EYE CANDY // 1980 MERCEDES 450 SLC AMG

Just a bit of Eye Candy before we take off for the weekend.

Featured above is a 1980 Mercedes 450 SLC AMG Group 2 race car. Built by the German automaker as a way for Hans Werner Aufrecht to compete with Jaguar and Alpina-BMW in the European Touring Car Championship, the SLC tipped the scales at a mere 1225 kilograms, some 465 kilograms lighter than a standard 450 SLC. Power was increased from 217hp to 375hp, and engine speeds increased from 5000 rpm to 6550 rpm. Utilizing the standard three-speed automatic transmission, as the five speed manual gearbox had not been homologated, the Mercedes 450 SLC AMG, with Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz at the wheel, managed a fifth place finish at the opening race of the 1978 season of the European Touring Car Championship in Monza, Italy.

Click here for additional information on this Mercedes 450 SLC AMG // [comment]