Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss revealed

Posted Thu Dec 18 2008 6:28 PM by James Martinez

Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss Speedster
The new model has been named after famous Mercedes Benz race car driver Stirling Moss

With Mercedes’ next generation of super sports cars currently under development by the carmaker’s racing arm, HWA, as well as its in-house tuner, AMG, the current manufacturing partnership with McLaren is set to end once production of the SLR supercar concludes next year. To mark the occasion, Mercedes and McLaren will release a highly modified SLR that will be produced in a limited run of just 75 cars.

The latest version is called the SLR Stirling Moss and it differs significantly from the current model on which it’s based. The most striking feature is its open-top design, which incorporates a roofless design with no windshield and vertical lifting doors. The design appears similar to the previous C16 Speedster based on the Corvette from Callaway, which was revealed last year. Stirling Moss, incidentally, was a legendary British race car driver who won his first F1 GP in a Mercedes, and was also the driver who won the 1955 Mille Miglia in record time behind the wheel of a 300 SLR.

Power from the car’s supercharged 5.5L V8 engine remains at a heady 650hp (478kW) and propels the open-top racer from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 350km/h – 13km/h faster than the SLR 722 model.

Adding to the performance is a lighter kerb weight, which could be more than 300kg lighter than the standard model. The weight saving will come from increased use of carbon-fiber for the body, new carbon-ceramic brakes and a new exhaust system.

The special edition model will cost exactly €750,000 (before taxes) and it will make its world debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show, where more information, including availability details, will be released.

Gallery: Mercedes Benz SLR 'Speedster' Stirling Moss leaked shots

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Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss Edition

Reader Comments

  • Wed Jul 2 2008 11:26 AM

    Andrey says

    it was such a beautiful super car, too bad it's manufacturing will come to an end :(

  • Wed Jul 2 2008 12:19 PM

    bambam says

    It was beautiful but most of the mens would not accept the stylish luxury sport looks, instead they prefer the record breaking looks of an F1. it looks more like an SLK and not a supercar and most female buy the SLK. Maybe it was the marketing.

    9 out 10 for Mclaren SLR

  • Wed Jul 2 2008 1:56 PM

    Gus says

    We have two that drive around here regularly, and whenever I see them, I have to look twice to make sure it's not just an SL. Not a bad thing, but it doesn't really grab your attnetion in person the way an Italian exotic does.

  • Wed Jul 2 2008 10:19 PM

    Dann says

    I would have this over everything else though cause it's discreet and you will blow everyone off with the performance ..think about it. You're at the lights next to someone in an M5 or a GTR or 911 Turbo and they want to have off what they probably think is just an SL55 but you can silly them off

  • Thu Jul 3 2008 3:04 AM

    Wizards Lore says

    Gus....how can you not tell its the SLR ?? the sound is so much angrier, and the long snout and very short rear are massive giveaway's....also those rims, my god the rims...

    Even as a Porsche fan / nut / whatever you want........i love this car. And if i had the funds would want one, yes i woudl want one just as much as a 911 turbo ! (please dont scream sacreligeous at me please :( )

  • Fri Jul 4 2008 11:51 AM

    Dann says

    Can't believe they are actually going to do away with a wind shield...I wonder if it will come with complimentary MB goggles

  • Mon Jul 7 2008 2:43 AM

    Layne says

    That thing is just crazy cool.

  • Tue Jul 15 2008 11:07 AM

    JD says

    Is the driver a dwarf or is the car supersized?

  • Tue Jul 15 2008 1:00 PM

    vb says

    The car is huge. The "snout" is rediculously long (almost E-Type Jag like). I was able to sit in one last saturday and in my opinion no picture can show you how brutal it is in reality.

  • Tue Jul 15 2008 1:06 PM

    Gus says

    Well lets make one thing perfectly clear, my above comment was from another article about the NORMAL SLR. This thing is OBVIOUSLY not an SL... :)

    I've never driven/ridden a speedster type vehicle with no windscreen. I have a convertible and often wonder what it would be like without a big windscreen frame.

    I think what I would prefer would be a frameless windscreen, leaving the rollover safety to a rollbar directly behind me (which it appears this vehicle and the Atom do). But not having anything in front of you might be tough on the face and head. It's not like on a motorcycle, there is so much more air being pushed over the hood of a car than on a bike.

    Sure look forward to seeing one in person someday.

  • Tue Jul 15 2008 3:55 PM

    cheato says

    The guy in the shots (without the helmet on) is Chris Goodwin, a long time McLaren test driver, who also used to pilot F1s (as in the McLaren F1) in sportscar racing. He currently mentors Bruno Senna in GP2 and does some commentary work for ESPN and Star Sports over in Asia. I don't believe he's a dwarf - it must be the car.

  • Thu Jul 17 2008 9:04 PM

    rickybobby says

    so will this b like a slr withouth the heavy interior?
    kinda like what it was before mercedes got to it

  • Thu Jul 24 2008 6:36 AM

    lamboguy says

    It looks like it has a really big engine! .....(+[__]::).....

  • Wed Aug 13 2008 1:55 PM

    christian says

    that rendering is horrible.

  • Sun Aug 17 2008 3:20 AM

    Layne says

    Agreed. Absolutely horrendous job on that rendering.

  • Mon Aug 18 2008 9:45 PM

    Wizards Lore says

    Oh dear god, the rendering looks like Thunderbirds :(

  • Mon Aug 25 2008 5:16 AM

    Kenneth says

    it's all fun and games till a bug hits you in the eye doing 100mph... this car would suck to own, you would have to wear goggles or a helmet whenever you really drove it. If you spend a million dollars on this thing, and can't even take a date out on the town, what's the point? looks cool, but its retarded to use... unless you like getting dirty when you drive a million dollar car. I would take the SLR Roadster over this in a heartbeat and do without the messed up hair or circles around my eyes from the goggles. If you bought this to actually drive it, I think you got ripped off.

  • Mon Dec 22 2008 10:39 AM

    rami says

    Ugliest most stupid useless piece of shit

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