Mercedes' New R8 Rival - Geneva Showing

[dydzi]

Originally Posted by Ingolstadt

Can Merc just stop doing these cars. Instead, use AMG as the brand, an independant subsidiary that makes focused racers of it's own without that tri-star badge.

i reckon you don't know the history of AMG, son anyhow people working both at mercedes and AMG now it and what you said will never take place

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

The CLK GTR was their doing? Then this should be along the same lines. Can't wait.

in fact, they're technically still have CLK GTR roadster in their lineup

don't quote me on that but i think they had great role in creating CLK DTM

[Street_Dreamer]

Anybody Remember this?

Originally Posted by WorldCarFans

These pictures prove that early development work is well under way on the 'baby' McLaren, with plans to sell as many as 2000 cars a year to rival the likes of the Ferrari 360 Modena, Lamborghini Gallardo and all-new Audi R8. Although McLaren engineers are remaining tight-lipped about the project, we have learnt that feasibility studies are currently being carried out on the car at one of Mercedes’ secret test-centres in Germany.

McLaren is hoping to use carbonfibre construction for the new car, although there are doubts about the economic viability of using the material for a car with a projected price tag of about 150,000 Euros.

Sources couldn't be budged on whether the new car, thought to be code-named P8, will have a three-seat arrangement similar to that of the F1, but equally our source doggedly refused to confirm the new car as a conventional two-seater. One possibility is that the third seat would be mounted centrally towards the rear, the reverse of the F1's layout. It will be mid-engined though, partly to make it distinct from the front-engined Mercedes SLR McLaren.

And it’s already certain that the car will have to be built by Mercedes, as McLaren's new Woking factory is tied up producing the SLR and doesn't have the spare capacity. It seems that the SLR, the brainchild of Ron Dennis, was originally designed to be the definitive GT car. Ferrari's 550 Maranello was the original target car for the project but it became clear that the SLR would be in a different league when the first projected performance figures were calculated using the higher-than-expected output from the supercharged Mercedes V8. This would in fact leave space for a smaller car, probably called the Mercedes SLS McLaren.

Seems we may finally see a bodyshell on the car...

[Street_Dreamer]

Most recent development. Music to our ears

Originally Posted by Autocar Magazine

Baby McMerc Caught Testing
Autocar's spies have spotted a development mule of what is believed to be the new small supercar from McLaren. Seen testing at a secure site in the south-east of England, the car was being driven by McLaren engineers and was clothed in a hacked-about Ferrari 360 body.
Our source said that the car was mid-engined and sounded like a 6.3-litre Merc V8. The project to produce a smaller sibling for the SLR has been subject to speculation over the on-off nature of the McLaren-Mercedes tie-up. This could be a sign of McLaren going it alone.

However much of a Merc fanboy I am, this should be the absolute dogs balls. If this is true (and Autocar is definitely a reputable magazine) then i think some of you will have to eat your words!!

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Street_Dreamer

Anybody Remember this?

They were wrong on the McLaren link though.

[Street_Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

They were wrong on the McLaren link though.

The first one is from November, whereas the Autocar one was from today's magazine... I was very surprised when i read that, but the car was in south-east England (probably around Surrey).

[LandQuail]

Originally Posted by The_Canuck

I prefer the roadster.

Disc Brakes > Drum Brakes

!


Anyway, those are some provocative pictures. Can anyone look at those sills and not imagine gullwing doors?

Still, the way things are now, they should probably just sell it as seen here, sans-bodywork, and market it as a more up-market alternative to the Ariel Atom.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by LandQuail

!


Anyway, those are some provocative pictures. Can anyone look at those sills and not imagine gullwing doors?

Still, the way things are now, they should probably just sell it as seen here, sans-bodywork, and market it as a more up-market alternative to the Ariel Atom.

You could be right about that. It'd be interesting if they did use gullwing doors. They look too high for doors and hinges to be put in.

If they made it an alternative to the Ariel Atom it would defeat the purpose of a Mercedes then, wouldn't it?

[Coventrysucks]

Originally Posted by Street_Dreamer

and Autocar is definitely a reputable magazine

If that is the case where is the new

Focus RS
Jaguar supersaloon/coupe/SUV
Lotus Esprit

Etc, etc, etc?

The stories about a Focus RS have been a regular occurrence in Autocar for nearly a decade, probably the same or more for the Lotus.

[Street_Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Coventrysucks

If that is the case where is the new

Focus RS
Jaguar supersaloon/coupe/SUV
Lotus Esprit

Etc, etc, etc?

The stories about a Focus RS have been a regular occurrence in Autocar for nearly a decade, probably the same or more for the Lotus.

I read somewhere that a worker at Ford EU said (in response to Autoexpress (not Autocar) saying that the RS was not going to happen) that it was utter crap though, so there is still hope for the RS.
I dont remember much about the Jag Supersaloon/Coupe/SUV (all i remember is that they said XJ si coming out 2009)
The Lotus Esprit has been spied a few times actually, I just can't find the spy pics at the moment.

But, i trust Autocar more than Autoexpress for example (which must be the worst magazine since MaxPower). The car was seen testing in South-East England though, so it'd be very strange if it wasn't being done by McLaren.

[redmansioner]

I hope this is not much too expensive like their other cars.Because their parts like Mercedes Benz window switch are already expensive enough.that is why i stick to my old one.