skip the waiting list.
