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Mercedes-Benz Planning New Sports Car Based On SLS AMG Platform

 
4 3,246 views Jan 6, 2010
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2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

HI-RES GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

The Porsche 911 better look out because Mercedes-Benz is reportedly working on a new sports car based on a shortened version of the 2010 SLS AMG’s platform targeted directly at it. The new Mercedes-Benz sports car will copy the SLS AMG’s aluminum construction but will lose the funky gullwing doors.

Instead, conventional front-hinged doors will be adopted in an effort to bring costs down. The new model will also pick up AMG’s next-generation V-8 engine, a 5.5-liter unit with direct-injection and turbocharging technologies and an output of around 500-horsepower. Acceleration times for the 0-60 mph dash are expected to fall around the 4.5 second mark.

The new sports car is tipped to be called the SSK AMG and is due for launch in 2014--an open top roadster version is an almost certainty.

The decision to build more standalone AMG models is to help establish the Mercedes-Benz in-house tuner as a separate sports car manufacturer that could eventually rival other smaller players in the supercar arena such as Pagani and McLaren.

Other models in the pipeline include an all-electric SLS AMG due in 2013 and a possible SLS AMG Black Series.

[Drive]





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Comments (4)

  1. fb_100000275684479 avatar Michael Escobar Posted: 1/6/2010 9:25am PST

    So does this mean no more SL-63 AMG? It seems like this new car would occupy the same niche as the SL, so maybe the SL will just have "500" and "600" versions. Hmm, SL, SLK-AMG, SLS Gullwing, and now SSK? Can a company make too many sports cars?
     
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  2. By WizardsLore Posted: 1/6/2010 5:42pm PST

    yes. Especially when they are not a sports car company. Maybe that why they are trying to push the AMG monikor. As for the smaller model to rival Porsche. All i can say is i hope they do thhat, and keep the front lights too, and Porsche will be laughing into their Steins.
     
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  3. By  winter olympics Posted: 1/6/2010 6:47pm PST

    The front end from the base of the window forward looks awfully long to me, maybe it's just the pics. If it's as long as it appears, man!, it's going to be hard to judge speed bumps and driveway drop offs. But I like this version better than that other Gullwing America SLS Panamerican. I still think neither is as nicely designed as the original (though I understand they had some serious problems with cabin heat and a few other items.)
     
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  4. By  ds accessories Posted: 1/29/2010 12:49am PST

    Hi Guy's,
    i can say is i hope they do thhat, and keep the front lights too, and Porsche will be laughing into their Steins.
     
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