THE SLR

Coverage Amazing Editions -07

Text & Photo: Christer Olausson

FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE COVER STORY IN THIS INSPIRATIONAL SUMMER ISSUE, WE HAVE CHOSEN TO PRESENT A SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THE UNIQUE MERCEDES-BENZ SLR MCLAREN. A HIGH-TECH SUPER SPORTS CAR EXCELLENTLY PORTRAYED AMONG SOME OF THE MOST FUTURISTIC ARCHITECTURE IN THE SWEDISH REGION OF SKÅNE.

There is no doubt that the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren symbolises a unique legacy and is a genuine legend packaged in modern luxury.

As Sweden continues to enjoy stable economic growth, so the awareness of and demand for personal capital goods also continues to increase. More so than ever before, we the consumers are now choosing products and services which clearly point towards a growing market orientation. A good example is the rocketing prices we have seen within the housing market. In spite of this, there are large numbers of wealthy prospective buyers today both regarding areas of land and exclusive house properties. Quite simply, people are choosing to identify themselves with an increasingly higher and more lavish standard of living. This is followed, like ripples on water, by the demand for luxury cars. Never before has the car industry offered such an extensive range of unique models. Personal special cars which mirror our individual characters and which dare to break the traditional mould.

“Quite simply, people are choosing to identify themselves with an increasingly higher and more lavish standard of living.”

One of these charismatic super sports cars is known as the SLR, a truly outstanding result of major development work with English McLaren, the renowned partner of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One.

“The name has its roots from the fabulous fifties when drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sterling Moss and Karl Kling wrote an unforgettable chapter in racing history”

To create the best aerodynamics, McLaren have constructed the SLR with an almost smooth body where the exhaust system outlets are in the side of the car body.

The name has its roots from the fabulous fifties when drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sterling Moss and Karl Kling wrote an unforgettable chapter in racing history with, among others, double victories in the classic motor races such as Mille Miglia, Eifelrennen, Targo Florio and Tourist Trophy. In those days, the model was called the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and it was nicknamed “the silver arrow”. The car was equipped with a 3 litre, 8 cylinder engine which could deliver all of 310 hp, and which had a top speed of just over 300 km/hour. This successful concept soon gave Mercedes-Benz’ legendary constructor Rudolf Uhlenhaut the taste for blood and, as head of the racing activities, he wanted to create a legitimate version of the successful car, the 300 SLR. The result, the 300 SLR Coupé, was technically rather like production model, the 300 SL, The concept car, ‘the Uhlenhaut Coupé’ was unveiled to the public in 1955 to their great delight and, at the time, was ranked as the world’s fastest road car with a top speed of almost 290 km/hr. Unfortunately, the car never came to full production and only two of them were made. These are now safely preserved as independent legends from times long past.

“His dream was to combine the benefits and experience from training and competition with daily driving on the public highways.”

Today, a little into the twenty-first century, we are able to really admire and enjoy Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s great passion. His dream was to combine the benefits and experience from training and competition with daily driving on the public highways. Beneath the charismatic packaging there lies not only advanced technology but also a number of unique choices of materials. Among other things, the car has been fitted with 620 mm frame side members made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic which despite its lower weight compared to steel and aluminium, gives better protection than the classic material. The brake discs on all four wheels are taken directly from racing and are made of fibre-reinforced ceramic. The wheel suspension, with its double wishbone construction, is a technical solution taken straight from racing cars. Even the seat frames are made with special carbon fibre-reinforced plastic covered with SLR upholstery specially made to take the thoughts back to those legendary predecessors of the fifties.

As the model is only produced as a limited edition, we, the editorial staff, are extremely proud to have test-driven the car and to portray the Swedish-registered car on our own roads.

As with its predecessor, the 300 SLR Coupé, eight cylinders bide their time behind the glittering star symbol in the formula One inspired nose section.

A combined spoiler and air-brake is integrated into the boot. At speeds of over 95 km/hr, it rises by 10 degrees and during heavy braking the angle increases to 65 degrees, in order to increase the pressure on the rear wheels and to maintain directional stability.

ENGINE: V8 with compressor

CYLINDER VOLUME: 5,439 cc

Drilling x length of piston stroke: 97mm x 92 mm

EFFECT: 626 hp

MAXIMUM TORQUE MOMENT: 780 Nm

PERFORMANCE: 0-100 km/h in 3.8 secs, 0-200 km/h in 10.6 secs, 0-300 km/h in 28.8 secs.

TOP SPEED: 334 km/hr

LENGTH: 4,656 mm

BREDTH: 1,908 mm

HEIGHT: 1,261 mm

SERVICE WEIGHT: 1,768 kg

MAX. CARRYING CAPACITY: 240 kg

TOTAL WEIGHT: 1,933 kg

FUEL TANK: 98 litres

~ by luxyautolifestyle on July 6, 2009.