While it’s just talk for now, news from Autoblog indicates that Mercedes-AMG reportedly has a new sports car in the works — and a very powerful and very high-end one, at that.
What may be in development at the Mercedes camp is a 12-cylinder hybrid hypercar, fully loaded with an electric motor, battery pack and lots of awesomeness. If it’s built, the new concept would take the top spot in the Mercedes lineup from the AMG GT model, which starts at a mere $130,000 and thus might as well be for poors when we’re talking about halo cars.
According to Autoblog, here’s what is reportedly to be expected in the future:
To be clear, the GT will remain top dog for some time to come, and that lineup “will expand,” we’re told. A Black Series is still at least a year or more away, and we could see another model in the AMG GT family beyond that. But a recent conversation with a Mercedes-AMG product planner in Austria revealed that a new halo car is in the works, one that will slot above the GT.
It will likely draw power from a new 12-cylinder that’s now in development, one that will be mated to an electric motor and battery pack. This ultra-hybrid setup could boast the greatest performance of any Mercedes yet. Crucially, it will have better fuel economy, good enough to justify its existence in an increasingly stringent regulatory environment.
What we’re looking at here is a legitimate SLS replacement. The car would get Mercedes into the hybrid hypercar game alongside Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren — they’ve been going hybrid with their hypercars since 2013.
In addition to talk of the new car, Mercedes also announced at the recent Frankfurt Auto Show that it will reach a decision on whether or not to sell its pickup truck in the U.S. within a year. That’s a pretty diverse lineup, I’d say. As always, take this report with a grain of salt, but a Mercedes hybrid hypercar would be great to see.
Spread your wings, Mercedes. Spread your wings. (Or your wheels, or whatever — adding some actual wings might not be a bad idea, though. It’s certainly diverse.)
Photo credit: AP Photo/Jens Meyer
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