Spyshots: 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG, More Skin Revealed

Slowly but surely, the roadster version of the recently launched Mercedes Benz SLS is shedding its black camo and exposes more and more of its – silver in our case – skin. Expected to arrive b*tt naked at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, the open top version of the SLS will probably not hit the market sooner than 2011.

With little information available on the performances and tech used in the car, we are left stepping on shaky ground. If you remember the two sets of previous spyshots of the SLS we presented in recent months, than you remember we were talking about the possible use of AMG's 6.2l V8 powerplant that generates 571 horsepower (420 kW) at 6,800 rpm and a maximum torque of 650 Nm at 4,750 rpm. That might not be the case anymore...

Earlier today, a senior Mercedes-Benz board member, Thomas Weber dropped the downsizing bomb and revealed that AMG is looking into the best ways to... axe the unit and replace it with a 5.5l twin-turbo V8, with similar, if not better, performance figures.

As is the trend these days, Mercedes also has plans for an electric-powered SLS AMG powertrain. The unit will consist of four electric motors with a combined peak output of 392 kW (525 hp) and a maximum torque of 880 Nm. The carmaker already promised we will see it in the SLS AMG Coupe supercar.

From the styling standpoint, the open top SLS will not use the coupe's gull-wing doors, but will most likely benefit from conventional doors, or at least SLR-like ones.