SL/R230: Super SL/SLC Article in Autoweek
07-20-2007, 05:50 PM
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2005 SL600, 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
Super SL/SLC Article in Autoweek
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../70716004/1065
Super SL!
Mercedes racing arm readies lightweight road car
By JULIAN RENDELL
AutoWeek | Updated: 07/18/07, 10:08 am et
Mercedes is planning a switch to aluminum bodywork for two vital new sports cars, a move that mirrors Jaguar’s and Audi’s adoption of the lightweight material.
Both the SLC, the company’s new flagship supercar, and the next-generation SL will switch to alloy, a move that will improve handling, ride, performance and fuel economy.
The SLC, an Audi R8 fighter, will be the first to see light of day around 2010, followed within two years by the SL. Both cars will be front-engined rear-drivers and will share key components such as engines, gearboxes, axles and electrical systems. But the similarities will end there.
The SLC will be a lower-volume flagship supercar, built at a new factory under construction in Germany by HWA, a new company set up by Hans Werner Aufrecht, one of the cofounders of AMG, now a Mercedes subsidiary. HWA oversees the Mercedes DTM racing program from its workshops in Affalterbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart.
Although the SLC won’t be built in Mercedes’ Stuttgart home, the W197 project is under the close control of Mercedes engineers.
Built on a bespoke, welded-aluminum spaceframe, the SLC will be a test bed for the new technology, similar to the BMW Z8 that pioneered the frame used by Roll-Royce.
Two styling proposals are under consideration, one a retro design inspired by the iconic 1950s 300SLR racer, the other a thoroughly modern avant-garde design. The SLR-inspired design is said to feature an updated version of the original car’s hallmark gullwing doors.
Although previous reports have suggested the SLC will be clad in carbon-fiber panels, AutoWeek has learned that in addition to the chassis, the bodywork also will be aluminum.
With the SLC positioned as a sporty but high-quality supercar, it is likely to borrow the most powerful, AMG-tuned engines from the next SL, codenamed R231. That suggests a choice of V8 and V12 engines, with and without forced induction.
The new series of 6.0-liter V8s, for example, will feature twin turbochargers and more than 600 hp. The next-generation V12 could easily push the 700-hp barrier.
Production numbers are relatively high for a supercar—some 4000 to 5000 annually, we’re told. But with sales channeled through Mercedes’ extensive global dealer network, that’s a handful of cars per year per dealer, which means the SLC should easily command a price in excess of $150,000.
McLaren's continued work on a new supercar, codenamed P11, may evoke cues of the vaulted F1. Jerry Chung/Autocar
McLaren also in Mercedes supercar mix
While HWA in Germany readies its front-engined SLC, AutoWeek has learned that a second Mercedes supercar project is also on full boil—at McLaren in England. Shown in this illustration, the Mercedes-McLaren is a mid-engined, carbon-fiber-bodied car codenamed P11. Rumors suggest McLaren plans a range of cars based on the P11, which is due in 2010. McLaren has declined to comment on the project.
McLaren first began tinkering with the car, intended as a follow-up to the legendary F1 road car, in 2004, when F1 designer Gordon Murray developed a prototype called the P8 (“Let the Games Begin,” AW, Feb. 23, 2004).
Murray has since left McLaren Cars to form his own design firm (News, May 7), but the P8 project has continued, despite a series of fits and starts coinciding with the overhaul of Mercedes management in Germany. Rumors circulated that the project had been killed. But McLaren apparently has continued to invest in development of the car, reportedly with the support of some deep-pocketed investors, and now plans to bring the P11 to production at about the same time as the HWA SLC. Both cars likely will draw on the same Mercedes AMG engine supply. —BOB GRITZINGER
Entire contents ©2007 Crain Communications, Inc.
Super SL!
Mercedes racing arm readies lightweight road car
By JULIAN RENDELL
AutoWeek | Updated: 07/18/07, 10:08 am et
Mercedes is planning a switch to aluminum bodywork for two vital new sports cars, a move that mirrors Jaguar’s and Audi’s adoption of the lightweight material.
Both the SLC, the company’s new flagship supercar, and the next-generation SL will switch to alloy, a move that will improve handling, ride, performance and fuel economy.
