Next AMG Black Series coupe will pay more attention to grace than power

Finding a way to make productive use of more than 500hp in a standard two-wheel drive configuration is a tough thing - at least without going to ridiculous tire and wheel sizes. So the next generation of super-performance coupe from Mercedes-Benz's AMG division won't focus on pushing the outer boundaries of power. Instead, it will focus on something often left behind: agility.

Getting power to the ground, then taming it through the curves, will ultimately make for a faster car than one that's simply outrageously powerful. Just ask a Lotus driver.

But that's not to say that the next AMG Black Series coupe will be gutless - far from it. Expect at least 500hp, as the next C63 AMG - currently the least powerful AMG model - will sit just above the 500hp mark as well, according to Autocar.

Five hundred horsepower is more than enough to provide abundant rubber-burning fun, but not so much as to make the car useless below fourth gear. And with judicious use of engine electronics and technological wizardry, it could even return relatively economical fuel consumption and emissions figures.

Based around the E-Class Coupe (pictured), the next Black Series will supplant the AMG E-Class Coupe, and instead focus on delivering the ultimate in balanced handling, power and speed. The current Black Series SL65 AMG is a brute with some serious capability, but its 4,125lb weight makes for less impressive transitional performance than its spec sheet might indicate.

How Mercedes plans to achieve this lithe yet powerful beast isn't yet clear, but expect to see advanced materials including extensive use of carbon fiber to save weight.