McLaren and partner Mercedes-Benz are preparing to part ways on project SLR as production of the car is scheduled to stop in 2009. The marriage, brought together on and off the F1 race track, produced 261 SLRs in 2006, and 275 in 2007. These are not exactly the 400 – 500 a year figures that the makers were hoping for originally. The 467kW über two-seater’s exploits have been well documented, yet it never quite ignited the blaze its creators hoped it would.
McLaren is on course to start building their own supercar which is codenamed P11 for the year 2009. This is one of the reasons the Ferrari-McLaren saga continues to bite so deep; technologies learnt in F1 are often adapted for road cars by the manufactures concerned and for McLaren to learn so many Ferrari secrets is an endless sore point at Maranello.
Mercedes Ends SLR Production in 2009
Preparations under way for new version
Mercedes-Benz / McLaren SLR production Woking England
by Thami Masemola
April 2, 2008 10:02 PM
Filed Under: General, German, Industry, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz
April 2, 2008 10:02 PM
Filed Under: General, German, Industry, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz
Comments
desiathate
April 2, 2008 9:37 PM
nope i am glad for some reason.. i just dont like mercs.. plus this car was so over rated!
illest813
April 2, 2008 11:54 PM
overrated who cares, it was beautiful..and for that type of $ u dont buy that for the speed
3Iceman
April 3, 2008 12:44 AM
Super sport car, with elegance, class and perfection. Car for gentlemans. This car has McLaren's speed and Mercedes Benz's comfort and quality. What a car! No matter what you anti McLaren-Mercedes guys say, this car goes into history books. One of the best supercars ever made alongside McLaren F1, CLK GTR AMG and Exelero.
MattAAron
April 3, 2008 4:43 AM
I completly agree 3IceMan...Best of both worlds Mercedes & McLaren, great combination :)
I'm a sports car nut, and of all the exotics, sports, muscle cars, etc...The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is my favorite, ask anyone that knows me :)
german-cars-lover
April 3, 2008 1:15 AM
So sad ... It's the best super soprt car in the whole world !!
benz_man
April 3, 2008 2:43 AM
POS, I'm happy its over. Been nothing but problems since its inception.
benz_man
April 5, 2008 4:38 AM
I'm not speaking specifically of problems with the vehicles, I'm talking about Mercedes and McLaren teaming up to do passenger cars. Since the beginning the two have had non-stop confrontation over what they each want out of the production vehicles (and the consumer pays the price). Its like oil & water...But somebodies shaking it all up!
_M7_
April 3, 2008 4:13 AM
CLK GTR its just good by outside, you almos CANT breath inside. SLR also had electrical problems. I still think Mercedes must learn how to made cars, still must achive that ferrari pointo or porshe, dont think in GTR ´cause is not made for the same propose. Its kind of BMW still must made a real super car
LL55AMG
April 3, 2008 7:59 AM
Electrical problems? With a name like m "7" you dare speak of electrical problems?.. this is a SLR, not a 745li.. The SLR barely has any electronics in it.. It is one of the most reliable Supercars ever built.. Believe me.. I know.. the only time they come in the shop is for tire replacement.. sad to see it go.. definatly a collectors item
benz_man
April 5, 2008 4:42 AM
LOL, thas every 7 series though really. Heres a joke "put a window down in an E38" ROFL!
The_woo_factor
April 3, 2008 1:15 PM
This car is and will always be special. A good looking Merc is very rare these days!
53MercOwner
April 3, 2008 4:39 PM
Our local dealer has been sitting on a black one for over a year and a half (plus a previous edition CL500). Top Gear's test driver beat ALL marques in the SLK. OK, so it didn't have the on-the-edge feel of a Porsche or Ferrari but if you wanted to get the quickest from point A to B in comfort and safety, there's no other choice. Like some electronica musicians, perhaps it was TOO good to sell.
