staff@slashgear.com (Mark Cowley)
2024-05-04 18:48:01
www.slashgear.com
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was the first and only roadgoing supercar to be jointly developed between the two manufacturers. It was announced in 1999 and would be first shown off in production guise at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003. Demand for the car was strong from launch, with over 2,000 examples produced by the time production ended in 2009, alongside a slew of special edition variants.
The SLR was different from other landmark supercars released during the same era, in that it was less of an all-out track car and more of a long-distance tourer. However, it could still keep up with any of its contemporaries in a straight line thanks to its AMG-developed supercharged 5.5L V8 engine, which produced around 620 horsepower.
In the years since production ended, McLaren has continued to offer upgrades and conversions for the car, the most recent being the SLR High Downforce Kit, launched in 2023. Interest in the car from collectors has remained very strong over the years, and given that no direct successor ever emerged from the now defunct Mercedes-McLaren partnership, that seems set to continue for the foreseeable future.