Mercedes 911 rival spied

These are the first pictures of a new Porsche 911-rivalling model from Mercedes, currently codenamed C190 and due to be unveiled in 2015.

Set to use a chopped-down version of the SLS AMG’s aluminium spaceframe, the C190 will get similar proportions with a long bonnet, stubby rear and cabin-back profile, but will sit betwen the SLK and SL in terms of size.

As you can see from these shots, the iconic gullwing doors of the SLS have been dropped. That will cut some crucial weight from the 1,695kg SLS, taking it much nearer to the 1,395kg Porsche 911 Carrera S.

The engine line-up is expected to be based around a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 being developed for use in future AMG models. We’ll see it used in the next-generation C63 AMG, and in the C190, where it’ll be offered with a range of power outputs. Entry-level models will get around 480bhp, while an optional AMG Performance Package will uprate the engine to over 500bhp. As Mercedes did with the SLS, we’re expecting to see a track-focused Black Series version of the C190, too.

The C190 will be front-engined and rear-wheel drive, just like the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and F-Type V8 S, but according to our sources, unlike those two rivals it will offered as a coupe only. 

The C190 is likely to be priced to match those models, too, with prices starting from around £80,000. The top-spec Black Series model could cost as much as £120,000, putting it on a par with the Porsche 911 Turbo. It’s still a significant chunk lower than the SLS’s £165,030 starting price, though.

The standard C190, which could be badged SLC, will be one of 13 never before seen Mercedes model lines due by 2020 – including the GLA SUV and a C-Class Cabriolet – and is expected to be unveiled in the middle of 2015. The SLS is expected to be sold alongside it temporarily, and Mercedes is currently evaluating a successor for its flagship supercar.