Outfitted with 722 badges, the 722 edition focused on a sportier carbon fiber and Alcantara trim for the interior, stiffer and lower suspension, bigger brakes, and revised aero work, as well as a power boost to 641 hp - a roadster version of the 722 edition also was offered starting in 2009.īy far the most incredible and iconic though, the SLR Stirling Moss (pictured above) was a complete overhaul of the car, designed by Yoon Il-Hun as a speedster, the car went on sale in 2009 as a limited edition of just 75 units, costing $1 million each. Made as a tribute to Sir Stirling Moss' 1955 Mille Miglia victory, and his 300 SLR which wore the "722" number, the 722 Edition was a badass car. Not fully handling focused, and compromising the GT luxury experience, the 5-speed conventional automatic transmission brought things down further, as it wasn’t impressively responsive, and while good in the S-Class it was borrowed from, just wasn’t a great choice for the monstrous power the SLR had with its laggy shifts - though it was that power that forced Mercedes to chose the 5-speed over a 7-speed design thanks to its durability.īefore that, an amazing performance-based special version called the 722 edition was released in 2006. While great for a handling-oriented car, this lent the SLR a rough ride that belied its luxury-focused interior, and with its relatively heavy weight lacked the design to make full use of it. Among these, the suspension was nothing special, being a traditional coil spring setup with no ride control or adjustable dampers in sight. While in the end the SLR was positioned mainly as a grand tourer, several aspects remained that made this compromise in goal evident. Jointly developed, the SLR suffered from the drawing board with a disagreement in goals between the two brands, with Mercedes wanting to focus on a soft and comfortable luxury-forward design, and McLaren wanting a rigid and lightweight performer. Furthermore, that long hood is somewhat deceiving, as the engine is mounted so far back in it, that it's considered a front-mid placement. The first production car to use a fully carbon fiber monocoque, carbon fiber front crash structure, and was also one of the first cars to use carbon-ceramic brakes from the factory.įurthering the array of awesome and advanced construction for the time, active aero like a speed sensing spoiler, Sensotronic brake control that could automatically wipe the rotors dry, and a flat underbelly with diffusers optimized aero as well as forced the car to use its awesome side-exit exhaust design. With a shape calling upon classic GT proportions all while being thoroughly modern, the SLR was an incredibly sleek design, accenting the style with plenty of aggressive details like its side vents and F1 style nose to make it plainly evident as a wicked performance car.īeyond those looks, the SLR truly was an advanced top-end performance machine, built with a completely carbon fiber body, carbon tub for the interior, and more the SLR was incredibly advanced for the early 2000s, with an aluminum chassis to boot. Not meant to be an ultra-nimble track use supercar, the SLR instead had a basis on being a luxurious and supremely fast grand tourer. Only offered with an automatic transmission, the SLR hit the scene with a massive 617 hp, making it one of the most powerful production cars of the early 2000s. With the supercar segment seeing huge growth thanks to spectacular top-end models like the Enzo and Carrera GT, this couldn’t just be a half-hearted attempt, and a unique V8 called M155 SLR was developed from the already muscular AMG based M113 Kompressor engine to give it the power it needed to keep up with the growing crowd. For the Vision SLR, this inspiration took shape as a Gordon Wagener-designed, carbon-fiber bodied supercharged V8 supercar, earning much attention on its debut, and seeing a roadster version unveiled that same year at the Frankfurt Auto Show.Įnlisting McLaren's help in bringing it to life, Mercedes chose to bring that Vision SLR concept to reality, and after 4 years of development, the production SLR debuted to the world in 2003. Essentially an F1 car of the time given a closed wheel body, this car won the Mille Miglia among many other races and was an important part of the brand's motorsports history. Debuting at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show, the result of this heritage hitting the modern drawing board was the Vision SLR concept, taking much inspiration from the 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR racecar of Sir Stirling Moss fame.
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