Mercedes plans sports car with 1950s 300 SL gullwings
 

Stuttgart - Mercedes-Benz is planning a new sports car borrowing styling cues from the legendary 300 SL of the 1950s with gullwing doors, according to reports.

The sports car, code-named W197, would be ready for 2010 when the current SL sports car ends its production cycle, Germany's auto- motor-sport magazine reports.

In contrast to the current SLR the new model would not be produced by McLaren in England but in the Mercedes factory in Sindelfingen, Germany.

The home-tuning subsidiary AMG would be responsible for the development of the vehicle powered by an eight cylinder engine with an output of 620 hp, auto-motor-sport said.

Prices would be in the range of 140,000 to 200,000 euros (189,000 to 270,000) and thus positioned in the segment slightly above the Audi R8 sports car, the magazine said.

Similar to its 1950s predecessor, the two-door sports car would be built on a tubular chassis. According to the magazine the styling has been controversially debated by the Mercedes management and a first draft in retro-look was revised for a more modern look.

The original gullwing 300 SL was produced between 1955 and 1957. It was the first petrol-powered car equipped with direct fuel injection. ?© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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