At about $10,000 below the auction company’s low estimate and a titanic $145,000 below the 2005 list price, those 4,500 miles were dear indeed
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren revives the glorious tradition of the 300SLR and marks the reawakening of Mercedes-Benz’s passion for super sports cars. It is a passion that can be traced throughout automotive history and which was demonstrated with the Uhlenhaut Coupe.
A contemporary interpretation of stylistic elements lifted from the original SLR and design details taken from the 2003 Formula One Silver Arrows allows the 21st Century SLR to form a bridge between the past and the future, bringing cutting-edge motorsport technology to the road, just as the inspirational SLR coupe did in 1955.
Its new supercar allows Mercedes-Benz and its Formula One partner McLaren to showcase their collective experience in the development, construction and production of high-performance sports cars, and just like its legendary 300SLR predecessor, it incorporates technological developments that are ahead of their time. Yet the term “supercar” does not do full justice to the SLR, which, its peerless performance notwithstanding, is a luxurious and finely engineered Gran Turismo in the best traditions of Mercedes-Benz.
Needless to say, the Mercedes-Benz SLR delivers performance figures that are among the best in its class, taking just 3.8 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph); it passes the 200 kph (125 mph) mark after 10.6 seconds and from a standing start takes just 28.8 seconds to reach 300 kph (186 mph). The two-seater has a top speed of 334 kph (207 mph).
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was launched in South Africa and introduced for the 2005 model year priced at $455,000, although choosing from the lengthy list of options could add considerably to the total. This left-hand-drive SLR was sold new in 2005 to the current owner. Finished in black, it features the optional “turbine” spoked wheels and classic “300SL” red leather upholstery. Always kept garaged in Sussex, the car has not been used for over two years and has covered a mere 4,500 miles from new.