Mercedez Benz News Mercedes-Benz Madness: Is a Four-Door SLS in the Works?

[Blake Noble]

G. Noble

Editor/Reporter

CheersandGears.com

Thursday, 23rd February, 2012

The SLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz’s latest supercar offering, appears to be spawning quite the high-powered family. For 2012, the gull winged coupe has been joined by a more conventional open air roadster. Next year, the coupe will go on AMG’s Black Series diet and makeover plan. You would then expect a Black Series roadster to follow suit of the Black Series coupe for 2014, but if some recently leaked patent filings are any indication, the German automaker could have something a little more insane hidden up its sleeve instead.

The patent drawings, filed with the German patent office, show what appears to be a four-door SLS. However, instead of four conventional front-hinged doors, the gull wing doors are shown to be left intact and behind them are a set of small, rear-hinged demi-doors much like one would find on vehicles like the recently departed Mazda RX-8, long deceased Saturn Ion coupe, or an extended cab pickup. The wheelbase has also been stretched to accommodate two rear seats that have been split by an extended center console, making for a 2+2 layout. The drawings also show the rear section of the center console feature a secondary set of COMMAND interface controls.

It’s also worth noting that this potential four-door SLS doesn’t appear to have a complete B-pillar, which is interesting given that the packet of paperwork that accompanies the drawings seems to affirm the automaker is concerned with minimizing weight gain and preserving structural rigidity.

When Benz officials were asked to comment on the leak and the drawings, questions were dodged with the old standard response of, “We won’t take the liberty of sharing comments for any potential future products.”

Source: Autoblog

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[CanadianBacon94]

...interesting...

[Turbojett]

i believe this picture is rather appropos here:

[Blake Noble]

I was going to make the headline read something like "Misery (Porsche Panamera) Gets Company: Four-Door SLS En Route?" but decided it probably would be inadvisable.

Edited February 24, 2012 by black-knight

[ocnblu]

The only thing inadvisable is M-B entertaining this BAD idea.

[the_yellow_dart]

Why not just make the gullwing longer? It would achieve the functionality without being so wierd.

[Robert Hall]

Niches within niches....what next, an SLX ultra performance crossover?

Edited February 24, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Blake Noble]

Niches with niches....what next, an SLX ultra performance crossover?

Shhhhhh! Don't give them any ideas.

[G. David Felt]

Interesting, I have to say this does cover our lack of ultra cool but very different concepts. Now the engineering this would take brings up plenty of questions on crash/roll over quality and weather it can really handle being a performance sedan. I see allot of flex in that auto's center due to the weight.

[Robert Hall]

Speaking of unusual doors, maybe if Lamborghini ever builds the Esotique or other 4dr model, maybe they will do 4 scissor doors, w/ the rear ones opening backward...

[§carlet §wordfish]

[Robert Hall]

<pic>

I was thinking about that..the Portifino concept from the '80s...was pretty cool.

[crash900s]

Really another one? Who are these rich people and why do they have such bad taste?

[G. David Felt]

Portifino concept was bery cool in it's day and I still actually like it now.

[FAPTurbo]

Really another one? Who are these rich people and why do they have such bad taste?

Probably these guys.