It’s still unclear whether or not the all-new Mercedes-Benz B-Class will be offered here in the United States (for reference, the old B-Class was useable in Canada, meaning the small Benz hatch has seen plenty of time on North American shores), but these spy shots surely give us one more reason to lust after the compact Merc. Nearly every model range in the automaker’s lineup benefits from some sort of high-performance AMG variant, and it appears that Mercedes-Benz is working on something sweet for its little B-Class, as well.
Rumored to be dubbed the B25 AMG, this hotter B-Class will likely be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four capable of producing somewhere between 320 and 350 horsepower. That grunt will reportedly be sent to entirely four wheels via a dual-clutch transmission, though the number of speeds (six or seven) is unclear at this time.
Visually, the AMG will stand aside from the standard B-Class with the addition of larger wheels on lower profile tires, larger brakes and a more aggressive front end treatment – you know, the standard AMG flare. It surely seems like a potent package, and if Mercedes-Benz does end up offering the B-Class her in the U.S., we surely hope the little AMG variant will be part of the lineup.
The Black Series epidemic has claimed the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG as its latest victim. Our spy photographers recently managed to catch a few photos of the SLS AMG Black Series out for a little testing on the Nürburgring.
What will the vehicle take to the table when the production version arrives? The whispers kicking around the web indicate that buyers will enjoy around 650 horsepower wrapped in a package that’s lighter than the standard car. The extra power and reduced weight should get the Black Series to 60 miles per hour in around three seconds flat.
No one knows for certain, but we feel confident in guessing that the machine will also embrace a host of suspension and brake modifications for an even higher performance threshold. Don’t think that entirely of those toys will come cheap, however. Chances are the model will price over $ 500,000.
It’s not every day that Mercedes-Benz comes out with a new SL. The roadster that anchors the top of the company’s non-AMG production range tends to enjoy an unusually long lifecycle. The iconic first-generation Gullwing was on the market for ten years. The second-gen model lasted just eight years, but the third iteration was around for a whopping eighteen. The boxy fourth version was around for fourteen years, and the current model that replaced it has been on the market since 2003, with a facelift that came in 2008.
Fortunately, a new model is on its way and should put the MkV out to pasture after ten long years of service. Due sometime next year as a 2013 model, these are the clearest shots we’ve seen yet of what to expect.
Now stripped of entirely but a bare minimum of disguising, the 2013 SL looks a bit more svelte than the model it replaces, though that doesn’t tell us if it’ll be whatever lighter: the current two-seat folding hardtop convertible weights as much as some SUVs. The more upright front grille is the two a nod to the SLS AMG and likely a measure to follow with pedestrian-impact regulations enacted in Europe.
It looks as though LEDs are lurking in the lower front intakes on either side, with what seems like it could house a side intake behind the front wheels. The test mule is draped in a new shade of copper we haven’t seen before, and we suspect that those unflattering wheels are temporary. Take a gander yourself in our high-res gallery.