The SLC, an Audi R8 fighter, will be the first to see light of day around 2010, followed within two years by the SL. Both cars will be front-engined rear-drivers and will share key components such as engines, gearboxes, axles and electrical systems. But the similarities will end there.
The SLC will be a lower-volume flagship supercar, built at a new factory under construction in Germany by HWA, a new company set up by Hans Werner Aufrecht, one of the cofounders of AMG, now a Mercedes subsidiary. HWA oversees the Mercedes DTM racing program from its workshops in Affalterbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart.
Although the SLC won’t be built in Mercedes’ Stuttgart home, the W197 project is under the close control of Mercedes engineers.
Built on a bespoke, welded-aluminum spaceframe, the SLC will be a test bed for the new technology, similar to the BMW Z8 that pioneered the frame used by Roll-Royce.
Two styling proposals are under consideration, one a retro design inspired by the iconic 1950s 300SLR racer, the other a thoroughly modern avant-garde design. The SLR-inspired design is said to feature an updated version of the original car’s hallmark gullwing doors.
Although previous reports have suggested the SLC will be clad in carbon-fiber panels, AutoWeek has learned that in addition to the chassis, the bodywork also will be aluminum.
With the SLC positioned as a sporty but high-quality supercar, it is likely to borrow the most powerful, AMG-tuned engines from the next SL, codenamed R231. That suggests a choice of V8 and V12 engines, with and without forced induction.
The new series of 6.0-liter V8s, for example, will feature twin turbochargers and more than 600 hp. The next-generation V12 could easily push the 700-hp barrier.
Production numbers are relatively high for a supercar—some 4000 to 5000 annually, we’re told. But with sales channeled through Mercedes’ extensive global dealer network, that’s a handful of cars per year per dealer, which means the SLC should easily command a price in excess of $150,000.
McLaren's continued work on a new supercar, codenamed P11, may evoke cues of the vaulted F1. Jerry Chung/Autocar
McLaren also in Mercedes supercar mix
While HWA in Germany readies its front-engined SLC, AutoWeek has learned that a second Mercedes supercar project is also on full boil—at McLaren in England. Shown in this illustration, the Mercedes-McLaren is a mid-engined, carbon-fiber-bodied car codenamed P11. Rumors suggest McLaren plans a range of cars based on the P11, which is due in 2010. McLaren has declined to comment on the project.
McLaren first began tinkering with the car, intended as a follow-up to the legendary F1 road car, in 2004, when F1 designer Gordon Murray developed a prototype called the P8 (“Let the Games Begin,” AW, Feb. 23, 2004).
Murray has since left McLaren Cars to form his own design firm (News, May 7), but the P8 project has continued, despite a series of fits and starts coinciding with the overhaul of Mercedes management in Germany. Rumors circulated that the project had been killed. But McLaren apparently has continued to invest in development of the car, reportedly with the support of some deep-pocketed investors, and now plans to bring the P11 to production at about the same time as the HWA SLC. Both cars likely will draw on the same Mercedes AMG engine supply. —BOB GRITZINGER
Entire contents ©2007 Crain Communications, Inc.
07-20-2007, 06:49 PM
#2
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../70716004/1065
Super SL!
Mercedes racing arm readies lightweight road car
By JULIAN RENDELL
AutoWeek | Updated: 07/18/07, 10:08 am et
Mercedes is planning a switch to aluminum bodywork for two vital new sports cars, a move that mirrors Jaguar’s and Audi’s adoption of the lightweight material.
Both the SLC, the company’s new flagship supercar, and the next-generation SL will switch to alloy, a move that will improve handling, ride, performance and fuel economy.
The SLC, an Audi R8 fighter, will be the first to see light of day around 2010, followed within two years by the SL. Both cars will be front-engined rear-drivers and will share key components such as engines, gearboxes, axles and electrical systems. But the similarities will end there.
The SLC will be a lower-volume flagship supercar, built at a new factory under construction in Germany by HWA, a new company set up by Hans Werner Aufrecht, one of the cofounders of AMG, now a Mercedes subsidiary. HWA oversees the Mercedes DTM racing program from its workshops in Affalterbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart.
