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Mercedes to adopt aluminum construction for next SL

 
3 1,937 views Jul 19, 2007
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Mercedes to adopt aluminum construction for next SL

Mercedes to adopt aluminum construction for next SL

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Mercedes’ new super sports car being developed with its racing partner HWA and the next-generation SL due in 2012 will adopt aluminum bodywork construction in an effort to save weight. Similar to the construction of Jaguar’s XJ and Audi’s A8 saloons, the adoption of lightweight aluminum will improve the handling, ride, performance and fuel economy of Mercedes’ new models.

The new sports car, which is rumored to be called the SLC, will arrive in 2010 and will be followed two years later the by the new SL, according to AutoWeek. Both cars will be front-engined and RWD and share most of their components, including drivetrains, suspension and electrical systems.

The SLC will be built in low volumes at a new factory in Germany by HWA and feature a welded-aluminum spaceframe. The final design of the car is still under wraps but it’s thought that it could either feature a retro look based on the 300SLR of the 1950s or a more modern design similar to the SLR.

Meanwhile, McLaren is said to be working on its own supercar project in the UK. Codenamed P11, the new McLaren model is due to hit the streets in 2010 and is rumored to be an unfinished project started by F1 designer Gordon Murray, who left the company in 2004 to start his own firm.



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Comments (3)

  1. By Harrow Posted: 7/20/2007 1:17am PDT

    It\'s about time Mercedes moved to alum. More than any other manufacturer, their sports cars are too heavy to actually be considered anything more than GTs. I hope this means the new SL will be more hardcore.
     
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  2. By biturbo Posted: 7/20/2007 12:09pm PDT

    So after all Mercedes got it that their cars are ridiculously heavy :)
     
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  3. By James Posted: 7/20/2007 9:58pm PDT

    Promises, promises. The Audi A8 is aluminum, yet apparently what weight that was saved got easily offset by quattro and all the extra goodies Audi tacked on to that beast. All the new BMWs use plenty of aluminum, yet each 3-, 5- and 6-series car only got heavier. Only Jaguar seems to understand why you use aluminum in the first place... to lose weight!!!
     
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