Mercedes SLS Roadster

Mercedes' SLS supercar has blown its top! These are the best pictures yet of the SLS Roadster, which will be hoping to continue the success of its hard-top brother.

The open topped two-seater goes on sale in early 2011, and will be officially unveiled later this year.

As you can see from these pictures, the convertible version keeps the coupe’s long bonnet and short tail. Unfortunately, the gullwing doors will have to make way for more traditional units.

The canvas roof follows a similar profile as the coupe – though is expected to be a little shorter overall. The all electric roof arrangement will include a glass rear screen, and fold neatly under the rear deck.

Performance, meanwhile, will be identical to the hard top. Developing around 570bhp at 6800rpm, Mercedes claims the 6.3-litre V8 SLS will sprint from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds while top speed is electronically limited to 196mph. Drivers will get a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard.

Sales start next summer with models costing from £150,000.

Mercedes SLC

These are the pictures that prove Mercedes is working on a baby brother to the SLS AMG supercar. Thought to be called the SLC, this early protoype uses an SLS body with experimental running gear underneath. 

It’s given away by the shorter wheelbase and heavy cladding at the front and rear, which is likely to hide some of the production model's altered styling. Earlier this year Mercedes Head of Design, Gordon Wagener, told us to expect a dynamic design inspired by the SLS.

The SLC will be front-engined but the SLS's 6.2-litre V8 will most likely be replaced by an all-new turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. Mercedes may offer a V6 model, too, using the 3.5-litre unit from the SLK.

Expect to see a power output of around 500bhp in the flagship variant, which will allow the SLC to accelerate from 0-62mph in just over four seconds.  

While the SLS is going after models like the Ferrari 458 Italia and Aston Martin DBS, the SLC will be far cheaper with a price-tag closer to nearly RM500,000 (£80,000).

We should get our first glimpse of the production-ready Mercedes SLC in 2014, before the car goes on sale early in 2015.

New Mercedes SL

Believe it or not, the current generation Mercedes SL has been around since 2002 but revisions and facelifts have kept the grand tourer feeling fresh. As these spy shots reveal though, there’s a new one on the way and it’s set to be more comfortable, more efficient and better handling than ever thanks to a host of hi-tech gadgets. 

Chief among them will be the Magic Ride Control system that’s also set to feature on the new Mercedes S-Class. Cameras scan the road ahead to analyse the surface and set up the suspension accordingly. An Active Curve system is also likely to feature, which uses active anti-roll bars to stop the car leaning in the bends and helps to improve handling. 

Mercedes will stick with the folding hard-top roof but it will now be available with the option of a Magic Sky Control panel which can be turned from transparent to almost opaque at the touch of a button. Alternatively, buyers can opt for a standard sun-roof. 

Visually the new SL gets a look that borrows cues from the new SLK, CLS and SLS AMG. As you can see from these pictures the front end is more upright, the grille is narrower and the headlights are now swept back onto the wings. Meanwhile, at the rear there’s a set of large wraparound tail-lights.

Kicking off the new SL range will be the 3.5-litre V6 that produces 304bhp and will sprint from 0-62mph in just over six seconds. Next up will be a twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V8 in the SL500 which will produce around 404bhp and accelerate to 62mph in around five seconds. The SL63 AMG model will be powered by a 520bhp 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8.

Expect to see official pictures and details of the all-new Mercedes SL by the end of this year.