Posted on Monday 14 April 2008
Update: Mercedes-Benz and its performance divisions AMG and HWA are planning to release several new models in coming years with the first car to be a high-performance coupe slotted between the outgoing SLR and the upcoming SL Black Series from AMG. Germany’s Handelsblatt is now reporting the car will sport a gullwing design and be available late next year as a 2010 model. The source also claims the car will be based on the current Mercedes SL, not the next-gen model that had been widely speculated, and will be built by Mercedes-Benz in Germany.
Original: Mercedes-Benz is working on a host of new sports cars with a number of prototypes already spotted testing at both the Nurburgring and America’s Death Valley. Yesterday, spy images of a new Black Series version of the facelifted SL surfaced and last month images of another prototype dubbed the SLC turned up. We now have new renderings of a third Mercedes sports car said to be in development, a gull-winged coupe based on a shortened SL platform described as a spiritual successor to the original 300 SL.
Rumored to hit the streets in 2010, the new car will feature an upgraded version of AMG’s hand-built 6.2L V8 with power levels in excess of 600hp. The car is being developed internally by Mercedes and AMG engineers and production numbers are expected to range between 3,000 and 5,000 units per year.
Although the gull-wing doors draw obvious styling cues from the original model from the 1950s, the new car won’t be shamelessly retro. As these renderings suggest, the car will feature a sleek, aerodynamic body, circular headlights and SLR-style side vents.
Wow, that’s nice! I can now honestly say that I like Mercedes Gullwing’s, or at least this one, hated the old one. This one is awesome.
Sorta looks like an elongated Porsche Cayman S. It is a pretty car.
If this is very close to the final design then…Wow! This is truly an amazing work of art, hats off to the design team for this masterpiece! The great thing about it is that if the Mercedes Badge wasn’t on the car, you wouldn’t know who made it..maybe BMW (Z8 like?) or Porsche. The point is that it’s away from the usual recent/mainstream Mercedes designs. And the original Gullwing was and still is freakin’ gorgeous.
I think motorauthority has got it totally wrong again. The Shortened SL-platform is actually the Mercedes SLC and the black series is basically a more performance oreinted SL63 AMG like the black series of the CLK range. Between the SL and SLC there is no space for another car.
The Black series SL looks brillliant though
THE 300 slr is the best gullwing by far
Ooooooooh…
I’ll have to see it in person before I render my verdict.
I have to have one…but how to raise the money in time to get on the waiting list….ah I got it! Kidney for sale! Kidney for sale! Please inquire about other organs!
YOW!
this car looks awesome, although it could easily be mistaken for a porsce…maybe if it had double-circle lights like the SL it would be a bit more MB
It’s an absolutely beautiful Porsche Cayman S…uhm…I mean MB 300 SL Gullwing. Enough said.
Looks like A COPY OF THE ALFA 8C CONPETIZIONE….
…very hot but where is the Mercedes soul??? they are losing creativity.
to die for. It is now my favourite merc ahead of the slr mclaren. i will buy one for sure
modern design are all crap!!! the so called “retro” thing is cool,so this sl will be the best in many many years.
the cars of the past are BY FAR the best looking cars and they are REAL cars.
stop giving us wimpy ridicolous so called “modern” cars and give back us the REAL thing!
Definitely a Alfa 8C Competizione Photoshop!!
GREAT CAR. INCREDIBLE THAT GO BACK THIS MODEL CAR
I think it looks like de Chrysler Crossfire
That car between Cayman S and Alfa 8C Competizione
what can I say?? it is absolutly a dream car. I am willing to spend rest of live to have it!
why in gods name would you revive your halo car after 40 years and then make it on the current platform that is almost on its way to the junk yard instead of spending more time to develop a more current model that will be released in the next 2 years? WHY?!
It will be a cool car!
as craig s said
=D
Gorrrrrrrr
Jussssss…
Im with Chris.
Make it on the platform of the new car and not the outgoing one. I for one love the shape and would deffo want one, but they need to make this cutting edge tech and not next years knock off
… and this is why Mercedes Benz are continuing their descent into mediocrity. Why, indeed? Why retain a 5 year old platform?
Have you seen the ‘new’ CLC? It is a joke i tell ya! Just by slapping on together the front and rear of different cars does not a new model make.
MB has had its day, but the future belongs to the VW Audi group and BMW as they are always pushing progressively forward, pushing the envelope with chassis technology, drivetrain and brilliant engines.
New Mercedes gullwing
Mercedes will be bring back the Gullwing in 2010 as part of the SL class AMG lineup. Will be put between the up coming SL AMG Black series and the SLR