Filed under: Concept Cars, Sports/GTs, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Audi, Mercedes-Benz
Merc's new supercar to debut in Geneva, compete with R8
by Damon Lavrinc on Jun 11th 2007 at 9:53AM 
As previously reported, Mercedes and McLaren have parted ways, and development of the new M.B. supercar has been assigned to HWA AG, an operation directly connected to AMG.
We're already aware that the new Mercedes' halo will be sporting a 6.2-liter V8 – the same engine employed in several other AMG-massaged vehicles – but what we didn't know is that Mercedes and HWA plan to unveil their lovechild at the Geneva Motor Show next March, and they expect it to compete with the R8.
That last bit left us a trifle confused, as the R8 was built to compete with other high-end sports cars, including the Porsche 911 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Mercedes already has several vehicles that flirt with that price point, although some may argue none are capable of the visceral thrills the others offer.
We'll be on hand to see the concept coupe unveiled next year, but in the meantime, we'd invite you to speculate about what HWA and Mercedes have planned.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
freckles 12:02PM (6/11/2007)
If they do produce this car please let if have a proper manual transmission.
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doglet 12:05PM (6/11/2007)
what was the last real MB sportscar. i dont mean some folding hardtop convertible or some 4000lbs coupe. what was the last time MB made a real honest to goodness, from the ground up, sportscar? if you dont count the extremely limited production CLK AMG GTR then it has to be the 300 sl. that was over 60 years ago...
nowonder they have to outsource the project, noone in the company even knows what a sportscar is.
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Bart 12:26PM (6/11/2007)
@ doglet
You couldnt be more misinformed. Mercedes is the sports and race car manufacturer pur sang. Their lack of pure sportscars this era can be purely attributed to the fact that they make drivers' cars and they cater to people who want a daily driver with high tech features.
I'd say the best memorable attempt at a brutish sportscar was the 190E Evo II. With its Cosworth running gear it was a DTM car for the road. Much like the CLK DTM is now.
Cooperating with HWA isnt even close to outsourcing. In fact, it's closer to home than McClaren is. HWA is a division that constructs racing cars with AMG. If they adapt their knowledge to road cars the result should be stunning. Much like Pro-drive did with their concept.
I'm curious to see if it'll be mid-engined. It'll be an ideal layout, but it doesnt befit a Merc.
And please people, I know this is the internet, but uninformed attacks still make you look stupid.
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siddharth s 2:26PM (6/11/2007)
Err ... a drivers car is not the same as mom driving to grocery car. Generally drivers car = a sporty, responsive car. Even their roadsters (SLK*) are quite "floaty".
In the end of all my test driving, pass mercedes, hello porsche.
And about uninformed comments, no one passed uninformed comments. For some HWA is outside the house, as was McLaren.
I'm 100% with the others that noone in mercedes knows how to make a sports car. Except for the tiny team working with McLaren makiong race bred cars. The problem is none of that stuff makes it into mercedes mainstream - so what's the point? The competitors make sure the racing genes make it to the mainline.
doglet 2:20PM (6/11/2007)
@bart, you say that i am misinformed that proceed to backup everything that i just said. noone ever said that a mercedes is not a nice driving car.
"Their lack of pure sportscars this era can be purely attributed to the fact that they make drivers' cars"
that is a one sentence summation of my post. there is a world of difference between a nice driving car and a sports car. if you dont understand that, it cant be explained.
"And please people, I know this is the internet, but uninformed attacks still make you look stupid."
read my post again and then list the factual errors that i made. or dont, it might make you look stupid.
no wonder noone in MB knows what a sports car is, neither do their fanboys. have fun with your $50k 'sports suv' with reliabilty somewhere south of a ford taurus. but hey, its like a sports car, right?
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Pouya 9:00PM (6/11/2007)
With Mercedes there is a presumption that whatever road car they make it will be too heavy and will be available only in an automatic. . .in other words, not for me.
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j-dawg 9:47PM (6/11/2007)
Why is AMG's treatment of cars almost always referred to as a "massage"?
It's not just Autoblog. I've seen the phrase used in other auto publications.
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Nick 5:06AM (6/12/2007)
How to make a AMG car:
1. Take car
2. Add 6.2l V8 engine
3. Sell
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Phil 9:42AM (6/27/2007)
Aint that the truth!