Long before there was the Mercedes-AMG One, the company teamed up with McLaren to build an iconic supercar
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Long before Mercedes and McLaren were rivals, the two companies teamed up to create a unique supercar that is still fondly remembered today. We’re talking about the Mercedes SLR McLaren, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next month.
While it’s hard to believe two decades have passed since the car was introduced at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, the SLR is worth remembering and was the first model to be assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.
It’s hard to know where to start, but Mercedes and McLaren had a successful Formula 1 partnership which saw them win four World Championships between 1995 and 2009. Given this success, it wasn’t too surprising when Mercedes tapped McLaren to help them build a production version of the SLR Vision concept which was introduced at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show.
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The first prototype was built by a team of ex-Formula 1 mechanics and McLaren says the “shape and styling of the car were kept as close to Mercedes’ requirements – and the design expressed by the Vision SLR concept – as possible.”
Speaking of which, the car had a carbon fiber body shell, carbon fiber doors, a carbon fiber hood and a carbon fiber monocoque. Besides extensive weight saving measures, the SLR was notable for featuring an adaptive rear wing that could also function as an airbrake.
Power was provided by a supercharged 5.5-liter V8 from Mercedes-AMG. Producing 617 hp (460 kW / 626 PS) and 575 lb-ft (780 Nm) of torque, the engine was connected to a five-speed automatic transmission and enabled the car to rocket from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds. When pushed, it could eventually hit a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h).
While production of the SLR came to an end in 2009, the McLaren Edition SLR was introduced the following year as an “enhancement package” with improved aerodynamics, lighter wheels, and a revised suspension. The SLR by MSO followed in 2019, while the SLR High Downforce Kit (HDK) was introduced in May of this year.
That being said, the most iconic SLR has to be the Stirling Moss Edition. Designed to be a last hurrah, the model was heavily inspired by the 300 SLR that Moss drove to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia. The windshield-less special edition was limited to 75 units and was outfitted with an upgraded V8 pumping out 641 hp (478 kW / 650 PS).
