AWESOME or AWFUL: Leaked Patent Image Shows Us A NEW Four-Door Coupe - Take That Aston Martin

In recent years the term four-door coupe has come into existence. To be straightforward, it's an oxymoron; however, the nomenclature has stuck in the auto community so we're just going to keep on trucking.

Now when you think about it, the closest an automaker has gotten to building a sleek and proper sporty-looking sedan would be the Aston Martin Rapide. If you didn't look at the vehicle's side profile you likely wouldn't even know it is, in fact, a four-door coupe.

Well, it turns out Mercedes-Benz may be taking that one step further. Newly leaked patent renderings are depicting a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG sporting Mazda RX-8-like rear doors and back seats. Yeah'p another four-door coupe thing.

The difference is that this is a proper supercar whereas the Rapide is...not.

But this makes us wonder: Would a four-door SLS AMG be AWESOME or AWFUL?


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FromThePassengerSeat - 2/25/2012 9:10:57 PM

+1 Boost

Those drawings are pretty bad, so it's hard to tell whether extra length and four doors would spoil the SLS's looks.

It would be an oddball for sure, but I believe that its closest competition would be the Ferrari FF. Perhaps the Continental GT and Rapide too.

Agent00R - 2/26/2012 3:16:43 PM

+1 Boost

Wow! That actually gave me a laugh...

Well played, sir.

Globalist - 2/26/2012 11:16:26 AM

+1 Boost

I'm taking it that this is revenge for the Maybach deal falling through, hmm? Sure isn't pretty, though with "New Money" clients domestically here in the U.S. and in places like Russia, China, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore I'd imagine the door technology is enough to sell-out this car abroad. I'd be happy if this was the new E-Class-based flagship drenched in Carbon Fiber though, because if the price-point is lower than the SLS coupe it could sell in droves, ugly or otherwise.

Mugwump00 - 2/26/2012 6:05:42 PM

+1 Boost

Why not just extra long Gullwing doors? I don't see what would be achieved with the rear-hinges. The RX-8 rear doors are overlapped by the front, aren't they? Safer and eliminates wind-noise? These aren't.

And why do the rear passengers need a transmission selector?

FromThePassengerSeat - 2/26/2012 7:26:13 PM

+1 Boost

Hey, you're right. I didn't notice that rear-seat console. Strange. I also agree about the doors; the gullwing/suicide door combo is rather awkward.