Jalopnik: slc

Race Car Replicas: Ferrari Enzo Performance For Carpocalypse Prices

The Auto Insider — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Did you suffer a major cut in pay due to the Carpocalypse? Did you have to remove your name from the list for the next Ferrari über-car? Then Race Car Replicas has your answer.

We've always wished we could afford an exotic car, but never really had the talent to build one from scratch like Ken, the Basement Lamborghini guy. Our options have always been limited to crappy fiberglass knock-offs that look more Toxic Avenger-ish than the car they’re trying to replicate. Fauxrraris and Lam-Bro-Ghinis are fine for some people, but for us, it’s just not our cup of tea.

Entering stage right for a big round of applause is Race Car Replicas (RCR) of Clinton Township, Michigan. They’ve managed to create a truly desirable and mid-engine exotic kit car built entirely in-house. RCR calls it the Superlite Coupe (SL-C) and it consists of an aluminum tig-welded chassis with a 6-point rollcage, billet aluminum custom suspension utilizing QA1 adjustable shocks and springs, front/rear 6-piston calipers with 330mm and 300mm front and rear rotors, aluminum radiator, 15-gallon Le Mans-spec fuel tank behind the seat, front 18x9.5 and rear 18x11 aluminum wheels and a Digital Dash 2 Pro+ with data logging, 2-axis G-sensors, infra-red lap timer receiver and optional GPS. The only real thing you need to provide is a set of tires and a whopper of an engine to round out this impressive package.

Total dry weight is 1000kgs (or roughly 2200 lbs. for the uninitiated) but is dependent on what engine you provide. Currently the car is perfectly setup to receive any number of GM’s LS-series engines; we think a LS9 crate would be the perfect fit. RCR also recommends the use of a twin-turbo Lexus V8, but we’ll stick to ‘Merican engines, thank-you-very-much.

You can pick up the rolling kit from RCR for a bargain basement price of $43,995 or a few thousand more than the cost of a fully-loaded and optioned Toyota Camry V6. Hmm… Camry or mid-engine exotic? We think we know which one to choose.

Superlite Coupe Specs

Rolling Kit Package: $43,995 (suspension hung, steering fitted, brake calipers & rotors fitted, brake lines in situ, body pinned & aligned, wheels & tires fitted)

Chassis: Aluminium Tig welded 6-point roll cage utilising DOM CNC bent seamless steel tubing Left-Hand or Right-Hand Drive Engine bay will accept any longitudinal engine trans package Seat Belt mounts included

Suspension: CNC billet aluminum unequal length upper and lower arms front & rear CNC billet aluminum uprights front & rear Pushrod rear suspension QA1 Aluminum Double Adjustable Shocks - truly independent double adjustable with 24 compression & 24 rebound adjustments with evenly spaced valving changes. QA1 Springs

Steering: Full Electric Tilt & Adjustable in/out Steering Column Collapsible steering column Quick release steering wheel

Brakes: 6 piston calipers front & rear, 330mm 2 piece vented & slotted rotors on front, 300mm 2 piece vented & slotted rotors on the rear Triple pedals in stainless steel with master cylinders and brake bias adjuster CV joint stub axles Stainless steel brake lines with Braided flexible lines

Cooling & Fuel: Aluminium radiator Twin electric fans Stainless steel cooling tubes 15 gallon(60lt) fuel tank mid mounted behind seat per Le Mans spec

Wheels: Front: 18x9.5 multi-spoke aluminum Rear: 18x11 multi-spoke aluminum Note: Tires supplied by customer

Electrical: Digital Dash 2 Pro+ with data logging, 2-axis G-sensors, infra-red lap timer receiver & optional GPS for track Headlights, tail lights, indicators Mirrors with LED high mount turn signals 20 circuit colour coded wiring harness Wiper Package

Interior: Production car style dash moulding Cable gear shifter Custom fiberglass seats Functional roof scoop feed cabin with aircraft style vents AC system with heater Windows can be supplied so that they will hinge down or completely fixed Accomodates up to 6' 4" driver

Body: High quality gelcoat body panels with gloss finish Stainless steel alignment pins All body parts are fitted and aligned Vertical opening doors DOT windscreen Hinged rear glass for engine access Lexan for side windows & headlight covers (cut to size with edges polished) All required handles and latches 4 - 4.5 inches ground clearance with removable side skirts and front spoiler for track package Supplied with front spitter, side skirts, rear diffuser & chassis mounted adjustable rear wing Choice of gelcoat colours for body: Light blue, Dark Blue, Red, Yellow, Black, White

Dimensions: Width: 74 inches (1880mm) Height: 43 inches (1092mm) Length: 168 inches (4267mm) - excluding rear wing Weight: less than 1000kg's depending on options & engine choice

All of the above is included in the standard package

Optional Extras: Handbrake Assembly Full trimmed production quality interior FIA bladder style fuel tanks Sway bars front & rear Wheels –18x10(F), 18x13(R) rotory forged aluminum. Available in painted or satin finish.

