Return of the Mercedes Gullwing!
Mercedes made the Gullwing door famous decades ago with their 1952 Mercedes 300SL, and has occasionally popped back up with the vertically raised openings every few years. From the looks of various spy shots of the Mercedes-Benz SLK it looks as though Gullwing is set for a return.
The SLK production model will be a spin off of the already popular Mercedes SLC. SLK will contain a hybrid drive train, with a top electric range of 120 miles. But this decision on entrance structure isn’t just nostalgic, it is believed to be quite functional.
Mercedes intends on installing the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery packs in the side sills. This area would need to accommodate extra space needed for those packs. Hinges placed on the roof instead of past the fender, thus causing the doors to open upwards instead of out, would be the best possible option.
Reports state the SLK hybrid can keep up with the average 40 mile range of most alternative energy vehicles while still maintaining 0-60 in five seconds. That power comes from an advanced 3.5 liter V6, which produces 300 horse power with a top speed of 155 miles her hour. Watch for the Mercedes SLK Hybrid Gullwing in 2011.
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