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SLR McLaren Roadster

2K views 52 replies 25 participants last post by  Ball Bearing Supra 
#1 ·
#2 ·
C&D said:
In 1999, Mercedes-Benz teased us with not one, but two mouth-watering “Vision SLR” supercar concepts. One had a roof, the other was a convertible. The Vision SLR coupe eventually became the stupidly fast and stratospherically priced SLR McLaren coupe, which Mercedes-Benz builds with racing partner McLaren Cars. Now, a full four years into its product cycle, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren are finally giving their SLR coupe a droptop playmate, to be called the SLR McLaren roadster.

Spied in the Canary Islands on a photo shoot, this prototype of the top-secret roadster will spawn one of only a handful of droptops ever to break the 200-mph barrier and perhaps the fastest open-topped automobile ever sold in this country by a major manufacturer when it appears on our shores next year as a 2009 model.

Clear from these not-so-clear photos is that the SLR roadster appears pretty much identical to the current SLR McLaren coupe in terms of its long-nose proportions and front and rear styling. Also a given are a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and carbon-fiber body panels, just like the hardtop. A fabric top, as opposed to a folding hardtop, will be fitted in the interest of cost saving.

Less clear, however, is whether the scissors-fly doors from the coupe will appear on the roadster. Certainly, conventional front-hinged doors would be somewhat of a disappointment after the cool butterfly doors on the coupe. Don’t get us wrong, however, they would hardly prompt any one of us to kick the SLR out of our garage.

Expect little or no diminution of performance from the 617-hp, 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with 575 pound-feet of torque that powers the SLR hardtop, which can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and touch a claimed 207 mph when given enough asphalt. We would be surprised, however, if the roadster were offered in the intensified 641-hp “722” guise like the coupe. It would be fitting, however, considering that the original No. 722, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz SLR racer that Stirling Moss drove to victory in the Mille Miglia three consecutive years, was actually a roadster.

Pricing will likely be about 10 percent higher than the $455,750 of the SLR coupe, so don’t expect much change back from your half-mil bill.


Hell, it actually looks really good as a convertible. It looks more proportionate than the coupe!
 
#8 ·
Fast or not, you are soon to be owner of one of the most unattractive exotics in recent history. Now you can hang out with all the CGT guys :lol:
 
#11 ·
I would have a talk with your subconscious trini, he's leading you down an ugly path :lol:
 
#21 · (Edited)
I tried to use the IMG tags and it didnt work. He is the base image we used so far. Car will be black/red, with the Brabus wheels with the centers painted black. Calipers are red, car will be lowered , lights smoked, and black tints. Engine mods, not sure of yet, but for sure exhaust, ecu, pulley, airboxes. Should easily put over 600hp to the wheels.

As for the conv, im not a fan either.
 
#28 ·
Joe, I didn't like it either until I saw and heard one in person. Its best view is head on...it has a presence that just doesn't come across in pictures. I would give half my left nut to drive one(the other half would be for the CGT)
 
#24 ·
Looks likea 2nd gen Viper and whale shark had a baby to me.
 
#30 ·
Actually trini, I think it loks the same if not a bit worse in person. A few years ago I was very excited to see it at NYIAS and so let down. I made a post on here about it actually.

Allan to each there own, but it's unfortunate that two of the most capable cars right now are two of the most repugnant to me. So much of the design of the CGT and SLR is superfluous and cartoonish. I wholeheartedly recognize that it is a very good piece of mechanical engineering, however, you are right; it is a good thing it won't be mine. I would smile like a bastard driving it and park it my garage and never want to look at it. Not to mention the fact that they are overproducing them IMO. 3500 cars is way too much. Hell the CGT couldn't even keep pace with ~1300 cars. the S7 is only a run of ~400 cars and they sell for 100k more, but they are also faster with more aftermarket potential.

Like I said to each their own though - the SLR has got gobs of power and handling and all types of other good go fast must haves, but it certainly is no show winner. It's a shame really - some pics it looks very good, others not much. And in person it's just average. For the price, there are a lot more cars I would rather have.
 
#31 ·
The black Brabus car, essentially what Allan is building, is one bad-ass car IMO. It takes all the good styling cues and accentuates it. I think the CGT looks better than the SLR, but it's one difficult car to handle. With over 700hp, his SLR will be an accessible street-performance monster.

-Olivier
 
#35 ·
...

That picture was taken in Tenerife I think, thats where i was born :)...SLR is pure sex, how ever for the money few cars in my opinion have the overall package like the sl65. I ran into a modded one 2 weeks ago the guy actually was pretty cool he floored it rolling at like 80mph and it pulled pretty hard.



Car set about 2 inches from the ground in the front
 
#45 ·
Christ, need some tq? How are they holding up at that power level?
 
#49 ·
Your guess is as good as mine. I know that's one of the reasons why AMG kept power down from the factory. They had the ability to make the power and torque, but putting it and keeping it to the ground is another story. I wonder how long the tranny and rear end are going to hold up. Regardless :hitit:

Josh
 
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