[AnniHilat0R]

Well, didnt find a thread on this news, so thought of starting one myself, specially dedicated to this ride!

when I was in school, when this car had rolled out, it seriously had made me wonder whether can there be any car, so beautiful and elegant yet having the heart of a demon. Well, as the thread title goes, the MERCEDES-BENZ SLR WILL BE FADING INTO DARKNESS NEXT YEAR!. Well I am not a Mercedes Fan Boy, but this car had a panache and did justice to the supreme SLR legacy. But this isnt where the sad part ends. Following the end of production, as the last SLR rolls out of the factory, the two AUTOMOTIVE GIANTS McLAREN AND MERCEDES WILL PART WAYS! This has really come up as a surprise as this will not only affect the M-M ( Merc -McLaren ) Relationship, but also might bring under their formula 1 team under a scanner. Nothing about the Motorsports Venture is sure as yet but in the Automotive Sector, as this legend fades to black, so will the venture of two Automotive Giants, who created some magic together!


Here is the official news:


Mercedes-Benz SLR production to end next year

April2

Mercedes-Benz will end production of its SLR supercar at the end of next year, a new report finds. The coupe version of the SLR ended production rather quietly at the end of last year, and the last SLR roadster is slated to roll off the assembly floor in 2009 — ending the car's five year production run.

Production of the SLR hit 275 units last year — 14 more than in 2006 — but that figure is still far short of Mercedes-Benz's original plan to build 400-500 cars per year.

The SLR was co-developed between McLaren and Mercedes-Benz, but both automakers will be parting ways once the last SLR is built.

It is believed that McLaren is developing a new V8 supercar under the codename P11. The P11 will reportedly slot in (in size) between the Audi TT and R8 and is intended to do battle with the Ferrari 430 and Porsche GT2. Despite the divorce from Mercedes on future supercars, the P11 will likely use a Mercedes-sourced 6.3L V8.

Mercedes-Benz is currently working on the SLR's successor — the SLC – but will instead develop the new car with AMG and H.W.A. Little is known about the SLC — including the vehicle's powertrain — but sources have indicated the new car will sport a retractable hard top. But with production of the SLR ending next year, it's possible that Mercedes could have its next supercar to market much sooner than expected.

Source: Leftlanenews.

Well both McLaren and Mercedes will continue their supercar trends. Benz will be rolling out the SLC and McLaren will be working on a car which will be competing with the Ferrari F430's and the Lamborghini Galarado. But well, this surely is a news, which well marks the end of a Legend, a car which no one on this planet couldnt admire or wouldnt wish to have one! The Dual Exhaust sticking from the side, the long front end like a stealth attack plane, the insane rear end and offcourse the roar of the V8 tuned by McLaren. If a car had to be defined in the dictionary of art, the SLR was surely one of the best definitions. Yes Sir, it is a Legend and it will go down in the books of Automotive History as one!

Here is a video of a tribute to the Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren 722, which was rolled out last year:

YouTube - Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Tribute

I am posting some pictures out of my collection of the beast, a small tribute maybe:






































May the Demon head into the darkness. But its legacy will always be alive in the hearts of the people who truly admired this beauty!

[1100D]

Although some,including me, find it brilliant to look at, many found this front end quirky. Its not just the 5 year production run, the anticipation for this car being launched spawned 4-5 more years backwards. So indeed a legend would come to an end. But it couldn't achieve its intended purpose, to overshadow the F1. It took a Bugatti and Koenigsegg to do that.

Adding to it, some of the SL models are very close to the SLR in terms of performance and capability. In that sense it was indeed a failure of sorts. Lets hope the parting ways do actually help McLaren retrieve the lost F1 glory, as well as Merc continue in their search of a worthy successor of the real SLR.

