Only 75 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss cars were built, and none of them has a roof or a windshield. The mercedes-benz stirling moss slr was a final, very limited chapter for the SLR, and it still looks like nothing else on the road.
Mercedes-Benz and McLaren introduced the mercedes-benz stirling moss slr in 2009 to honor British racing driver Stirling Moss. In 1955, Moss won the Mille Miglia, a road race through Italy, in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. The mercedes-benz stirling moss slr carried the theme further.
A racer’s profile on a production chassis
The car’s shape comes from its proportions. The hood runs far ahead of the two seats, and the tail is short. Viewed from the side, the body sits very low to the ground.
For another take on sculpted automotive design, see Genesis’s patented coupe and convertible concepts, which show how open-top proportions are being reimagined today.
Two small wind deflectors are the only protection for the occupants. Mercedes-Benz’s press release describes them as a couple of centimeters tall. Behind each head, a raised hump houses a roll hoop. Mercedes-Benz calls these air scoops, and they double as roll-over bars.
Large openings behind the front wheels vent the exhaust directly from the sides of the car. The front is shaped around a low Mercedes-Benz emblem and wide air intakes, and much of the body is made from carbon fiber.
Sources disagree on the doors. The main description says they open upward. Mercedes-Benz’s press release describes swing-wing doors that open forward, a design the company tied to the high side skirts of the 1955 car.
Power and performance of the mercedes-benz stirling moss slr
Under the long hood sits a supercharged 5.4-liter V8. Output is 650 horsepower, or 478 kilowatts. The Mercedes-Benz press release and AutoGuide both cite 650 horsepower, or 478 kilowatts, so the official figure varies by source.
Every source agrees on the acceleration and top speed. The car reaches 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds and tops out at 217 mph, or 350 km/h. The car reaches 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds.
Speed without glass is a serious proposition in the mercedes-benz stirling moss slr. Without a full windshield separating the driver from the outside air, the experience would be especially intense.
Inside the cockpit
The interior is spare but rich. Mercedes-Benz calls it reduced to the “bare essentials,” and the materials are carbon fiber, aluminum and leather. Two red leather seats sit either side of a tall silver center console, and yellow stitching adds contrast.
An aluminum plate beside the shift lever carries the engraved signature of Stirling Moss. Mercedes-Benz’s press release says the plate covers the area around the gear selector.
Accounts of the tonneau covers differ. The press release says two covers stored in the trunk close the cockpit. Two body panels stored in the trunk can be placed over the open cockpit. Both agree that the covers turn the car into a closed sculpture when fitted.
The last car and the auction market
The example at RM Sotheby’s is the final mercedes-benz stirling moss slr of the 75 built, completed in December 2009 for the Royal Family of Kuwait. Its Fire Opal Red paint is unique in the series, where silver examples are more closely tied to the Mercedes-Benz racing tradition. The red interior uses Alutex, a woven material, in place of the usual carbon fiber trim, and it has a Kenwood audio system.
After years in royal ownership, the car has resurfaced through RM Sotheby’s, showing just 32.9 miles on its odometer. The auction estimate tops $6 million.
Collectors drawn to rare, high-end British performance may also enjoy Aston Martin and S3’s Sylvan Rock retreat, a look at the marque’s luxury world beyond the track.
The market has moved fast. The cars were priced at 750,000 euros, or $1.5 million, when new in 2009.
Mercedes-Benz and McLaren limited the Stirling Moss to 75 units, making it a rare limited edition sports car.
The Stirling Moss is a rolling argument for open-air speed. It marks the end of the SLR’s production run and a brief return to the look of a 1955 race car. For the buyers who could afford one, it offers 217 mph with nothing between them and the air.
Via designboom.com
Frequently asked questions
How many Mercedes-Benz Stirling Moss SLRs were ever built?
Only 75 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss cars were built. Mercedes-Benz and McLaren limited the model to 75 units, making it a rare limited edition sports car.
Why was the Mercedes-Benz Stirling Moss SLR created?
Mercedes-Benz and McLaren introduced the car in 2009 to honor British racing driver Stirling Moss. Moss had won the 1955 Mille Miglia, a road race through Italy, in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.
How fast is the Mercedes-Benz Stirling Moss SLR?
The car reaches 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds and tops out at 217 mph, or 350 km/h. Every source in the article agrees on these acceleration and top speed figures.
What engine powers the Mercedes-Benz Stirling Moss SLR?
The car has a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine. It produces 650 horsepower, or 478 kilowatts, according to the Mercedes-Benz press release and AutoGuide.
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