AMG Eyes Porsche 911 And Entry-Level BMW M Car
Ambitious plans include a 340hp A Class and (unofficially) a 911-chaser
Merc wants to adapt this...
The Gullwing has made its mark quickly in the supercar sector, establishing itself (in sales volume terms at least) as a viable alternative to the 911 Turbo and Audi's R8 V10 in its first year. And as we've mentioned before, the Gullwing's success could open up all sorts of new possibilities for AMG.
"When the SLS project started it was a 'one-shot' only," Tobias told us last night. "The Mercedes board said 'okay let the AMG engineers get on with it, and we'll see what they can do'. But there was no strategy beyond making the first car."
...to make a rival for this
Don't get carried away just yet though, as the strategy about a future model is far from fully formed. "It's not officially on the agenda at Mercedes Board meetings by any means," says Tobias somewhat cryptically, "but now if we talked about it over lunch nobody would try to kill us!"
We reported last year on the view from inside AMG that the SLS's front/mid-engined platform could be easily shortened from the front, but according to Tobias it's not that simple as the structural nature of the SLS's powertrain (with its rigid carbon torque tube between engine and transaxle) makes the frontal void very important for crash protection.
He did confirm that AMG wouldn't be looking at a bigger car, but otherwise it seems there's still a lot up for grabs. Tobias also suggested the E-Cell SLS project might put pressure on development resources and rule out any early action now that the electric model has been confirmed for production in 2013.
AMG version of C coupe in the wings
There's plenty of excitement afoot at AMG in the meantime, however, including the likelihood of a Black Edition for the AMG C63 Coupe (based on a new Coupe that Mercedes will reveal at Geneva in March), and a longer term plan to take on the new BMW 1 Series M with an entry-level AMG A Class.
A new 'regular' Merc A Class will be revealed at Frankfurt, when apparently it will move from the current version's weird double-decker platform to something much more traditional - with transverse four-cylinder power and front-wheel drive.
Intriguingly, it also appears there'll be a 4x4 model, and it's a 340hp turbocharged version of that one that could be on the cards to battle the Audi RS3 and BMW's 1 Series M. Expect it to arrive 18 months or so after the boggo A Class, predicts our source.
Get ready for a 4x4 340hp A Class
tting themselves 
Taking the A-class from Dangerous to suicidal at speed.
It's an all new car based on a completely different chassis design, so how can you possibly know that? Given what Mercedes have been producing recently, I think the new A-class has every chance of competing in the same market as the 1M and RS3, albeit probably in a slightly different way.
The new A-Class will rival the 1 Series and A3 models and will include an AMG model. This will be a completely different car and shape to previous models with a more sporty stance. I'll be having one of these as my new demo when there released.
The closest picture i could find similar to the one that i saw in the Mercedes meeting last night
There releasing smart with a new four door and plans for a new roadster also in the wings to compete with the A1 and Mini.
Taking the A-class from Dangerous to suicidal at speed.
It's an all new car based on a completely different chassis design, so how can you possibly know that? Given what Mercedes have been producing recently, I think the new A-class has every chance of competing in the same market as the 1M and RS3, albeit probably in a slightly different way.
I can see that it's an entirely new platform now as the pictures wouldn't load when I tried to View earlier 
it looks to me like an SLS front on a sort of Sirocco Style body ....... and it Looks terrific, now the Center of gravity is that much lower and a sleeker body maybe the new A-class will be a cracking car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff