With a starting MSRP of a shade under $200,000 in the U.S. and €190,000 in its home market of Germany, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Coupe and Roadster body styles is positioned in the mid-price range of exotic sports cars.
Now, being that Germany’s finest car manufacturers are on a mission to cover every single niche, no matter how big or small it is, one shouldn’t be the least surprised to learn that Merc’s AMG division has set its eyes on the entry-level premium sports car category with a new model priced at around (possibly even under) the $100,000 mark.
In this segment, you’ll find cars like the Porsche 911 (starts at $84,300) and Audi R8 (begins at $114,900), as well as the upcoming higher-performance versions of the Corvette Stingray and Jaguar F-Type Coupe.
The SLS AMG’s smaller and more affordable sibling will be named the SLC AMG and it will go on sale in 2015, according to our latest intel. Mercedes has already circulated development photos of the low and wide SLC AMG, which won’t come with gullwing doors in order to reduce costs. To get a better look at the new AMG model, David Kiss from TopSpeed rendered the SLC using spy photos as well as the SLS AMG as a template, since the two cars will share a number of family styling traits.
The exclusively two-seater model will ride on a modified front-mid-engine platform sourced from the SLS AMG, with a shorter wheelbase and overall length. It will also be lighter than its bigger brother, while engine choices are believed to include up to three turbocharged V8 powerplants delivering from around 450hp to well over 500hp in the Black Series edition, and possibly an entry level turbocharged V6.
Rendering Credits: Top Speed
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