Alex_011
April 3, 2008 11:15 PM
Flawless car that will be forever in my heart. One of the best and most beautiful cars ever made. Astonishing piece of art from Mercedes and McLaren that will be forever engraved in automotive industry.
joshg_5
April 4, 2008 12:40 AM
Everybody, everybody, no need to worry! This only means that the new AMG Gullwing revival is closer to being on our roads!!!! So now, Mercedes fans can be excited, and so can the haters, because the gullwing's going to be the best car on the road, bar-none, in every aspect: looks, performance and presence. Perfect!
radmeister
April 5, 2008 2:01 AM
Because the market it is in is not for car enthusiasts it is for show offs, the SLR is a great car, it and the Carrera GT beat the italian equivalents, but again this market is about showing off and the mercedes badge is simply not prestigious enough to get enough attention. This car has a clean and simple design that is not too flagrant but to the trained eye the genius behind the design is clearly noticed, as stated above it is a gentleman's car. Even the colours it is offered in are clean simple and pure and you can get out of the car in a business suit without looking stupid. Ferrari's and lambos are for young rich ppl that want to show off for hoes with their gay sunglasses and ferrari puma "racing" shoes and hair gelled back. Here in TO i have seen 4 SLRs and all are owned by executives at banks and such. You find me an executive in his 40s driving a murcielago to work every day.
53MercOwner
April 8, 2008 11:01 PM
Very insightful, Radmeister. Plus, most business executives are too savy to spend boatloads of money on an ultimately unpractical vehicle. In the US, the car makes NO sense whatsoever with our speed limits throughout the land and revenue desperate municipalities with radar/laser equiped cops. Not too many design-trained-eye execs live in Montana.
carbonfiber
April 19, 2008 7:34 PM
I have an SLR, I drive it all the time, I go to South of France racing at Paul Ricard with the Owners Club, We went to Sweden last Feb. racing on Ice, We all racing this May & going to F1 Monaco with Mclaren I'm not going to sell it ever.
Join us if you love the car & want to live a nice life
isaacu
April 20, 2008 8:19 PM
"Sales targets"? They were NEVER going to be achieved! The SLR was launched into a market that was simultaneously trying to "digest" the new Porsche GT and Ferrari Enzo!! Should I mention the Aston Martin Vanquish, Bentley Continental Coupe, Ferrari 575, Lamborghini Murcielago, Pagani Zonda, Koniggsberg etc!!! It was and still is a "buyers" market. I can assure you that the reps on the Motor show stands were grinning hard to conceal their dismay at the competition!!!!
Isaacu
nendor
April 21, 2008 9:53 AM
i don't know why mercedes always care about the safety the have been like that for ever even in top gear or fifth gear they mentained that .. if they want to reach the highest they could but they don't want to because they care about the safety as usual .. it is a good thing but not for people who wants to enjoy high speed .. beside the SLR is a daily use car .. they said so in 5th gear .. let us see what AMG can do with their future SLC maybe they could compete with MClaren
carbonfiber
April 22, 2008 7:44 PM
The SLR cost more than $600 Million to develop, that's the highest ever for a limited edition car, The Target was 3000 cars so the can make money, So far they have sold 1500 so far with the roadster. Carrera GT almost 500K, Sold 1200 & Stopped production. Enzo 300 Sold all for 650K Bugatti so far 200 cars only for 1,500K,
So that means something, Merc. Should've known more about the wealthy people in the world & these Cars are not for making money
bassam
April 29, 2008 1:56 AM
thanks god ,this car is just a reputation,everyone say it is superp just from the design they don't know that this car is rubbish...come on what about mclaren f1 ...belive me this car is soooooooo bad...it this no more than a design
carbonfiber
May 1, 2008 3:58 PM
Nedor, Bassam doesn't know anything about cars, he just talk, I have one, the car is the future of cars, the Gullwing this car not only fast, it's very fast to stop too from high speeds, look at it's technical data you'll know
Agoraphobia
June 8, 2008 7:11 AM
how can i buy the new slr when i m millionaire.. if the slr stop the production in 2009 ?
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