Mercedes is looking to take a tilt at the iconic Porsche 911 by developing an all-new sportscar that will slot into its product line-up beneath the company’s SLS AMG supercar.
In a recent interview with British motoring publication Auto Express, AMG’s development director Christoph Jung explained: “There is room for an AMG model below the SLS, targeting the Porsche 911. This is the next market for AMG, and we are considering what is the right package.”
Although the sub-SLS model, possibly set t be dubbed the SLC, is still a good few years away, Jung commented that it would be a two-seater powered by a front-mounted V8 engine. “It has to be a V8. We have heritage and customers expect it ”, says Jung. It’s fair to assume that a sports model with its sights set squarely on the 911 would have to employ lightweight materials in its construction to aid both straight-line performance and dynamic agility.
With regards to the powerplant, Mercedes’ new 5,5-litre biturbo V8 – possibly channelling around 373 kW to the rear wheels via a seven-speed MCT transmission – is a likely candidate. It can, however, be argued that such a powerplant could see the new car treading on the SLS’s toes, so the normally-aspirated version of that engine could also be considered, especially if Mercedes engineers manage to keep the car’s weight down. Auto Express has hinted at performance figures in the region of 0-100 km/h in four seconds and a top speed of 297 km/h.
“We have to have performance figures close to competitors, but we need much more,” Jung told Auto Express. “We need it to sound right and go right. It can’t just be the most powerful. It has to have the whole package.”
