Mercedes working on small roadster for 2011?

Mercedes-Benz will be using the same platform they used in the 2008 C-Class sedan for the next generation A-Class and B-Class, which means both will have rear-wheel-drive, higher performance and a more sporty chassis. Well according to AutoZeitung that same underpinning could spawn a sporty maller roadster in 2011 based on the Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA Concept which was inspired by the A-Class as well. 

The Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA Concept used the same high-torque 1.9-liter engine of the A 190 which produces 125 hp. Front and rear axle of the roadster study were also derived from the A-Class.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class also served as the model for the roadster study’s safety concept. In the event of a serious head-on collision, the oblique positioning of the drive unit ensures that – as with the A-Class – it slides below the vehicle, leaving the interior largely undamaged.

Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA Concept Gallery:

   

   

Source: AutoZeitung (via motorauthority)