Wind the clock back a few years, perhaps a decade or two, and most performance-oriented automakers had a far simpler model lineup than they do today. Take Mercedes-Benz, as an example. Around 20 years ago, buyers could choose from a small and sporty SLK, a larger, more powerful and touring-focused SL, or the really well-heeled buyer with a savage hunger for performance could splash out and buy the SLR McLaren halo car.
Â
