Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
In the early 2000s the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren took its place in the pantheon of hypercars of its era, shoulder to shoulder with the Ferrari Enzo and the Porsche Carrera GT. It united two names of rare pedigree: SLR, a direct evocation of the fabled 300SLR that crushed the opposition in period and later became the most valuable car ever sold (over $140 million), and McLaren, Mercedes’ F1 partner which led the team to dominate in the late ’90s.
The SLR, particularly in its rarer Roadster form, represents excess in every sense and, like the other two hypercars, still resonates strongly with younger generations.
Their exalted status was reflected in their prices, attainable only by a chosen few: at the top of the podium was the Enzo at around $665,000, with the two Teutonic contenders aligned at roughly $500,000 MSRP.
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The SLR was a collaborative effort between Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, under the guidance of Gordon Murray. Speaking of Gordon Murray, it’s worth noting that the SLR is the only McLaren-built road car shaped by his genius, aside from the iconic $20M+ McLaren F1.
Murray initially proposed a mid-engined supercar to Mercedes, but the project evolved into a front-engined grand tourer, aimed at combining extreme performance with everyday usability. To achieve this balance, he moved the supercharged 5.4-litre V8 almost one meter rearwards toward the cabin and lowered the fuel tank. This improved weight distribution and effectively turned the car into a front mid-engined layout. This adjustment enabled the car to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of around 335km/h, though it wasn’t designed to be purely extreme. It’s a performance-oriented vehicle, but one where, according to Mercedes, you can comfortably carry on a conversation with the top down while cruising at over 200 km/h. It is one of those details that is definetely worth experiencing.
The SLR was the first production car to feature a full carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque for both chassis and crash structure, also making it one of the safest supercars of its time. Moreover, it was among the first production cars to use full ceramic composite brakes as standard, and the active rear spoiler doubled as an airbrake, tilting up at 65 degrees under heavy braking – features straightly derived from Formula One.
SLR McLaren
Paint color Crystal Galaxite Black
Interiors Black with red stitching
Originally delivered in France
Service history, logbook, original owner’s manual
Complete ownership history
Recent exterior and interior detailing
This Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster was first delivered through the French Mercedes-Benz dealer Como Stains in September 2007 and was regularly seen on the streets of London during its early years.
In 2010, it passed to another member of the same family, this time driven in Paris, with frequent trips to the Côte d'Azur, often parked outside fancy restaurants and jet-set establishments. In 2017, the car was acquired by a French collector, who has carefully preserved its heritage. Its provenance is comprehensively documented, with photographic records, receipts from notable venues, and even a handful of paparazzi images.
This Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is one of only 533 Roadster examples ever produced. Finished in Crystal Galaxite Black, it has black leather interior with red stitching, and it retains its original soft top. The extensive list of optional features, amounting to several tens of thousands of euros, includes the carbon-fiber bucket seats and a matching carbon-fiber center console. All maintenance has been diligently recorded in the logbook, and the original owner’s manual remains with the car. Since entering the French collector’s ownership in 2017, it has been sparingly used and was recently serviced at an official Mercedes-Benz dealership.