Autoblog

When the McLaren-Mercedes team rolled out their chrome F1 cars, everyone stood up and took notice. Pretty cool idea, even fans (and members) of other teams had to admit. No wonder then that with their own supercar out on the roads – one of only two teams with that claim – somebody has finally done the same with his own SLR. And of course, like the gold-trimmed Camry, that somebody lives in the United Arab Emirates, the sand-swept Kingdom of Bling on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

The shiny McLaren was spotted outside one of the world's largest shopping centers, the Mall of the Emirates, in Dubai, which looks to be the same place where the Pegaso edition Bugatti Veyron was spotted. The mall is currently the largest in the Middle East, at least until construction is completed on the two larger ones also being built in Dubai. We're sure it won't be long until someone parks chrome McLaren P11s, Mercedes SL63 Blacks or AMG Gullwings in front of those, too.

[Source: GlobalMotors.net]

Click to view the SLR Speedster rendering courtesy of the artist

With a host of new exotics coming out from both Mercedes-Benz and its F1 and erstwhile supercar partner McLaren, the ageing Mercedes SLR McLaren is about to be shown the back door. But not before one last hoorah. And if this illustration is any indication, it will be one rip-roaring, ear-piercing hoorah indeed.

Based on the spy shots that have already surfaced of the SLR McLaren "Speedster" (we don't know if that's what it'll be called officially, but that's the name we've been tossing around), talented illustrator Jon Sibal has crafted the rendering you see above. According to Sibal, the headlights will be the only element of the exterior carried over from previous incarnations of the SLR to the new, more hardcore roofless swan-song. The hood, which previously melded into the A-pillars, is more flat; the nose draws even more direct inspiration from McLaren-Mercedes formula racing cars; the exhaust pipes have been moved into the side vents... oh yeah, and there's no roof. None whatsoever. There's barely any windshield for that matter, just a couple of deflectors. Needless to say, we hope the actual vehicle turns out to be as dramatic as Sibal's conception.

Check out the gallery below to see the rendering in high-resolution, along with our previous crop of spy shots of the SLR Speedster.

[Source: JonSibal.com]

Click for hi-res gallery of the RENNtech SLR 722 PKG2

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren may be on its way out, but that doesn't mean there can't be more horsepower extracted from the supercar. The original had 617hp. Then came the SLR 722, which despite its name had 650 horses underhood. The 722's American importer, RENNtech, addressed the perception gap with its first package, boosting output to an eponymous 722hp. Never satisfied to leave well enough alone, RENNtech has now released its second package for the SLR 722 that further boosts power to 740 thanks to a revised ECU and a freer-flowing exhaust system.

While RENNtech's PKG1 went for a solid $12,900 (come on, what's a lousy $13k on the price of such a supercar?), the new PKG2 costs a heftier $26,990, plus an extra $7,800 for the optional Signature 10-spoke 20-inch rims, which can be had in chrome, satin-ceramic or "sniper gray" finishes. The SLR won't be leaving without a final swan song.

Check out the details in the press release after the jump and the images in the gallery below.

[Source: RENNtech]

click above image to view more pics of the MB SLR 722 GT

The Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 was already a special edition version of the normal SLR, itself a rare automobile. Going one step further, the German automaker is releasing the SLR 722 GT in conjunction with British motorsports company RML Group. The car is a track day special and meant to compete in a club racing series, so buyers will be private race teams that can afford the initial buy-in cost and maintenance of what is essentially a race car based on the SLR 722. Motor Authority reports that 21 buyers have already been found who are willing to pay the €1 million price tag for each car. Their chunk of change will buy modifications to all the go fast components, including the suspension, brakes, aerodynamics, exhaust and even the interior. The AMG-sourced 5.5L supercharged V8 now develops 671 HP, which is up from 650 in the SLR 722 and 617 in the normal SLR, thanks to more boost pressure. We can clearly make out a new front apron and rear fender flares to accommodate a larger wheel/tire combo, as well as side sills that look sharp to the touch. Out back you'll find a rear diffuser and who can miss that giant fixed rear wing? It certainly looks the part, and we're betting the Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 GT acts the part, too.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Road & Track thought it might be fun to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend by taking a half dozen supercars out to Lemoore. That would be the nearly three-mile-long runway at the Naval Air Station Lemoore in California's San Joaquin Valley. Not that the air base isn't a nice place to visit, but the reason they were there was to test the cars' acceleration from 0-200 mph. R&T refers to it as the "World's First Supercar Drag Race." They had used this same strip for a standing mile acceleration run back in September '05, but this test was strictly for streetable cars that had claimed top speeds of more than 200 mph.

