AR Rewind #2 - Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

Rewind: This is the second in a series of posts where I dive into detail of the work completed for Edmunds InsideLine engagements.

Creative Brief: Editor-in-Chief Scott Oldham had asked me to follow up the Pontiac G8 coupe with a very ambitious challenge. The 2009 Merceds-Benz SL65 Black Series coupe had been spotted on the Nürburgring in heavy camouflage and he wanted to see if we could "peal away" everything down to the sheetmetal. It was a significant amount of brushwork and I didn't quite make the tight deadline as I was unable to finish the bottom rear bumper diffuser. We didn't know whether it would be black and where it would be painted so an in-house artist took a stab at an approach to finish it for press. The bottom image below is the revised rear that I did and the original finished top picture.

Execution Highlights - Front

• Donor Mercedes SL65 parts used: headlights, grille, lower air intakes
• Removed camo and rollcage from inside the car
• New rims recommended from Scott - CLK63 AMG Black Series
• Lowered the rear wing to show the car in regular driving mode

Execution Highlights - Rear

• Donor Mercedes SL65 parts used: tail lights and most of trunk
• Removed camo, cameras and recording equipment
• New rims recommended from Scott - CLK63 AMG Black Series
• Lowered the rear wing to show the car in regular driving mode

Final Thoughts: This project was incredibly challenging but fun. I was really close to production trim minus a few details on the side door sheetmetal. Looking at the before and after pictures the car turned out better than planned.

Original Blog Link: Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series Will Boast 670 Horsepower

2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet Is a Go

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Recently, Inside Line broke the story that Mercedes will introduce a C-Class coupe in an effort to lure younger buyers and battle both the successful BMW 1 Series and 3 Series. And now we have the first image of the coming C-Class convertible.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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2011 Mercedes C-Class Coupe Revealed

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — Two weeks ago, Inside Line broke the story that Mercedes will introduce a C-Class coupe in an effort to lure younger buyers and battle the successful BMW 1 Series. And now we have the first image of what the two-door just might look like.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California —The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is just days away from its official debut at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, and Inside Line now has an early look at the future Mercedes E-Class cabriolet as well.

Since the new E-Class coupe is positioned as the replacement for the current Mercedes CLK coupe and cabrio, the arrival of a convertible shortly thereafter is all but certain. In fact, IL sources claim that the convertible is already headed for production with a soft-top design similar to the current CLK cabrio to keep cost and weight down.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series Will Boast 670 Horsepower

From Edmunds InsideLine: SANTA MONICA, California — It won't make its official debut until this summer, but the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series is already staking its claim as one of the most extreme Mercedes-Benzes ever built.

It starts with a 6.0-liter twin turbo V12 engine. In the standard SL65 AMG it pumps out a healthy 604 horsepower, but in the Black Series the same engine gets cranked up to 670 hp. The torque peak won't increase, but given that it already sits at 738 pound-feet, there's really isn't a need for more. The five-speed automatic transmission, torque converter and all, will remain, but it will get two Sport shift programs, with the second delivering quicker gearchanges timed at just 250 milliseconds.

Click here to view this article.

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UPDATE: The link to this article no longer exists as Edmunds' Inside Line was discontinued in 2013. You can still view the original article via the Wayback Machine.

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