Since base-spec renderings have become a “thing”, we’ve seen plenty of luxury/premium/sporty cars come through looking like they just got out of Compton.

This 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLC is obviously no different. It’s basically the facelifted SLK and as you know, it’s not something you buy just so you can get from point A to point B for purely practical reasons. There’s a whole idea behind the SLC and it has nothing to do with what we’re getting from this image.

That’s fine though. It’s fun to speculate, fun to imagine this sort of thing. Remember the base-spec S-Class Cabrio from 4 months ago? If we can come up with a story for that, we sure as heck can come up with something silly that just might make a tiny bit of sense regarding the much cheaper SLC – because let’s face it, though it’s a premium product, it’s no luxury roadster like the SL, nor is it a luxury coupe/cabrio like the S-Class.

So here’s the argument. If you’re situated in North America, your entry-level SLC will be the SLC 300 with the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Europeans on the other hand can go as “low” as the SLC 180 with its measly 156 PS.

In terms of price, no word yet, though you can still grab an SLK 300 Roadster for $47,000 in the US – which means it’s conceivable that this pointless exercise in imagination should go for a much more accessible price, and that is certainly going to appeal to some people, whoever they are. We’re talking about a Mercedes-Benz, which stands for something…regardless of specs.

But let’s face it, in the end it’s a tough sell – since that type of money generally tends to serve you a lot better once invested in a more “valuable” car, something bigger, more imposing, more powerful, just maybe not as Mercedes-Benz-ish.

How much would you guys be willing to spend on this exact car?

Rendering courtesy of X-Tomi

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