It’s still in the conceptual stage, but there is progress.
By now you know that whenever details emerge about a new car, you also need a grain of salt. Details about future automotive products are always difficult to confirm because – surprise – car companies don’t want to give rivals a heads up at what’s coming down the pipe. So, automakers try to keep everything shrouded in secrecy. However, that doesn’t stop the loose lips of a few talkative engineers from speaking to the media. And it appears a few sources talked to Autocar detailing a new Mercedes-AMG product that could rival the Porsche 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster.
According to the publication, engineers have already shown the new AMG model – billed as an SLC-Class successor – to Mercedes-Benz’s board of management. It allegedly sports a rear mid-engined layout and cues taken from the 1,000-horsepower-plus AMG Project One hypercar.
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“Project One represents the start of a new era for Mercedes-AMG, not only in terms of the electrified driveline but also the placement of it behind the cabin,” one source said to Autocar. “Just how it will affect future models remains to be seen. However, a mid-rear layout is no longer taboo.”
The Cayman rival is planned to come in two body styles – coupe and roadster – and sport two power outputs. The new model should have similar power to the upcoming A35 and A45 hatchbacks, which are rumored to produce around 300 and 400 horsepower, respectively. Naturally, more track-focused models would come over the model’s lifecycle.
However, for all the talk of a rear mid-engined AMG model coming to rival Porsche’s entry-level products, a few rumors are going around suggesting the new AMG could share elements with the upcoming eighth-generation SL-Class, according to the publication. This would mean the new model would have a front-mid-mounted engine, which makes sense from a cost perspective. Designing a dedicated rear-engined platform would take considerable investment.
The new AMG model is still in the conceptual stage of development. A lot can change between now and when we begin to see prototypes on the road or when the automaker debuts a concept to gauge public interest. If the new AMG sports car gets the green-light, it would be the fifth dedicated AMG model. It would join the likes of the SLS, GT 4-Door Coupe, GT, and Project One as a dedicated AMG model.
Source: Autocar