McLaren and Mercedes came together in the year 2003 and produced this absolute monster of a vehicle. The McLaren Mercedes SLR has garnered very positive reviews throughout the automotive world. Although they ceased production in 2010, the legacy of this spectacular vehicle will live on for generations. Lets have a look at the specifications and reviews of the vehicle and find out what made it such a timeless classic.

Production

The McLaren Mercedes SLR was built at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, United Kingdom. Under the guidance of Mercedes expertise and McLaren’s Antony Sheriff, the car was made to be extremely fast, agile and planted to the road through the corners. In the interview Autoweek talks with Antony Sheriff, it’s easy to see how dedicated McLaren are to their sports cars and this dedication, with added production car know how from Mercedes, helped to produce 617 horse power with a torque rating of 780 in a car that weighs 1,750kg! This staggering power output and extreme weight reduction makes this car go from 0 to 60 in a very impressive 3.4 seconds.

 Transmission

It seems unusual for a supercar to have an automatic gearbox but the McLaren Mercedes SLR has a five speed automatic gearbox that allows for seamless transition from gear to gear with very little lag. The complex but very efficient gearbox is one of the main reasons why this car can go through the gears so quickly and reach 0-60 in such little time. The gearbox is a product of McLaren and Mercedes knowledge in Formula 1 and the automotive industry.

Reception

The car was released to very positive reviews and many car shows and car review magazines have given it a very positive grading. Even now 12 years after it’s initial release the car is still seen to be a defining moment in McLaren and Mercedes long and rich history. It will still turn heads when out and about but probably the best thing about this car is that it combined to juggernauts of the automotive industry. Mercedes and McLaren came together and created a car that will live on in history forever.