[FlyingSpur]

The first thing that came to my mind was, what about the new McLaren supercar which was rumoured to be under development? And secondly, I completely agree with 1100D. The fact is if they wanted to maintain the SLR at its position they wudn't have logically come up with stuff like the SL65, and I always wondered what good this car would be against the Carrera GT and the Enzo, from the moment Hammond said it's a bit too much of Mercedes and a bit too less of McLaren. I wasn't a big fan of the looks either, but that was until I saw it myself in dxb and I couldn't believe my eyes, here I concede that it was stunning. All said, may it R.I.P.

[GTO - Touring]

Mega machine, but also (unfortunately) one that really wasn't here nor there. An overinflated tag deterred buyers who eventually went for more "exotic" marques, resulting in the truly dismal sales figures.

Expected Mercedes to come out with their own supercar sooner rather than later.

[revvedup]

Although this car got me hooked by its looks alone( my room still has its poster ), my liking for it soon diminished when I realized that it had an automatic gearbox and was a result of a compromise which Mercedes forced Gordon Murray to make because it wanted to make a luxurious sports car. Moreover it was too heavy at 1700 odd KG.
For me, Non -double clutch automatic gearbox + heavy weight= Not a good supercar.
How is this car's successor a Gallardo competitor when it's predecessor competed with the Murcileago.

[khanak]

I wouldn't get an SLR or anything in this price range to set the fastest lap time around a circuit, Id get a Skyline/911/Souped up evo for that. IMO cars in this price range need to be exotic. When you look at an SLR or anything in its price range, it should take your breath away and thats what it does. It had those super cool gull wing doors, the awesome rims and the fins on the side which really made it desirable. Somehow though the SLR lacked something. I cant quite put my finger on it, but something seems to be missing from the whole SLR package.

[khanak]

Here are a few pictures I took at this year's auto show.

[skyline gtr r34]

when u have a younger brother as good as a sl55 , it was always difficult for the slr to justify its price tag , plus it was way behind the carrera gt or enzo , zonda & the cheaper murcielago had better looks

i think mansory should only stick to bentleys for mods , the mansory slr & 599 are extremely ugly

[khanak]

Originally Posted by skyline gtr r34

i think mansory should only stick to bentleys for mods , the mansory slr & 599 are extremely ugly

IMO all the Mansory kits are pretty much rubbish. I cant think of a single kit that Id actually want.

[ab1xlr8]

the slr was more of a gt car as compared to the carrera gt and enzo.The only reason i think it did not do as well is because it had about 636 bhp which was not much compared to its price or weight, may be the should have made the engine a 700 bhp one

[sujaylahiri]

The best looking amongst the current breed of supercars gone out of production.
A sad day for Europe indeed.

[theMAG]

Mercedes-Benz would stand to lose out more from this (sad) divorce than McLaren. I wouldnt be surprised if the same gets reflected onto their F1 operations in a couple years - which would be even sadder.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Although some,including me, find it brilliant to look at, many found this front end quirky. Its not just the 5 year production run, the anticipation for this car being launched spawned 4-5 more years backwards. So indeed a legend would come to an end.

To me, the best looking GT supercar of our era.

Originally Posted by 1100D

But it couldn't achieve its intended purpose, to overshadow the F1. It took a Bugatti and Koenigsegg to do that.

I dont know why you say this. Jeremy clarkson said it did. Besides it was not built to compete with Koenigsegg, its too raw while SLR is a refined and very fast GT car which handles the corners well too and brakes even better. Lets not talk about Buggatti... its the ultimate.

Originally Posted by 1100D

Adding to it, some of the SL models are very close to the SLR in terms of performance and capability. In that sense it was indeed a failure of sorts. Lets hope the parting ways do actually help McLaren retrieve the lost F1 glory, as well as Merc continue in their search of a worthy successor of the real SLR.

SL from Merc were far far away from the SLR's performance unless offcoure they were AMG'd. Even then they could come close to it only in a straightline. Very very Sad this car has to go. Loved the way it sounds.... absolutely smashing.

[IronWolf]

One of the few Mercedes which I really liked.

Buy the last few while you can boys.

tjallu is the only bhpian with one currently?

[wheeler]

Some pictures of a BRABUS SLR McLaren Roadster I got as an email forward.