The
Stuttgart-based brand
2008
2008
ZUR DEUTSCHEN
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The new SLR Stirling Moss
Stuttgart -
Mercedes-Benz and McLaren are adding the crowning glory to the model family
of their highly successful SLR super sports car with a new, uncompromisingly
spectacular car.
There is neither a roof nor a windscreen to separate
the driver and passenger from the outside world; they enjoy unadulterated
high-speed excitement with all the attributes of a speedster. The new SLR
Stirling Moss is also characterised by the most sophisticated technology
and a breathtaking design which reinterprets the SLR legend. With 478 kW/650
hp the SLR Stirling Moss accelerates its V8 supercharged engine from standstill
to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 350 km/h - no
other series-production car is at the same time so open and so fast. This
extreme concept makes the new high-performance sports car a legitimate bearer
of the name of the British motor racing legend and Mille Miglia record-holder
Stirling Moss, who drove the legendary Mercedes-Benz SLR racing cars from
victory to victory in 1955. The exclusive SLR Stirling Moss rounds off the
current SLR family and is limited to 75 units. It is priced at 750,000 euros.
The SLR Roadster will cease to be manufactured at the end of May 2009 as
planned, and production of the SLR Stirling Moss will commence in June 2009.
Three letters are all it takes to make car fans' hearts beat faster: SLR.
In the 1950s the Mercedes-Benz SLR 300 celebrated victory after victory.
It won the Mille Miglia, the Eifel race, the Targa Florio as well as the
Tourist Trophy. It was driven by the stars of the time: Juan Manuel Fangio
and Karl Kling - and, first and foremost, by the British racing driver Stirling
Moss. At ten hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds he still holds the Mille
Miglia record. This is why the modern-day version of the legendary SLR carries
the additional words "Stirling Moss" in its name. As the new SLR Stirling
Moss unites the character of the current SLR models with the fascination
of the SLR of 1955. The core values of both the historical and the present-day
SLR models include an exciting new design, innovative technology, high-class
materials displaying perfect craftsmanship, and, above all: a unique driving
experience for all the senses. |
Highly puristic concept without a roof or a
windscreen
Remaining totally true to the specifications of the
300 SLR, the new Silver Arrow's equipment is extremely sophisticated and
yet at the same time decidedly puristic, doing without both a roof and side
windows. There are just two wind deflectors a couple of centimetres in height
to protect the driver and passenger from the airflow. Two air scoops integrated
into the bodywork serve as roll-over bars. With this extreme concept the
new SLR Stirling Moss is visually very different from all the other vehicles
which belong to the elite sports car class. Just like the legendary racing
vehicles of yesteryear, the SLR Stirling Moss dazzles with its superlative
performance. Accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds
and with a top speed of 350 km/h this puristic high-performance sports car
denotes completely new dimensions in open-top driving. And not just because
of the impressive performance figures; every time drivers take to the wheel
of the SLR Stirling Moss their senses are addressed with a previously unheard
of intensity, conveying a driving experience in its purest and most sensual
form. This automotive thoroughbred thus facilitates the kind of open-air
feeling that is utterly unique for a road-going vehicle.>/TD> |
Exciting design reminiscent of the SLR racing
cars
The SLR Stirling Moss, its entire bodywork made of
lightweight carbon fibre, represents a stand-alone design concept. Whilst
the Mercedes-Benz designers were working on the body of the new SLR Stirling
Moss, they were fully aware every single moment that they were creating a
vehicle with a top speed of 350 km/h.
At the same time this supreme
athlete is highly reminiscent of the SLR racing cars from the 1950s, whose
design idiom still never fails to impress to this day. The SLR
Stirling Moss sports an exciting, pronounced arrow-shaped form and is
characterised by an elongated bonnet and a compact, muscular rear. As there
is no windscreen, the exterior and interior flow smoothly into one. The bonnet
also stretches from its striking tip right down into the interior, giving
the vehicle body a distinctly sleek air. Even when standing still, the sports
car radiates such dynamism that the observer immediately falls under its
spell. Further eye-catching features include two air scoops behind the driver
and passenger. They carry additional roll-over bars, also uniting the traditional
and the modern. The wings are powerfully contoured. Black-painted ventilation
"gills" sitting facet-like on the sides and on the bonnet also cite the legend.
A thrilling interplay of light and shadow ensues through the expressive lines,
underlining the dynamic overall impression. Exactly as they were on the shining
historical example, the side skirts on the new SLR Stirling Moss are also
very high. This prompted the designers' decision in favour of folding swing-wing
doors which open forwards. The vehicle can be closed by two tonneau covers
which are carried in the boot. When both tonneau covers and the doors are
closed the SLR Stirling Moss resembles a sculpture. In keeping with the puristic
exterior of the vehicle, the interior is also reduced to the bare essentials.
Surfaces penetrating each other in the instrument panel and doors make for
an exciting atmosphere and resonate perfectionism. A mixture of high-class
authentic materials such as carbon fibre, aluminium and fine-quality leather
sets the style here. An aluminium plate carries the engraved signature of
Stirling Moss and covers the area around the shift lever. |
Innovative technology and polished aerodynamic
concept
Developers working on the Stirling Moss were able to fall back on a wealth
of experience gathered when producing the SLR Coupé and Roadster,
in particular where the technical base was concerned, with its extravagant
carbon-fibre design, high-performance suspension and throaty V8 engine. The
common denominator uniting the Stirling Moss with the other members of the
SLR family is the aerodynamic concept with a closed underbody and a diffuser
in the rear bumper for maximum possible downforce at the rear axle - with
one difference: the diffuser here is considerably larger than that on the
coupé and roadster. Thanks to the high-precision work carried out
in the wind tunnel, the SLR Stirling Moss always generates sufficient downforce
for extremely safe handling. But the driver can also manually operate the
Airbrake in order to increase the contact pressure further, during particularly
sporty driving, for example. The Airbrake is also raised during powerful
braking at speeds above 120 km/h, so as to stabilise the vehicle even more
in such situations, thus facilitating maximum possible deceleration.
Limited to 75 units - the SLR models' crowning
glory
The new SLR Stirling Moss is the kind of high-calibre speedster coveted by
the enthusiasts alike. At the same time it marks the pinnacle of an era and,
for the foreseeable future, at least, the final curtain for the SLR. In May
2009 production of the SLR models will cease; only a total of 75 units of
the Stirling Moss will be manufactured between June and December 2009, bearing
chassis numbers from 1 to 75. Not only does this exclusive vehicle represent
the conclusion of the current SLR family; it also serves as a very special
thank you to the most loyal of SLR customers, for they are the only ones
able to acquire a Stirling Moss. |
READER COMMENTS
Daimler Communications, 70546
Stuttgart, Germany Mercedes-Benz - A Daimler Brand, December 19, 2008 |
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