2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster

No matter how beautiful, fast, or exclusive you make a car, there is always going to be a group of customers out there who want you to chop the top off. When Mercedes and McLaren got together in 2004 to create the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a 2 door coupe with a top speed of 224 miles per hour, the automotive world was extremely impressed. With radical styling that included scissor doors and scale-like slats on the paneling forward of the rear doors, the SLR was lauded as the fastest vehicle in the world outfitted with an automatic transmission.

Despite this praise, the SLR was not a hot seller. With a price tag of $500 000, the team of MB and McLaren felt that they needed to do something to make a superb vehicle somehow even more special. The decision was made to collaborate on a roadster version of the SLR, and the 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster was born. The SLR Roadster is outfitted with a 617 horsepower supercharged V8 engine that takes this carbon-fiber beast from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 3.8 seconds – almost as fast as a Porsche 911 Turbo. The 5 speed automatic transmission is sourced from the AMG performance division, and top speed for the roadster is around 207 miles per hour.

In a somewhat strange move, Mercedes has made the roof of this half million dollar machine only semi-automatic – the driver must unlatch the top and then give it a slight push before it pulls itself underneath the rear tonneau cover in about 10 seconds. One would think that paying that much for a convertible would at least convince Mercedes-Benz to indulge owners in a fully automated roof. The roof is available in 3 different colors, however. MB and McLaren have done their best to make the Roadster a true top-down performer, and special cabin design has the two companies claiming that a normal conversation can be had in the open air at 125 miles per hour – an astonishing accomplishment.

With the amount of work that has gone into making sure that the SLR Roadster is stable and exciting at high speeds, talking is probably going to be the last thing on your mind when blasting down the road at over 100 miles per hour. Extensive wind tunnel work has lead the engineers to keep some of the aero features from the closed-top SLR, such as the rear diffuser that focuses down force on the rear wheels, as well as the air brake. The entire vehicle makes extensive use of lightweight materials, without sacrificing safety: a steel-reinforced windshield frame and 2 additional roll bars provide protection for any high-speed loss of stability. The SLR Roadster also maintains the scissor doors of the coupe, as well as the side-exit exhaust pipes. Positioned behind the front wheels, with the top down they provide a symphonic accompaniment every time the gas pedal is depressed.

It remains to be seen if there is truly a market for such an expensive convertible. Given the difficulty that Mercedes and McLaren had selling the SLR coupe, it seems uncertain that a convertible was truly the answer. Part of the reason why the SLR was a weak seller was due to the polarizing styling. The long banana-nose and swept side-ribs were not for everyone, and it is never wise to cull buyers from the limited number of people with this kind of disposable income. Still, the lure of a convertible is strong, particularly a convertible that can take you over the magic 200 mile per hour mark. With so many less expensive options to blow the wind through the hair of your average multi-millionaire, the future of the SLR Roadster is far from set in stone.

Starting at $495,000

Performance / Handling

• 5.5 Liter AMG supercharged V8 with 617hp
and 575 lb-ft of torque
• Top speed 206 mph, 0-60 mph in 3.8 sec,
0-124 mph in 10.9 sec (stated rates of acceleration
are based uo nabyfactyrer's truck results and
may vary depending on model, enviroments,
road surface conditions, driving style, elevation
and vehicle load)
• AMG SPEEDSHIFT R 5-Speed automatic
transmission with 3 manual modes
• 19 light allou wheels in asymetrical turbine
design with high performance tires

Safety / Security

• Electronic Stability Program (ESP) including
anti-loc braking system (ABS) acceleration skid
control (ASR) and Brake Assist (BAS)
• 6 Adaptive front airbags for driver and passenger,
head/thorax, with dual knee bags
• TeleId emergency caling and communication
system (subscription fees apply)
• Anti-theft alarm system with tow-away protection,
infrared interrior monitoring and immoblizer
• Full carbon fiber monocoque and
crash structures
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• 24-hr Roadside Assistance

Comfort / Convenience

• 7-speaker Bose premium audio system with
6-disc Cd changer
Dual-zone climate control with dust filter,
activated charocal filter and residual engine
beat utilization
• 6-way power adjustable body-contoured carbon
fiber sport seats with custom sized inserts
from sizes S-XL (XXL for drivers only)
• Power windows (2) with one-touch control and
obstruction sensor
• Heated exterior mirrors, electrically adjustable
from inside vehicle, with aspherically curved
mirror glass and indicator repeaters (LED)
• Battery charger and car cover
• Multi-function steering whell gearshift,
electrically adjustable steering column
• Bluetooth hands free telephone
communication system

Exterior / Interior

• 12 exclusive Crystal Metallica Paint finishes
and 1 Pure Paint finish
• Semi-automatic fabric soft top in 3 two-toned
diamond pattern combinations
• Seat upholstery in semi-aniline leather,
other appointments in nappa leather
• AMG sports exhaust system with twin
sidepipes on each side

Customization Highlights

• 13 uplholsteries, including premium Silver
Arrow leathers, with optional SLR logo
embossed in headrest
• Carbon fiber interior trim in black
• Woven black leather "composition" on seat
center sections and head restraints
• Stiching in contrasting colors of red, gray
or black
• two-tone steering wheel
• Contrast leather piping on floormats
• 18" 10 spoke light-allou wheels with silver
brake caliper
• Brake calipers painted gold or red







Images were reprinted with permissions from original author Ken Leonard! Content was written by Benjamin Hunting for www.sport-cars.org only and you MAY NOT copy, distribute or use this page's content for any commercial or non-commerical purpose without written permission of this site owner and photos authors!
May 18, 2008, 6:07 am