McLaren will host various commemorative events at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the launch of the ‘Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren’, born from the collaboration with Mercedes-Benz.
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a production supercar that embodies the overwhelming performance of a supercar and the versatility of a GT (Grand Tourer), inspired by F1 racing. The two companies partnered in the F1 stage from 1995 to 2009, during which McLaren achieved a total of 4 F1 World Championship victories. The SLR McLaren is a successful combination of McLaren’s chassis development capabilities and carbon fiber manufacturing technology with Mercedes-Benz’s powerful engines.
This commemorative event is significant not only for the exhibition of vehicles but also for honoring the achievements of the people involved in the manufacturing process. Many of them are still active in McLaren today.
McLaren will showcase the four supercars under the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren name (SLR Stirling Moss, SLR by MSO, SLR HDK, SLR 722 GT Prototype) at the MTC, along with items related to the development process and the story behind it. Additionally, the SLR Club, a global gathering of owners of these vehicles, will visit the MTC to meet McLaren engineers involved in the project, making the gathering even more meaningful.
The inception of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren began with the 1999 British Grand Prix held at Silverstone Circuit. At the time, McLaren agreed to proceed with ‘Project 7’ in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and confirmed the development of a production version of the concept car at the Detroit Auto Show earlier that same year.
The ‘Project 7’ prototype was hand-assembled under the leadership of a core team comprising former F1 McLaren mechanics and engineers at the newly established MTC.
The body shape and styling were implemented closely in line with the concept design presented by Mercedes-Benz. This was made possible thanks to McLaren’s engineering expertise accumulated over decades of experience in F1 road car development.
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren features McLaren’s innovative carbon fiber chassis, powered by the Mercedes-AMG 5.5-liter V8 supercharged engine, delivering an output of 626 horsepower and a maximum torque of 780Nm (European standards). The 5-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive front mid-engine can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds, with a top speed reaching 335 km/h.
The first customer deliveries of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren began in 2004, followed by the 722 Edition coupe in 2006, the SLR Roadster with a folding fabric roof in 2007, and the final version, the Stirling Moss Edition.
Production of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren concluded in December 2009, but it made a comeback through the ‘McLaren Edition SLR’, developed by McLaren’s special bespoke division MSO (McLaren Special Operations) established in 2010, upon requests from vehicle owners. Limited to just 25 units, the ‘McLaren Edition SLR’ features enhancements such as an aerodynamic front apron, larger front splitter, side intakes, and a rear wing, along with lightweight wheels, suspension, and power steering assist improvements.
MSO continues to develop updating packages, with the launch of the ‘SLR by MSO’ in 2019, featuring aerodynamic enhancements, lightweight components, and special quilted leather interior fittings. In May 2023, the delivery of the first SLR High Downforce Kit (SLR HDK) modification model by MSO was completed. Based on the SLR McLaren’s track version, the 722 GT, only 12 units are slated for production and have already been completely sold out.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr