MERCEDES-BENZ MCLAREN SLR

The long anticipated collaboration between the connoisseurs of quality and luxury, Mercedes-Benz and the motorsport heritage and engineering excellence of McLaren was finally given substance with the official launch of the SLR at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show.

At the time of its release, the SLR completed the modern 'Holy Trinity' of supercars alongside the Ferrari Enzo and Porsche Carrera GT. The Enzo was a raucous and rowdy, F1-inspired, V12-powered monster. The Carrera GT was a driver-focussed dream with a screaming V10, minimal driver assists and a manual gearbox. The SLR focussed on crossing continents faster than anything before it, in swathes of luxury with a thumping V8 under the long, swooping bonnet. These three cars represent a fabulous checkpoint in the automotive world, all approaching the same end goal from totally different angles. The divergence in philosophy made the SLR unique and today it stands out as the most useable, refined and arguably overlooked of the trio.

The SLR was styled by Gorden Wagener, a leading designer at Mercedes-Benz at the time, later becoming the company's Chief Design Officer. The design was heavily influenced by the car that has since become the most expensive car ever sold, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which is evident in the long nose, side exhausts and dramatic proportions. The SLR’s aerodynamic shape, butterfly doors and carbon fibre intensive construction were all carefully crafted to reflect performance and exclusivity, while still being usable as a Grand Tourer. One of the SLR's most distinctive features is its carbon fibre monocoque chassis, offering immense rigidity and lightness, paired with carbon ceramic brakes that were among the most advanced of any road car at the time.

At the heart of the SLR lies a hand-built AMG 5.4-litre supercharged V8 producing 617bhp and 575lb/ft of torque, propelling the car from 0–60mph in just 3.8 seconds and onwards to 207mph. Unconventionally, the thunderous engine was mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission, an unusual pairing chosen to emphasise the car's effortless high-speed touring capability.

When launched, the new SLR carried a UK price tag of around £313,000, placing it firmly in the 'hypercar' bracket. Despite a production target of 3,500 units, only around 2,100 cars were built globally between 2003 and 2010, with around 50 believed to have been destined for the UK, with around 30 understood to still reside here, the rest since being exported.

The car on offer is an exceptionally well presented, UK-supplied 2007 SLR, finished in the distinctive hue of Crystal Palladium Grey over a black alcantara/leather interior. With most SLRs being optioned in the launch colours of Crystal Laurite Silver or in Crystal Galaxite Black, it is undeniable that this metallic dark grey stands out for all the right reasons. The paintwork presents exceptionally well, with just a handful of the inevitable minor stone chips and no swirl marks in the paintwork thanks to meticulous detailing. The 19" Turbine wheels are in excellent condition, shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres all round and the underside and engine bay present in the same exceptional condition as the exterior, with everything under that long bonnet appearing factory fresh.

Mechanically the car has been fastidiously maintained and serviced routinely, keeping up to date with both major and minor service timings despite a lack of mileage covered. The only deviations from standard are the uprated £2,828 Quicksilver sports exhaust allowing the car to breathe better and enhance the thunderous noise, a £5,874 interior retrim taking it from standard leather to an improved alcantara/leather combination and the fitting of an OEM replacement front clam/door gas struts in 2018, all conducted by Avantgarde, Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Specialists in 2018.

The early (2007-2014) service records unfortunately went missing prior to our vendor's purchase, however the MOT history is known from its first in 2010 to the present, showing a yearly usage of between 1,000-3,000 miles at a maximum and warranting the current mileage of 20,633 in the hands of its four owners from new. With the exception of the undocumented first couple of services, the history file reads like a feelgood novel. It features absolutely everything dating back to the original invitation to buy an SLR in 2003 and all the launches, promotional advertising/marketing pieces and international test drive events, as well as every bill and invoice for servicing, parts and maintenance since 2014. A service record summary sheet from DK Engineering forms part of the history file showing when the A and B Services were undertaken. In 2023, Avantgarde carried out the engine-out B service costing just over £11,000 on behalf of DK Engineering and the car is being serviced by Furlonger on 11th April in preparation for our sale, despite only covering a mere 80 miles since its last service.

The SLR remains an exceptional blend of performance, comfort and motorsport pedigree, representing a lasting symbol of what happens when two legends collaborate. With UK-delivered cars being so rare and desirable, this beautiful example with its impeccable modern history, stunning condition, diligent servicing and fabulous specification surely represents remarkable value.