As the latest move in a long striptease of the upcoming Gullwing-door-having Mercedes-Benz SLS sports car, the company has released these sketches of the exterior.
Judging by the anime-style, computer-y renderings, the SLS will have 33-inch wheels carrying tires with a 0.05 aspect ratio and will be fitted with leftover Nissan GT-R headlamp assemblies.
Uh, wait, is that a porthole on the B-pillar? Possibly that is supposed to be the world's most prominent fuel filler. Such is the trouble with early sketches.
Otherwise, the design of the SLS is what most expected, a long-nosed two-seater with a number of retro flourishes nabbed from the 1955-'57 300SL "Gullwing." Beyond the gullwing doors, which Mercedes has taken to calling "swing-wing" doors, the new car references the original with its twin longitudinal hood bulges, big front grille, fender vents and a tapered rear end with tiny, horizontal taillights.
How close are these sketches to revealing the real character and details of the eventual 563-horsepower, seven-speed dual-clutch, $250,000 SLS? We haven't a clue really. But we won't have to wait too much longer to find out. The car should finally be unveiled at this fall's Frankfurt auto show.
Read Inside Line's full story on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS "Gullwing"
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