They nabbed Kiwi racer Steve Millen as their test driver once again, and basically told him to just get the best launch he could and get to 200 as quickly as possible. They further asked him, given the fact that two of the assembled cars had more than 1,000 hp on tap, not to let up until past the one-mile mark if 200 mph came before that, but not to go past the two-mile mark so as to allow enough shutdown room. Besides the 0-200 time they also wanted to record standing mile acceleration like the last time they visited the naval air base. So what were the results? Follow the jump to see, and don't forget to click the Read link for the full rundown.

[Source: Road & Track]

We've finally made it to our third video in our five-part series of booth tours from the 2006 Paris Motor Show. As I've said before, we're cutting on our teeth on this video stuff with the footage we gathered at the Paris show, and today's video brings you the both of DaimlerChrysler, specifically Dodge and Mercedes-Benz. From the Dodge booth we, of course, have the Avenger, which we think you'll agree looks even better in person. We quickly move over to MB's display where we played paparazzi with the "Mercedes Banz" CL63 AMG (Once it's rendered typos are forever, man) and the SLR McLaren 722 Edition, both cars that are extremely imposing person. We would've liked to have captured footage of the AMG S-Class, but the damn thing disappeared the second day of the show when we were filming. Regardless, these three vehicles were represented the hotness coming out of DaimlerChrysler in Paris, so on with the show.

PS: If you liked the video, we'd appreciate the vote on Netscape for it. Just click on the orange and white "up" arrow on the video and it'll take you to Netscape. Thanks!

Click to enlarge

That's what the British magazine Auto Express is reporting.

According to them, the Woking, Surrey-built droptop will be unveiled within the next six months.

Based on the Vision SLR Roadster concept car (above), the supposed production version will share its coupe sibling's power and performance credentials. Prospective customers should expect to have their wallets lightened by around £350,000 ($667K USD).

Assuming the information is accurate, it's a welcome development. By the time the ragtop appears, at least three years will have passed since the production coupe's launch, and save for the recent 722 variant, nothing has really changed. A convertible SLR should have sex appeal to spare and will re-energize the motoring press, enthusiasts, and the well-heeled jet-setters who find themselves in the enviable position to buy one. Stay tuned.

Thanks for the tip, Omar!

[Source: Auto Express}

Weekly British automotive mag Autocar recently shut down the London City Airport because they wanted to find out what car was the fastest in London. Amidst a field that included hometown hero Bentley's Continental Flying Spur, as well as a Ford GT (it lost to the British-built SLR by nary 1.4 mph, fix!), Corvette Z06, Shelby Daytona Cobra, Porsche 911 Turbo, BMW M6, Alpina B5, and Vauxhall Maloo, the SLR McLaren was able to post the fastest time of 175.7 mph on the one-mile long airport runway. No word on how fast the bike in picture went, though.

The record attempt marks the fastest a car has ever been driven legally in London and will be submitted to the Guiness Book of World Records. Here are the final trap speeds of the other contestants.

Mercedes McLaren SLR - 175.7 mph
Ford GT - 174.3 mph
Corvette Z06 - 167.0 mph
Porsche Turbo - 162.6 mph
BMW M6 - 162.5 mph
Shelby Daytona Cobra - 159.7 mph
Alpina B5 - 155.4 mph
Bentley Flying Spur - 157.4 mph
Vauxhall Maloo - 160.8 mph

Later tonight, I will be attempting the Cleveland, Ohio Land Speed Record in my 1999 Oldsmobile Alero on I-90 between mile markers 150 and 151. Wish me luck!

DaimlerChrysler has announced that it is recalling 2005 and 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren models due to a problem with the electrical system. The $450,000, 617-hp car with a top speed of 208 mph could catch fire due to the high temperatures generated by the electrical system and the resulting damage inflicted upon the vehicle's alternator. So far, no fire or accidents have been reported. The recall affects 433 vehicles in the United States, and will involve replacing the alternator and installing a modified control unti. Vehicles elsewhere in the world are being dealt with as well.

We wonder if this Mercedes is included in the recall.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler via Yahoo!]

Thanks to speed42 for the tip.

AutoWeek spies have caught the beefed-up 2007 Mercedes SLR McLaren -- we're talking 641 hp, a weight savings of 90 lbs. thanks to carbon fiber and other considerations, and a 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds -- faster than the Murcielago and Carrera GT. AutoWeek also comments on the changes to the front and rear fascia, which should serve to help airflow and keep the car under control despite the extra juice.

Look for the super-supercar to debut in Paris this fall.

[Source: AutoWeek]