Although the SLC won’t be built in Mercedes’ Stuttgart home, the W197 project is under the close control of Mercedes engineers.
Built on a bespoke, welded-aluminum spaceframe, the SLC will be a test bed for the new technology, similar to the BMW Z8 that pioneered the frame used by Roll-Royce.
Two styling proposals are under consideration, one a retro design inspired by the iconic 1950s 300SLR racer, the other a thoroughly modern avant-garde design. The SLR-inspired design is said to feature an updated version of the original car’s hallmark gullwing doors.
Although previous reports have suggested the SLC will be clad in carbon-fiber panels, AutoWeek has learned that in addition to the chassis, the bodywork also will be aluminum.
With the SLC positioned as a sporty but high-quality supercar, it is likely to borrow the most powerful, AMG-tuned engines from the next SL, codenamed R231. That suggests a choice of V8 and V12 engines, with and without forced induction.
The new series of 6.0-liter V8s, for example, will feature twin turbochargers and more than 600 hp. The next-generation V12 could easily push the 700-hp barrier.
Production numbers are relatively high for a supercar—some 4000 to 5000 annually, we’re told. But with sales channeled through Mercedes’ extensive global dealer network, that’s a handful of cars per year per dealer, which means the SLC should easily command a price in excess of $150,000.
McLaren's continued work on a new supercar, codenamed P11, may evoke cues of the vaulted F1. Jerry Chung/Autocar
McLaren also in Mercedes supercar mix
While HWA in Germany readies its front-engined SLC, AutoWeek has learned that a second Mercedes supercar project is also on full boil—at McLaren in England. Shown in this illustration, the Mercedes-McLaren is a mid-engined, carbon-fiber-bodied car codenamed P11. Rumors suggest McLaren plans a range of cars based on the P11, which is due in 2010. McLaren has declined to comment on the project.
McLaren first began tinkering with the car, intended as a follow-up to the legendary F1 road car, in 2004, when F1 designer Gordon Murray developed a prototype called the P8 (“Let the Games Begin,” AW, Feb. 23, 2004).
Murray has since left McLaren Cars to form his own design firm (News, May 7), but the P8 project has continued, despite a series of fits and starts coinciding with the overhaul of Mercedes management in Germany. Rumors circulated that the project had been killed. But McLaren apparently has continued to invest in development of the car, reportedly with the support of some deep-pocketed investors, and now plans to bring the P11 to production at about the same time as the HWA SLC. Both cars likely will draw on the same Mercedes AMG engine supply. —BOB GRITZINGER
Entire contents ©2007 Crain Communications, Inc.
Super SL!
Mercedes racing arm readies lightweight road car
By JULIAN RENDELL
AutoWeek | Updated: 07/18/07, 10:08 am et
Mercedes is planning a switch to aluminum bodywork for two vital new sports cars, a move that mirrors Jaguar’s and Audi’s adoption of the lightweight material.
Both the SLC, the company’s new flagship supercar, and the next-generation SL will switch to alloy, a move that will improve handling, ride, performance and fuel economy.
The SLC, an Audi R8 fighter, will be the first to see light of day around 2010, followed within two years by the SL. Both cars will be front-engined rear-drivers and will share key components such as engines, gearboxes, axles and electrical systems. But the similarities will end there.
The SLC will be a lower-volume flagship supercar, built at a new factory under construction in Germany by HWA, a new company set up by Hans Werner Aufrecht, one of the cofounders of AMG, now a Mercedes subsidiary. HWA oversees the Mercedes DTM racing program from its workshops in Affalterbach on the outskirts of Stuttgart.
Although the SLC won’t be built in Mercedes’ Stuttgart home, the W197 project is under the close control of Mercedes engineers.
Built on a bespoke, welded-aluminum spaceframe, the SLC will be a test bed for the new technology, similar to the BMW Z8 that pioneered the frame used by Roll-Royce.
Two styling proposals are under consideration, one a retro design inspired by the iconic 1950s 300SLR racer, the other a thoroughly modern avant-garde design. The SLR-inspired design is said to feature an updated version of the original car’s hallmark gullwing doors.
