The unclad prototype shows off some of the front-end styling of the facelifted SL spotted two months ago in Death Valley, but the extreme styling elements of this model set it apart in grand fashion. Air management is apparently a big priority for the SL Black Series, with the vented hood, and deep front bumper intakes which lead to extraction ducts behind the front wheel flares.

The hugely flared fenders are likely created with ultra-light carbon fibre, to reduce weight and to accommodate this car's enormous wheels and tires. The roof on this SL has been converted into a fixed coupe roof, also crafted in carbon fibre to lower the Black Series' center of gravity and further reduce weight.

Judging from the sculpting on the car's rear deck lid, the large rear wing standing tall on this test car actually appears to be retractable, allowing for smoother lines when speeds allow. I'm sure that most drivers of a car like this Black Series will appreciate a break from the Fast and the Furious rear wing treatment when they're rolling up to the valet. But more than any SL that has come before, this prototype is more about extreme performance than it is about slick curb appeal.

Spy crackers Hans and the Lehmannites caught shots of a Mercedes expected to issue a glovesmack to the Audi R8 in rumored V10 format. The duelist will be be based on the next SL underpinnings and be powered by the 6.2-liter AMG "63" V8. Natural aspiration, Winding Road speculates, could give way to turbocharging to make up any difference in power between it and its rivals. Expect considerable input from AMG's touring-car partner HWA. A hardtop and other bits of carbon-fiber could provide unweightiness to the car, which could revive the "SLC" moniker. Word is, something in this regard will show up at next year's Geneva auto show. Watch for it. – Mike Spinelli

First Look: Mercedes-Benz's R8-Fighting SLC Super Coupe! [Winding Road]

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Mercedes tuning shop Kicherer upped the ante on its SL-Class tweakage program. It's the SL K 60 Evo Black. Its moniker isn't quite elegant, but the car itself isn't a shrinking violet. The 12 banger's been augmented with twin turbos to produce 605 horsepower, resulting in a zero-to-60 time of 4.3 seconds and a (restricted) top speed of 186.4 mph. Holding the Evo's head to the pavement is a functional aero kit, while proprietary programming of the SL's adaptive suspension makes way for a 25-mm lowering. Expect to see it on the autobahn or in a footballer's parking space near you this summer. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Kicherer SL K 60 Evo Black

605hp Mercedes SL Class
The Mercedes SL Class continues its success story in a revised edition. As a matter of course, the engineers and designers at KICHERER have pulled out all the stops in order to enhance the Roadster's exclusiveness and sportiness.

Thanks to the KICHERER K60 Biturbo 12-cylinder engine fitted with 605hp/445kW, the SL 600 becomes one of the most powerful Roadsters around the globe. 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and 200 km/h after 14.2 seconds are values speaking for themselves, just like the electronically limited peak speed of 300 km/h.

Form and functionality of the greatest perfection: Apart from their elegant appearance, the KICHERER aerodynamics components, available for all current SL models, are a tangible improvement to the vehicle's aerodynamics. At high speeds, the driving stability is further enhanced since the aerodynamic lift affecting the front axle is significantly reduced.

And what is more, the components are either made of high-quality carbon or of PUR-RIM. For the upgraded SL generation, a specifically shaped front apron was developed which reduces the front axle's aerodynamic lift by means of its sophisticated design. At the same time, the engine as well as the front brakes benefit from additional cooling provided by the large central air intake.

Replacing the new apron against the standard bumper is nothing more than a child's play. The KICHERER designer suit for the new SL obtains its special je ne sais quoi by the aerodynamically relevant rear diffuser.

Further stylistic devices highlighting the sporty appearance are the shaded rear lights and the rear lid, the inside and the outside mirror shells made of carbon. The sporty interior overwhelms with its F1 steering wheel with carbon gearshift paddles, the supplementary instruments inside the outlet nozzles as well as with further decorative elements made of genuine carbon.

Another important detail stressing the individual look consists in the multi-part KICHERER RS-1 alloys. The two-seater can be equipped with 20" rims - the front ones with 255/30 ZR 20 Pneus and the rear with 305/25 ZR 20 tyres by Continental.

In order to further increase the current SL roadster's extraordinary driving dynamics, KICHERER has developed an electronic programming for the ABC chassis which lowers the car body by approximately 25 millimetres.

The KICHERER high-performance brake system with xxl-sized ventilated and drilled brake discs can easily cope with most excessive strains. And last but not least, the sports exhaust not only boosts the performance but pleases the ear - with a fine and unobtrusive sound symphony.

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Whither AMG? Kicherer's Mercedes SL Evo [internal]

Is the SV12 S Biturbo the world's fastest roadster? Brabus says it is. We already know the boys at Brabus love to cackle menacingly when they take greenhorn journos for autobahn burns in their tuner Benzinos. But now, they'd be wise to consider shrink-wrapping the passenger seat on this tuner SL, which produces 730 hp from the Brabus-futzed twin-turbo, bored-out V12. With a wink, they'll tell you there's a limiter built into the SV12's computer that halts forward progress at 217 mph. They'll mention the billet crankshaft and remachining of the cylinder heads and size of their intercoolers as if to say, "wear plastic shorts." They'll drop bits of science like 973 ft/-lbs of torque or zero-to-62 mph in 4.0 seconds. And we'll go "holy crap," like we always do. Holy crap, indeed.

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