There was a time, although short, when it appeared that Mercedes-Benz cut off plans to build its so-called Porsche 911 fighter, potentially to be called the SLC. Fortunately, the automaker, for whatever reason, changed its mind and opted to continue developing the car which will be smaller than the SLS. And now Mercedes has released its own set of spy shots of a SLC test mule out testing. From an immediate first look, this prototype does look like an SLS with its long hood and short rear deck.

However, it does not have those famous gullwing doors. No word yet on its engine lineup, but it's a good guess that power will come from a twin-turbo V8 that'll be good for around 480 horsepower. To keep it competitive with the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo, expect to see an eventual Black Series variant that'll produce around 600 hp. Whatever this new high-performance model is called (a revived SLR name has also been rumored), it'll be significantly lighter than the big SLS thanks to its all-aluminum frame and it may even have 2+2 seating. No word just yet on a potential launch date but we're guessing it'll be ready to go sometime next year.