Mercedes and McLaren celebrated collectively the twentieth anniversary for the reason that launch of the Mercedes SLR McLaren on the McLaren Know-how Centre in Woking, UK.
The Mercedes SLR McLaren was born out of the cooperation between Mercedes and McLaren in F1. McLaren introduced its experience to monocoque physique constructionmade of carbon fiber on this partnership.
Nonetheless, the cooperation between the 2 producers was not one of the best as a result of their targets have been completely different. Mercedes needed a snug tremendous GT and McLaren needed a light-weight carbon fiber development. In the long run, the end result was a relatively heavy GT with a relatively excessive weight of 1800 kg, which had an F1-inspired carbon fiber monocoque.
The SLR challenge was an essential chapter in McLaren’s historical past. It was the primary mannequin assembled on the McLaren Know-how Middle (MTC), and lots of the individuals who labored on the challenge are nonetheless with McLaren immediately.
As well as, the McLaren Particular Operations (MSO) division continues to offer Mercedes SLR McLaren house owners with bespoke commissions and improve packages.
The twentieth anniversary was celebrated with a gathering between the automobile technicians and 21 house owners, members of the SLR Membership. Additionally on show on the occasion on the MTC Boulevard have been 4 of McLaren’s most particular SLR variations – an SLR Stirling Moss, an SLR by MSO, an SLR HDK, and the SLR 722 GT Prototype – alongside gadgets from the automobile’s improvement story.
The final particular model of the SLR McLaren was SLR Stirling Moss, produced in solely 75 items. The MSO model made by McLaren was much more unique, being produced in solely 25 items. Manufacturing of the SLR ceased in December 2009, whereas the MSO model was launched in 2010.
The primary idea, referred to as the Mercedes SLR Imaginative and prescient, was proven in January 1999 on the Detroit Motor Present, and in the summertime of that 12 months, Mercedes and McLaren introduced their cooperation on the Silverstone Grand Prix.
McLaren chassis, Mercedes engine
The primary prototype of the McLaren SLR, recognized internally as Undertaking 9, was hand-built by a group of former McLaren System 1 group mechanics. Mercedes was answerable for the design and delivered the 5.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with mechanical supercharger which develops 626 ps (617 hp) and 780 Nm (575 lb ft).
The Mercedes SLR McLaren accelerated from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and reached a prime velocity of 335 kph (208 mph)
Though it was a really high-performance automobile, the Mercedes SLR McLaren was not a business success. Mercedes supposed to provide 500 examples per 12 months for seven years, from 2003 to 2009, which meant a goal of three,500 copies in whole. However it solely managed to promote 1,400 examples. The worth on the launch in 2003 was 452,000 euro ($488,615).
Nonetheless, the gross sales determine is increased than different supercars. Produced across the identical interval, Porsche offered solely 1279 Carrera GTs.
Within the used automobile market, the Mercedes SLR McLaren doesn’t have a really excessive market worth. The coupe model sells at costs that don’t exceed the worth of the automobile when was new, in 2003.
In distinction, the convertible model produced in solely 150 examples has traded at increased costs starting from $600,000 to 800,000. The costliest model is the SLR Stirling Moss, with the few examples on sale fetching astronomical costs of between 3 and 4 million $.
