Spied: Mercedes SLC?

These aren’t really spyshots. No really, Mercedes has put these pics online themselves. Without any further information or whatsoever. Many say this the new ‘baby SLS’ called the ‘SLC’. From the pics however, the dimensions are fairly SLS-ish. Or should Jaguar wet their pants for early F-type competition in the form of an SLC? What’s Benz up to now? And where is BMW?

A ‘Super Leicht’ Edition

If it is indeed the SLC, it’ll have to be quite a niche. Sitting in between all sorts of roadster convertibles like the SLK and SL model range. Most likely to also incorporate the aluminium spaceframe from the SLS and have the same front-engined rear-wheel-drive layout.

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Baby body = Baby price, right?

Compared to its daddy counterpart’s £170,000 price tag, the SLC will likely start around a Porsche 911 battling figure of around £85,000 which isn’t exactly ‘baby’ but still less than half of what the SLS AMG costs. Meaning Mercedes-Benz is likely to pull the same trick Jaguar did with the F-type.

What does it lose?

Unfortunately, the SLS AMG’s iconic gullwing doors won’t appear on the SLC, nor will its M156 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8.

Which engine options will be available?

A variety of brand-new engines will appear such as a new 4.0-litre turbo V8 that produces around 480bhp and will allegedly be in the next-gen C63 AMG. However, performance figures won’t halt there, a more powerful model using the same engine will be pushed to around 580bhp, while a planned turbo 3.0-litre V8 engine with around 350bhp will probably be more convenient. Don’t hold your breath there, a Black Series version will soon follow. Crazy right? Just leaves you to wonder, where is BMW?

BMW? We want a new Z8. Immediately.

*Update, this new pic shows off the dimensions of the car much better.