Spy Photo Roundup: The Mercedes-Benz SL Black Series (At Least We Think That's What It Is)

Making their rounds across the internet yesterday and today comes a series of spy photos depicting a Mercedes model we've seen numerous times in the past - an enhanced SL featuring a CLS-esque front end, and more recently, a severely-vented hood and widened-body paneling. Some are calling it the rumored SLC, some are calling it a SL Black Series, and in the past, some have called it the 2009 SL-Class. Mercedes has stated in the past it isn't the next SL, and they've denied the existence of a SL63 AMG. That leaves either the SLC or SL Black Series, and due to earlier reports the SLC will be based on the next SL-Class, that leaves only the Black Series (if the rumors are indeed true).

Whether or not it will be dubbed the Black Series is another question, but I believe the concept of the vehicle in question will be that of the Black models, meaning it will be a performance-oriented version of the current SL. Power could still come from Mercedes' 500+ horsepower 6.3 Liter V8; but there's also the possibility it could come from an even-more-highly-tuned version of one of the SL's current powerplants as well.

Either way, it looks fantastic; it will no doubt become an incredible addition to the current SL lineup; and I will no doubt want one.

In the meantime, I'll have to settle for mere photos, provided by Jalopnik, Motor Trend and Winding Road.