Photo: CarPix
Mercedes are working hard on tweaking their upcoming 2016 SLC, and that only means one thing: carparazzi are busy.
Our spy photographers just sent a batch of photos showing the SLC roadster going for a spin in the city, wearing black covers on both the rear and front end.
What's interesting about the SLC is not necessarily related to what it will bring at launch. We already know from older spyshots that the roadster will receive a new grille, redesigned bumpers and graphically-enhanced headlights.
However, Mercedes decided to refresh the ongoing 2015 SLK with more powerful 4-cylinder mills and a 9-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the SLK 200 can now be fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
This decision from Mercedes-Benz confirms the rumors saying that the SLC will make a debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show although upgrading the SLK so late in its career looks to me like an attempt to boost sales.
As we all know, convertibles aren't what they used to be twenty or fifteen years ago and started to lose their appeal, which made sales drop slowly but steadily over the last decade.
Moreover, with the new changes in design, Mercedes-Benz hopes to align the SLK (or the SLC if we were to respect the brand's new nomenclature) with the other models in its range. So if the revised SLC resembles the C-Class in terms of styling cues (especially at the front), you'll know why.
It's too early to talk about a performance AMG version, but we should expect Mercedes to equip such a model with their new 4.0-liter turbo V8 rather than the larger (and older) 5.5-liter plant.
What's interesting about the SLC is not necessarily related to what it will bring at launch. We already know from older spyshots that the roadster will receive a new grille, redesigned bumpers and graphically-enhanced headlights.
However, Mercedes decided to refresh the ongoing 2015 SLK with more powerful 4-cylinder mills and a 9-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the SLK 200 can now be fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
This decision from Mercedes-Benz confirms the rumors saying that the SLC will make a debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show although upgrading the SLK so late in its career looks to me like an attempt to boost sales.
As we all know, convertibles aren't what they used to be twenty or fifteen years ago and started to lose their appeal, which made sales drop slowly but steadily over the last decade.
Moreover, with the new changes in design, Mercedes-Benz hopes to align the SLK (or the SLC if we were to respect the brand's new nomenclature) with the other models in its range. So if the revised SLC resembles the C-Class in terms of styling cues (especially at the front), you'll know why.
It's too early to talk about a performance AMG version, but we should expect Mercedes to equip such a model with their new 4.0-liter turbo V8 rather than the larger (and older) 5.5-liter plant.
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