The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is a roofless speedster with no windscreen, built in a run of just 75 cars in 2009. Named after the British racing driver who won the 1955 Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, it combines carbon-fibre bodywork with the supercharged 650 PS V8 of the SLR 722, and it was the last model of the SLR partnership between Mercedes-Benz and McLaren.
SLR Stirling Moss at a glance
| Production | 75 cars, June to December 2009 |
|---|---|
| Unveiled | Teased in December 2008; shown at the 2009 Detroit show |
| Body | Speedster with no roof or windscreen; carbon-fibre construction, about 200 kg lighter than the regular SLR |
| Engine | Supercharged 5.4-litre V8, 650 PS (478 kW; 641 hp) |
| Performance | Top speed 350 km/h; 0–100 km/h in 3 to 3.5 seconds, depending on source |
| Design | Exterior by Yoon Il-hun, interior by Sarkis Benliyan |
| Price | €750,000 at launch (just over $1.1 million, per Jalopnik); sold only to existing SLR owners |
Specifications from English Wikipedia and the Mercedes-Benz press release as published by Jalopnik. Sources differ on the engine size (5.4 or 5.5 litres) and on the 0–100 km/h time (Mercedes said under 3.5 seconds, Wikipedia says 3).
The idea: a 300 SLR for the road
The SLR Stirling Moss was inspired by the 300 SLR racing car in which Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the 1955 Mille Miglia, and its body was drawn as a modern speedster. Mercedes-Benz and McLaren added it as the crowning glory of the SLR family, a “new, uncompromisingly spectacular” car where neither a roof nor a windscreen separates the driver and passenger from the outside world. Mercedes claimed that no other series-production car was at the same time so open and so fast.
Roofless and fast
Based on the SLR Roadster, the car has carbon-fibre bodywork wrapped around the engine of the SLR 722, a supercharged V8 of 650 PS mated to a five-speed automatic. The roofless cockpit has smaller swing-doors and a two-piece tonneau cover that can cover the whole cockpit or just the passenger side. A retractable air brake, like the one on the Bugatti Veyron, deploys automatically during hard braking from speeds above 75 mph.
A short, sold-out run
The SLR Roadster ceased production in May 2009, as planned, and production of the Stirling Moss began in June. All 75 planned cars were finished by December 2009, and only existing SLR owners could buy one. The model is the last chapter of a partnership that had produced the SLR coupé, the roadster, the 722 Edition with its 150 units and the SLR 722 GT racer.
The marque’s history is in our Mercedes-Benz archive, and related cars are in our Luxury Cars collection.
SLR Stirling Moss questions and answers
How many SLR Stirling Moss cars were built?
75, between June and December 2009.
Does it have a roof or windscreen?
No. It is a speedster with neither a roof nor a windscreen.
How fast is it?
Mercedes quoted a top speed of 350 km/h and 0–100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds.
Who could buy one?
Only existing SLR owners, at about €750,000.
Based on English Wikipedia and Jalopnik’s publication of the Mercedes-Benz press release.
Sources
- Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, English Wikipedia: Stirling Moss model, designers, production run
- 2009 Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss, Jalopnik (December 2008): Mercedes-Benz press release, price and features
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