Just how much car does one-half amillion dollarsbuy you ? In the case of theMercedes - Benz SLR McLaren , quite a tidy sum . The SLR unites the Formula One - shew engineering science of McLaren with Mercedes engine room , heel a carbon fiber chassis and a 600 - plushorsepowerengineamong its features .
Most ultra - quick supercars have sacrifice puff for carrying into action , but the SLR tries to give drivers the best of both human race . In this article , we ’ll see how McLaren and Mercedes have managed to make a world - class high-pitched - performance car with windshield wipers that still cultivate at 200 mph .
Power
Here ’s a summary of what ’s under the tough ( select the terms for more information ) . Like most supercars , the SLR is build around an extremely powerfulengine . The 332 three-dimensional in ( 5.5 L ) V8 engine was hand - built by AMG , a company that usually modifies Mercedes - Benz street cars into full - feather race cars .
Both the stop and the caput are atomic number 13 , with single overheadcamsand an 8.8:1compression ratio . A twin - screw Lysholm supercharger with twointercoolerscranks thehorsepowerup several mountain pass . Adry cesspool systemallows the engine to be wax lower , dropping the car ’s center ofgravity . This arrangement allows for 617 HP at 6500 RPM . Thetorqueis just as impressive with 575 understructure - lb at 3250 rev .
powerfulness transfer is handled by a five - speed " manumatic"transmission– the driver can shift electronically at the get-up-and-go of a button . Mercedes’Electronic Stability Program(ESP ) helps drivers handle all that power by constantly monitoringtraction , adjusting torque , and selectively applying thebrakesto keep the railcar from spinning out of control . The ESP system has both a full mount and a setting that put more control into the hands of the number one wood , but it ca n’t be turned off completely . Mercedes feel that more than 600 H.P. is a bit much for even experienced driver to palm , an opinion backed by test number one wood atCar and Drivermagazine .
McLaren reports that the SLR can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds , with a top speeding of 207.5 mph . gondola and Driver reports an even faster zero to 60 time of 3.6 second [ ref ] .
Next , we ’ll see how this dreaming car handles .
Control, Style and Function
The SLR has main ascendence arms of inadequate distance , with gyre spring on all four roulette wheel and an anti - roll legal profession in the front . A wrack - and - pinionsteering systemcontrols the peculiarly designed Michelin Pilot Sport PS2tires(Front : 245/35ZR-19 96Y ; Rear : 295/30ZR-19 100Y ) , which are ride to 19 - inch range aluminum asymmetric turbine wheels . particular ceramicdisc brake , manufactured for heat resistance and strength , provide up to 1.3 Gs of stopping power .
All of these features help to give the SLR a 40 - foot turning spoke and 161 - foot braking length from 70 mph . The rearward pillager acts as an automatic air brake , raise up to a 65 degree angle to provide additional downforce and stableness . It drops back down for flat - out high - speed trial .
The SLR looks dissimilar from most supercars . Most have theenginemounted behind the number one wood , and aerodynamic circumstance pressure the car ’s chassis into a low , sleek profile . Mercedes and McLaren engineers decide to go with a front - mounted railway locomotive , which helps give the gondola its distinctive shape . The locomotive is mounted as far back in the compartment as potential , sitting behind the front axle . The sacrifice the SLR intimately 50/50 front to rear weight statistical distribution , a major factor in the car ’s overall treatment . It also intend that the engine compartment look a bit strange . The railway locomotive itself glance out from beneath the windshield , only about one-half of it extend out into the engine compartment itself . A giant aviation intake nose fills up most of the area beneath the hood . The resulting pattern is a car with a retentive snout , a compact number one wood compartment , and a flesh out - off rear .
The frame is also extremely advanced , with amonocoque C - character tubmaking up the main physical body and sub - frames in the front and rear . The rear sub - frame is made from aluminum . Tubes and pockets made of C fiber within the human body are based on safety designs from McLaren ’s F1 efforts , and absorb four times as much energy as blade in an wallop .
Styling on the SLR is further defined by large strain vents in the body just behind the front tyre , and sidepipe exhaust headers below . It retain the familiar Mercedes look , with a with child badge and twinned - lamp ellipticalbi - xenonheadlights . The body panels are made from carbon paper character reinforced plastic .
Up next , take a seat in an SLR .
Inside the SLR
Many supercars skimp on creature comforts , and some of them do n’t even have interior carpeting . But Mercedes wanted the SLR to be something of ahybrid– a hefty , dissipated car that ’s also comfy for driving around town . So power seats , power windows , and magnate locks are included . atmosphere - conditioning and a top - shelf seven - speakerBosesound system add to the opulence , and there ’s also anavigation organization .
The atomic number 6 fiber pail seats are covered in " Silver Arrow " red leather . Sixair bagsprotect driver and rider alike from impacts in eight directions . Switches controlling the airbrakeandtransmissionare mounted on a console in the middle of the dashboard , while shifting thumb switches are locate on the steering wheel . The car is start with a flip - top covered button on the chemise lever tumbler .
Jay Leno ( automobile collector and majestic owner of an SLR ) summed up the combining of functioning and comfort feature film in a recent 4Car column : " One moment you may be tearing through the hills , hooligan stuff . The next moment you could take the married woman in it , you could park it . I think the Mercedes - McLaren is the perfect compromise between road car and racing car " [ ref ] .
On the other deal , car purists might feel that the SLR ’s comfortableness diminishes speed and handling . After all , why build a 600 - horsepower car and then consider it down with power seats ? Or , as Leno put it , " I have yet to work aCDin it ; the SLR ’s entertaining enough without distractions " [ ref ] .
Mercedes has set a retail price of $ 452,750 for the SLR , not including taxation . But even if you have the money , oddity could be an obstruction – only 3,500 SLRs will be produced over the next seven year .
For more info on the Mercedes SLR and related to topics , chequer out the links on the next varlet .
