Loose Your Wig In Style - McLaren SLR Roadster '09

[Metar]

Source: LeftLaneNews.com

Spy photographers have captured the first images of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Roadster, during what appears to be an official photo shoot in the Canary Islands.

The SLR roadster will arrive this summer with a zero to 60 mph time of under four seconds and a top speed in excess of 200 mph. The new model will closely resemble the Mercedes-Benz Vision SLR concept (see gallery below), which debuted at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show, nine months after the coupe prototype was unveiled at the Detroit auto show.

Me, I like it. Gives a little more meaning to the SLR... Though, I feel like it's a little conflicting. I mean, those are two models of the Flagship, which seems a little wrong - although, Mercedes already showed that being a Flagship doesn't mean a thing when they released the 722.

Looks better, that's for sure. Without the top, the whole body seems to flow together better than it does with the Coupe SLR.
Funny how they accompanied an upcoming supercar with Kia and SEAT MPVs.

 

[Eric.]

That looks great. I never was a big fan of the coupe, but chopping the roof off helps a lot!

 

[Tornado]

Its funny because is it should have been like that from the beginning.

 

[Metar]

Its funny because is it should have been like that from the beginning.

I don't know the history of the concepts, but I agree - the car looks much better this way, and the idea of it sounds much more right.

 

[Appie]

IM not a big fan of convertibles but why the SLR

 

[ExigeEvan]

IM not a big fan of convertibles but why the SLR

Because the SLR is by no mean a "hard core" supercar. Being a convertible completely suits it's character.

So, Merc folding hard top, or soft top? Soft-top at 200mph could be fun

 

[Tornado]

One must ask, though: Why would one buy an SLR with a folding hard-top? Mercedes will probably just as happily sell you an SL65, and that is close enough to as fast. And it will also pull the "Wind in your hair at 200MPH" thing.

 

[ExigeEvan]

One must ask, though: Why would one buy an SLR with a folding hard-top? Mercedes will probably just as happily sell you an SL65, and that is close enough to as fast.

But then why buy the SL65, why not the SL55, it's only a little bit slower....

 

[Tornado]

Well, statistically the SL55 doesn't stand up as well to the SLR as the SL65 or SL600 do (particularly in torque), but I see your point. The SL65 does have the V12 on the SLR, though.

 

[Metar]

But the SLR has a Supercharger in return... And it sounds terrific.

The more I think about it, the more the car makes sense. This car is, more or less, the definition of Bahn-cruisers. As a convertible, the chassis will flex, it will understeer and whatnot - but you don't need to care about it, because you're going a friggin' 150MPH in around the endless, wide bends of the Autobahn with your hair being torn off. To me, odd as it is, it makes as much sense as a 911 on the 'Ring.

 

[Tornado]

But the SLR has a Supercharger in return...

Twin turbocharged V12 beats out supercharged V8 in my opinion.

 

[YSSMAN]

...I like the idea, but I'm in the same camp as others here. I can get fairly similar straight-line performance out of the SL65, the only problem being the electronic limiters. So, to each his own I guess, but even then, whats the price comparison between the SLR and the Brabus SL thingamajig that does 216 MPH?

 

[Tornado]

You can pay a grand for ther SL65 to have its limiters turned off by Brabus.
So, half price or less.
Hell, Mercedes seems to randomly do it themselves, as that 203 mph SL55 test done by Automobile attests to.

 

[YSSMAN]

Good point. Then I would definitely take the SL65. All that torque, plus the good looks, dear God it is almost the perfect car...

 

[Turbo Lag]

SL65 is better IMO, the price of it is wayyy more worth it. But i like the idea of a SLR Convertible, it looks way better than a hard top.

 

[coldblooded69]

yeah i'd seen that in an article...only that the pics on it wasn't so clear...

Anyway..it looks Hot!👍

 

[ExigeEvan]

As a convertible, the chassis will flex, it will understeer and whatnot

Not that's what you would normlly expect, but I can't see Mclaren letting that happen. IMO there's no doubt there will be some massive reinforcing to the chassis to prevent the usual chop-top problems.

 

[Danny]

Hmm. I think that the addition of a convertible will devalue the coupe. And at £300,000 you don't want that devalued.

It's arguably less attractive that the SL65 too.