Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Review

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Convertible

Essentially a tribute to the original SLR racecar from 1955, today's Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an expensive supercar that boasts a top speed in excess of 200 mph and sprints from zero to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. In terms of driving dynamics, the car's only drawbacks are excessive road noise and grabby brakes.

Otherwise, it's truly a phenomenal car but unless you're a CEO or media mogul, it's unlikely to show up on your shopping list, as it costs nearly half a million dollars. It's equally unlikely that you'll ever even see one, as fewer than 1,000 copies have been sold since the car's introduction for 2005.

In a nod to the original 300 SLRs, the SLR McLaren features doors that swing forward and up in a sort of gullwing-scissor combination. It may be largely a gimmick but it does make getting in and out much easier than in other high-dollar supercars. While the interior includes many tasteful features like aluminum and carbon fiber trim with leather seats, it looks too much like a standard-issue Mercedes sedan. For such an exclusive car, we'd like to see a more unique cabin.

The bottom line is that the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is very fast and very expensive. Even if you're able to find a used SLR for sale, the car is still extremely expensive. Also, enthusiasts wanting a manual transmission will find that no such option exists for the SLR McLaren. Given the lack of a manual transmission and the SLR's ultra exclusivity, we recommend looking instead for one of the brilliant supercars from Aston Martin, Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Current Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is now only available as a two-seat, soft-top convertible. The SLR's hand-built 5.4-liter supercharged V8 remains unchanged from the previous coupe model, as it still pumps out an astonishing 617 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels and it features a shift-it-yourself feature with steering-wheel-mounted paddles. According to Mercedes-Benz, the SLR can achieve a top speed of 208 mph and go from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

The SLR McLaren comes fairly loaded with plenty of features, as you'd expect for the price. The SLR offers a high level of comfort and luxury features considering its supercar pedigree. The seats are covered with Alcantara suede and a Bose surround-sound stereo with six-CD changer is included, as are adaptive cruise control and dual-zone climate control. There are three soft-top convertible color choices.

The SLR also features an impressive number of safety features for a supercar, including side and side curtain airbags, knee-protecting airbags, TeleAid, stability control and carbon-ceramic antilock brakes with brake assist. The SLR McLaren also employs a rear deck-mounted airbrake that automatically deploys under very hard braking.

Past Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was introduced for 2005 in a two-seat coupe body style only. This original model was powered by the same 5.4-liter V12 found in the current convertible SLR.

For 2007, the SLR McLaren could only be had as the 722 Edition coupe. This name was derived from the starting time -- 7:22 -- assigned to the original SLR racecar in 1955's Mille Miglia. Only 25 722 Edition coupes were imported into the United States, so finding one will be rather difficult. Nevertheless, this special edition featured a more powerful version of the SLR's V12, making 641 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. It also received larger brakes, an adjustable rear spoiler, firmer suspension dampers, a slightly lower ride height, a carbon-fiber front air splitter, carbon-fiber seats and cockpit trim, red stitching and gauge faces, and "722" badges and embroidery.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.