This history of the vehicle goes back to the mid-1990s when McLaren and Mercedes-Benz were Formula 1 partners. The team wanted to give customers a taste of its multiple victories (constructors’ champions in 1998, drivers’ champions in 1998, 1999, and 2008), and the SLR was the result.
Utilizing Mercedes’ prodigious history and production prowess, along with McLaren’s exceptional Formula 1 knowledge, the prototype was unveiled at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show. Production was confirmed later that year at the Silverstone Grand Prix, and it went on sale in 2003 as a 2004 model.
Dubbed “Project 7,” the car was a blend of McLaren’s excellent carbon fiber chassis development powered by Mercedes-AMG’s legendary engine technology. It was the first vehicle handbuilt at MTC by ex-F1 McLaren mechanics and Mercedes automotive engineers.
Featuring a 5.5-liter supercharged Mercedes-AMG V8, the base SLR produced 617 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque, sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. It was enough for a 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds and a 208 mph top speed. At the time, it was the quickest accelerating car equipped with an automatic transmission.