Aug

SLR Goes Boy Racer

Posted by admin Published in Mercedes-Benz, Auto News

If at first you don’t succeed, manufacture a bunch of model variants and
hope public buy them. Well, that sounds good and all but, for Mercedes
and their SLR supercar, it hasn’t really done much to get volume where it needs to be.

You remember SLR? The thoroughly exotic supercar, developed alongside F1 partner Mclaren,
made a splash when it debuted in 2003. Since soon after, special edition
models 722 and Roadster have debuted and apparently not performed well
abundant to preserve the Benz/Mclaren relationship. Automotive News Europe [sub required]
recently reported that the companies are parting ways after having
moved just 1,600 SLR units to period. But why not go out with a bang
right? Say hello to Speedster, the 3rd and final SLR.

Word on the street for Speedster is that it will be, well, speedy.
Not like the 617 HP SLR Roadster was slow by any means, but thanks to
lots of carbon fiber and the loss of any kind of roof, traditional
windshield, A/C system and capability windows, the Speedster should weigh
about 440 pounds less than the Roadster. With that lighter curb weight,
Speedster should be good for about 217 MPH, 11 MPH more than the
Roadster.

Spy shooters
recently captured a Speedster, camouflaged in zebra livery, undergoing
checking in Europe. Its minimalist

design approach resembles the Veritas RS3 recently caught at the Ring.
A tiny pair of windscreens is all that separates the bugs from your
teeth but who cares considering that thing is sick! The lack of A-pillars
normally surrounding the windshield means that the roadster’s butterfly
doors had to be rethought. They function more like scissor doors now,
with a separate hinge responsible for raising the door forward. The
double humps seen in back are likely a throwback design cue meant to
pay homage to the 300 SLR Silver Arrow historic racers.

Pictured above is a rendering from illustrator Jon Sibal, who took a crack at what Speedster might look like when all that camouflage comes off. We certain hope he is right.

It is rumored that F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton
is consulting on that project and that he will be officially launching
the Speedster at an event in Germany sometime soon. Hey Lewis, whether
you’re reading that, please be certain to drop us one of those invites.

Only 75 Speedsters will be produced and price should be in the neighborhood of $700,000.

Rendering from JonSibal.com

Original post by Stuart Schwartzapfel