Details emerge on Gullwing SLC, but no Mercedes badge?
Fans of the classic Gullwing Mercedes 300 SL have been eagerly awaiting the new Gullwing SLC supercar, which Mercedes' tuning house AMG has been spied working on over the last year. But if emerging reports are to be believed, the SLC won't wear a Mercedes badge at all. The true successor to SLR McLaren will reportedly be the first vehicle to be badged exclusively as an AMG product, forgoing the vaunted three-pointed star altogether.
Reports also indicate that with dimensions of 4650mm long, 2700mm wheelbase, 1950mm wide, and 1250mm high, the SLC will be similar in proportions to a Ferrari F430. Project C197, as the Gullwing SLC is internally known, is expected to make its debut at the 2010 Geneva show, with a cloth-roofed convertible R197 version to follow a year later.
Gallery: Mercedes/AMG prototype - spy shots
[Source: Car via eurocarblog]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Franz 1:41PM (8/06/2008)
No Merc badge? I'm not sure why they'd wanna do that. Everybody would know it's a Mercedes anyways, and it wouldn't make it any more desirable. It's already gonna be available in limited numbers. Not sure how much sense that makes but hey, whatever works for them.
Reply
Alex 1:51PM (8/06/2008)
...
I frankly don't believe that it won't have a MB badge. A supercar like this will add more cache to MB.
And, in turn, being a MB will stand it out from the field of many second-tier car manufacturers/tuners.
...
Mike 3:24PM (8/06/2008)
I would be very, very surprised if it did not wear an MB badge as well. I also feel comfortable saying that it would hurt sales if it did not wear the three pointed star. MB would be foolish not to build on the popularity and history of the 300SL for this car. People would buy it for the doors, nameplate and nostalgia alone...never mind performance.
Trying to stand AMG up on it's own must be done from the ground up not the opposite. Brand some AMG track racers first and introduce the streetables after that...
david 1:43PM (8/06/2008)
viper.
Reply
Superman 1:44PM (8/06/2008)
is it just me or does that look a lot like a viper. I mean look at the exhast on the side right uner the door.
Reply
Jason 1:51PM (8/06/2008)
It IS a Viper body and probably most of it's underpinnings. Just for testing the engine and maybe some of the suspension.
komamura 8:20PM (8/06/2008)
Yea its a viper body, tho while the holes for the exaust are there, the pipes are under the back bumper on that car
Richard 1:54PM (8/06/2008)
Not being an MB makes no sense. Especially if is called an SLC.
Reply
Andy 2:14PM (8/06/2008)
Either bring it to the Maybach brand or leave it with MB. There's no reason to spin-off the AMG brand.
Reply
Carlos 2:16PM (8/06/2008)
When Mercedes Benz decides to make a car that's dedicated to going fast and street friend, i.e. losing 400lbs and still weighs 4k lbs, I believe pigs will fly.
Also don't say the CLK-GTR was because that was a race car with an interior.
Reply
BluC6 3:00PM (8/06/2008)
Viper for sure.
Reply
Fooman 3:22PM (8/06/2008)
Viper test bed these are really old pics.
McClaren and MB have already split up, what is the big surprise here. As for AMG splitting, it does make sense for 2 reasons. In the markets that AMG is big IE Socal where 50% of all AMG's go it will upscale the brand a little more, to compete with the Brabus cars. Also depending on how exactly AMG fits into MB empire, if this car is based on a production platform there may be DDR registration reasons to have it not a MB, ie cafe or "non modified" Much like how Ruff and Alpina are not owned by BMW and P, and the cars are registered as Ruff or Alpina.
Reply
Joce03 3:41PM (8/06/2008)
If they are using a Viper as a test mule, you assume the SLC will be front-engine and RWD. Then, how can it "be similar in proportions to a Ferrari F430"?
Reply
Mad Cow 3:59PM (8/06/2008)
The real question is whether it will have a plaid cloth interior.
Reply
carsteve 4:10PM (8/06/2008)
Would be cool if they produced an affordable Gullwinged sports car.
Reply
Michael D. 4:51PM (8/06/2008)
Moving along nicely, I see, something great to look forward to!
Only thing, I can't see how it would be "proportioned like a Ferrari F430 - the Ferrari F430, as hot as it is, is a rear-engined car, this SLC is a front engined car, or perhaps a front/mid engined configuration.
Maybe they meant to say "proportioned like a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano".
Reply
DriveCritic 2:17AM (8/07/2008)
Call me a traditionalist if you will, but this isn't a successor to the 300SL Gullwing if it doesn't carry a Mercedes-Benz badge.
I have listed this post on http://www.drivecritic.com/
Reply