Mercedes-Benz SLC Scooped by Reader in Colorado Springs

As Mercedes-Benz continues the development of its new flagship SLC supercar that will replace the SLR McLaren, we’re getting to see a great number of prototypes making their way on both sides of the Atlantic. Our latest scoop photo comes from one of our readers, Trip Godel, who was fortunate enough to spot a test mule of Merc’s gullwing door SLC supercar dressed in the usual Viper-esque sheetmetal during a ‘pit-stop’ at a gas station in Colorado Springs.

Unlike the SLR McLaren, the SLC will be totally developed by the German automaker’s AMG division as Mercedes-Benz and McLaren parted ways in 2007. However, the SLC will follow directly in the ‘gran-turismo’ footsteps of the SLR. Inside sources report that the SLC will most likely be equipped with a front-mounted turbocharged 6.2-liter V8 AMG engine delivering somewhere around 580 HP. Follow the jump to read what Trip had to say about his SLC encounter at Colorado Springs. -Continued

From Trip Godel:

“I spotted the Mercedes SLC test mule at a Colorado Springs gas station today. It DOES appear to be the exact same vehicle that you have shot in Germany. The engineers let me circle it twice and didn't pull the tarp over it until I whipped out my camera.

I saw the gullwing doors function and they appeared heavy and very impressive in motion. At first, I thought it was a prototype Corvette as it had Michigan plates. An SLK arrived alongside and its driver had to restart and move his car so that his own fuel filler could be reached. A nice piece of theater, perhaps? So, I thought I was looking at American engineers trying to pass their car off as German.

Then I looked through the grille. The bodywork that you see in the photographs is far, far forward of the actual Mercedes bodywork beneath. I could see a second Mercedes grille set WELL behind, with a large circular cutout for the logo. The real car is not nearly as long as the test mule would imply. Everything you can see forward of the front wheel wells, including the hood and headlight lenses, is patently false.

The interior was almost entirely covered, with the exception of standard Mercedes secondary controls on the steering wheel. The seats were racing seats and very thin--probably not production. The exterior door handles appeared to be stock Mercedes. The fuel filler door shares the same seam line as the passenger door itself. The brake calipers were marked Roush."

Kudos to Trip!