Although previous reports have suggested the SLC will be clad in carbon-fiber panels, AutoWeek has learned that in addition to the chassis, the bodywork also will be aluminum.
With the SLC positioned as a sporty but high-quality supercar, it is likely to borrow the most powerful, AMG-tuned engines from the next SL, codenamed R231. That suggests a choice of V8 and V12 engines, with and without forced induction.
The new series of 6.0-liter V8s, for example, will feature twin turbochargers and more than 600 hp. The next-generation V12 could easily push the 700-hp barrier.
Production numbers are relatively high for a supercar—some 4000 to 5000 annually, we’re told. But with sales channeled through Mercedes’ extensive global dealer network, that’s a handful of cars per year per dealer, which means the SLC should easily command a price in excess of $150,000.
McLaren's continued work on a new supercar, codenamed P11, may evoke cues of the vaulted F1. Jerry Chung/Autocar
McLaren also in Mercedes supercar mix
While HWA in Germany readies its front-engined SLC, AutoWeek has learned that a second Mercedes supercar project is also on full boil—at McLaren in England. Shown in this illustration, the Mercedes-McLaren is a mid-engined, carbon-fiber-bodied car codenamed P11. Rumors suggest McLaren plans a range of cars based on the P11, which is due in 2010. McLaren has declined to comment on the project.
McLaren first began tinkering with the car, intended as a follow-up to the legendary F1 road car, in 2004, when F1 designer Gordon Murray developed a prototype called the P8 (“Let the Games Begin,” AW, Feb. 23, 2004).
Murray has since left McLaren Cars to form his own design firm (News, May 7), but the P8 project has continued, despite a series of fits and starts coinciding with the overhaul of Mercedes management in Germany. Rumors circulated that the project had been killed. But McLaren apparently has continued to invest in development of the car, reportedly with the support of some deep-pocketed investors, and now plans to bring the P11 to production at about the same time as the HWA SLC. Both cars likely will draw on the same Mercedes AMG engine supply. —BOB GRITZINGER
Entire contents ©2007 Crain Communications, Inc.
07-20-2007, 07:38 PM
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2005 SL600, 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
I like the orange McLaren version... I'm not a fan of the F1 nose.
The one that they are calling the SLC is pretty dull.
The one that they are calling the SLC is pretty dull.
07-20-2007, 10:36 PM
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2005 SL600, 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
I think the European pedestrian safety standards is driving the shape of the new Benz line-up. The raised hood lines of the C and the CL are the proof. This rendering of the SLC looks like a fusion of the new C and the CL.
If this is the design direction of the SL, I think it should they should make it a true mid-engine set-up instead, obviating the need to create a space between the engine and the top of the hood to lessen the force of impact to pedestrians in event of a collision.
If this is the design direction of the SL, I think it should they should make it a true mid-engine set-up instead, obviating the need to create a space between the engine and the top of the hood to lessen the force of impact to pedestrians in event of a collision.
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07-21-2007, 10:58 AM
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The photos/illustations don't seem to match with the captions and the text and contribute to this being a disjointed article. The SLC must be the car with the F1 nose and the bland looking car must be the new SL. I hope they don't go there with the SL.
07-25-2007, 10:11 AM
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2004 SL500, 2007 R350 Sport
This is the new SLC according to benzinsider.
http://benzinsider.com/2007/07/good-...-slc-supercar/
http://benzinsider.com/2007/07/good-...-slc-supercar/
08-05-2007, 12:39 PM
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2003 SL500 2005 G55
02-29-2008, 12:04 PM
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The photo-illustration in the Autoweek article looks more like the next CLK than a variant of the SL. It blends CL and C.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...HIDDEN%20IMAGE
I hope the next SL looks more like the illustation in the link the Guido posted.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=5629
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...HIDDEN%20IMAGE
I hope the next SL looks more like the illustation in the link the Guido posted.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=5629
03-01-2008, 11:31 PM
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SL500 2003 Designo (sold), SL500 2004, Nissan GT350
Giudo's pict of the SL or is it the new SLC, not sure, what ever the badging, the car looks hot. If is is the new style for the SL, then I would consider that as a replacement for my R230 (as long as the price is a lot less than the $450+k SLR). Otherwise I may go with a lambo or an Aston.
