A Final Flourish

In 1955, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR excelled in the legendary Mille Miglia race. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, inspired by that iconic car, debuted in 2003.

At its launch, it garnered attention as a road-going super sports car from the winning F1 team, Mercedes of Germany and McLaren of the UK. However, it settled into a somewhat understated position compared to rivals like Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin. Production of the coupe ended last year, and the roadster will cease production in 2009.

Will this be its final flourish? The newly announced SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S is the roadster version of the high-performance coupe "722 Edition" previously released.

The 5.5-liter V8 supercharged engine produces 650 hp, an increase of 24 hp over the standard model, and 820 Nm of torque, up by 40 Nm. The body utilizes a carbon fiber-intensive structure and a soft top. It is paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission, which is unusual for this class.

Its performance figures include acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, reaching 200 km/h in 10.6 seconds. The top speed is claimed to be 335 km/h.

The soft top, which can be opened and closed semi-automatically, takes about 10 seconds. Regarding concerns about driving with the top down at high speeds, it is stated that "conversation is possible even above 200 km/h" and that "high rigidity, safety equipment, and rollover bars ensure a high level of safety."

The interior features sporty and luxurious appointments, including semi-aniline leather and Alcantara sports bucket seats, red seatbelts, and a suede-wrapped shift lever and brake lever.