Note: Specifications subject to change without notice. Kit is supplied as a roller for shipping purposes only i.e. nothing is torqued etc.

[Via Race Car Replicas]

First Look: Mercedes SLC Gullwing Interior

Ray Wert — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:30:00 EST

Last time the new Mercedes SLC was caught on camera, the big gullwing doors were in the attack position. This time, the doors were apparently in the same position and either the spy-shooting camera, or scanner of a dealer photo of some sort, was much closer. How close? Well, that picture above we've received from our good friends at World Car Fans appears to be the first shot of the interior of the new SLR-replacing Mercedes SLC Gullwing. So what's it reveal?

It actually looks quite retro. There's shared Mercedes switchgear is pretty evident, such as the COMMAND knob on the center console, temperature switches, flat-bottomed steering wheel and headlight switch. Power's still expected to come from the 6.2-liter V8 pumping out 550+ HP and 445 lb-ft of torque. Our next hope is we can start to finally see what the exterior's going to look like as the SLC begins to slither its way out of the Viper-skin it's hiding in. [via World Car Fans]

Mercedes Benz SLC Gullwing Caught With Its Door Open

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:45:00 EDT

Holy mackerel! These photos come out of left field and surprise even us: The next version of the Mercedes Benz SLR will be getting gullwing doors. Obviously, the vertical lifting portals hearken back to the original Mercedes Benz 300 SL (incredible coincidence running that today huh?) and will ostensibly make the Mercedes Benz SLC the most sought-after supercar in quite some time. Certainly it'll burn the tarmac right off the street with V12 power, but this, this we are delighted to see. Congratulations Mercedes, you're today's real automotive company of genius. (Thanks Ashley)

[eMercedesBenz]

Mercedes SLR McLaren Speedster Spotted Testing At the Ring, Mercedes SLC Quietly Plotting Its Demise

Wes Siler — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:20:00 EDT

It looks like McLaren and Mercedes are completing one last project before making their break-up official (we haven't read it on our Facebook feed yet). The Mercedes McLaren SLR Speedster was recently spotted testing at the Nurburgring, looking fine in its razzle dazzle camouflage, but, the Mercedes SLC is out there too, planning to make both the slow-selling SLR and the sexy R8 obsolete in one fell swoop. What we should expect from the SLR Speedster, as well as video of its 'ring run after the jump.

The McLaren SLR Speedster, scheduled for a July 30th debut, will be 440 lb lighter than the hardtop and be limited to just 75 units. Expect the blow-out special SLR Speedster to outperform the SLR with a near 220mph top speed, but also expect the SLC to blow that figure out of the water courtesy of an impossibly powerful supercharged engine. Video of the Speedster testing on the ring below.

[via Bridge to Gantry]

Mercedes SLC Mule: Coolest. Mule. Ever.

Ray Wert — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:59:59 EDT

Seriously, we've no idea why this Mercedes SLC mule, the same spotted earlier by the folks at KGP, is arousing us in ways very few vehicles have in a long time. We've no clue how far into the development process the AMG engineers actually are, but all we do know is this mule that's part Viper and part Mercedes is all cool. We're not even really sure why that's the case. Maybe it's because it's got that kind of Mad Max feel to it but with the blunt plastic nose and the riveted add-on sheet metal — we really want one. As is. Don't even try to deny it — you know you feel the same way we do — you know how badly you want that long black car parked right in your garage.

What Is This Mystery Mercedes Mule? The Next SLC? Maybe A Maybach Coupe?

Ray Wert — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:00:00 EDT

The spy shooters of KGP happened upon a Mercedes mule of some sort on a car carrier out getting prepped for hot weather testing by a team of AMG engineers. They're of the belief it's an SLC mule, but the boys at the Road that's ever-Winding question whether maybe it's the long-rumored Maybach coupe. We're unsure of what it may be because really — there's not much for us to go on here — what're your thoughts on this here mystery Mule? [Winding Road]

Spy Photos: Mercedes SLC Street Fighter?

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:54:20 EDT

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]