106 www.CARandDRIVER.com JANUARY 2005

where between all-out supercar and civi-lized grand tourer. This within a swoopycarbon-fiber monocoque chassis that hasan unequal-length control-arm suspensionat all corners, gullwing doors, an activerear airbrake/spoiler, side-pipe exhausts,and an engine that expresses power withevery revolution. Yet all these sporty flour-ishes are in combination with an automatictransmission, various and sundry luxurytrappings, and a substantial 3858-poundcurb weight.

Clearly, this is a vehicle intended for aflexible role. Luckily for us (and ownerswith the means), technology allows cardesigners a lot of leeway these days,enabling less compromise than was pos-sible just a few years ago. A smooth rideand precise handling are no longer mutu-ally exclusive; nor are creature comfortsand high power. You can indeed have yourcake and eat it, too.

This particular slice of cake has beenvery carefully baked. According to LeMans winner Klaus Ludwig, one exampleof meticulous development is that thewindshield wipers on the SLR work at 200

mph. Just what one might be doing at 200mph in the rain is anyone’s guess, but it’snice to know that this limited-productionGT has had all its systems thoroughlychecked out. At a price that verges on half-a-million bucks—and an output of just3500 SLRs over the next seven years—weexpect nothing less. ■

CURRENT BASE PRICE* dollars x 1000

700

15

140 280 420 5600

0

0 3 6 9 12 15

561041 145

0.700.60 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.10

150 155 160

3 6 9 12

BRAKING 70–0 mph, feet

EPA CITY FUEL ECONOMY

ROADHOLDING 300-foot skidpad, g

mpg

ACCELERATION seconds 0–60 mph 1/4-mile

Saleen S7 (7.0-liter, 550 hp, 6-sp man)†

Porsche Carrera GT (5.7-liter, 605 hp, 6-sp man)

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (5.4-liter, 617 hp, 5-sp auto)

Ferrari Enzo (6.0-liter, 605 hp, 6-sp auto man)

Porsche Carrera GT

Ferrari Enzo

Saleen S7

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Ferrari Enzo

Saleen S7

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Porsche Carrera GT

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Porsche Carrera GT

Saleen S7

Ferrari Enzo

Ferrari Enzo

Porsche Carrera GT

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Saleen S7

*Base price includes freight, any performance options, and applicable gas-guzzler taxes.†The Saleen S7 we tested in 2003 had 550 hp, but the car now has 575.

NOT AVAILABLE

MERCEDES-BENZ SLR McLARENVehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe

Price as tested: $455,500

Price and option breakdown: base Mercedes-Benz SLRMcLaren (includes $2500 freight and $3000 gas-guzzler tax),$455,500

Major standard accessories: power windows, seats, and locks;remote locking; A/C; cruise control; tilting and telescoping steeringwheel

Sound system: Bose Audio-30 AM-FM radio/cassette/CDchanger, 7 speakers

ENGINEType . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . supercharged and intercooled V-8,

aluminum block and headsBore x stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.82 x 3.62 in, 97.0 x 92.0mmDisplacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 cu in, 5439ccCompression ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.8:1Fuel-delivery system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . port injection Supercharger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . twin-screw LysholmMaximum boost pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.1 psiValve gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . chain-driven single overhead cams,

3 valves per cylinder, hydraulic liftersPower (SAE net). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617 bhp @ 6500 rpmTorque (SAE net) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575 lb-ft @ 3250 rpmRedline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7000 rpm

DRIVETRAINTransmission . . . . . 5-speed automatic with manumatic shiftingFinal-drive ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.06:1Gear Ratio Mph/1000 rpm Max speed in gearsI 3.60 6.9 48 mph (7000 rpm)II 2.19 11.2 78 mph (7000 rpm)III 1.41 17.4 132 mph (7000 rpm)IV 1.00 24.5 171 mph (7000 rpm)V 0.83 29.5 207 mph (7000 rpm)

DIMENSIONSWheelbase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106.3 inTrack, front/rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64.5/61.8 inLength/width/height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183.3/75.1/49.6 inGround clearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 inDrag area, Cd (0.37) x frontal area (22.1 sq ft) . . . . . . . 8.2 sq ft Curb weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3858 lbWeight distribution, F/R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.0/49.0%Curb weight per horsepower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3 lbFuel capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.8 gal

CHASSIS/BODYType . . . . . . . unit construction, carbon-fiber-reinforced tub and

front subframe with aluminum rear subframeBody material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic

INTERIORSAE volume, front seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 cu ft

luggage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 cu ftFront-seat adjustments. . . . . . . . . . fore-and-aft, seatback angle,

front heightRestraint systems, front . . . . . . manual 3-point belts; driver and

passenger front, knee, and side airbags

SUSPENSIONFront . . . . . . . . . ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs,

anti-roll barRear . . . . . . . . . . ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs

STEERINGType . . . . . rack-and-pinion with variable hydraulic power assistSteering ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.6:1Turns lock-to-lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3Turning circle curb-to-curb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.0 ft

BRAKESType. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . electrohydraulic by wireFront. . . . . . . . . . 14.6 x 1.4-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic discRear . . . . . . . . . . 14.2 x 1.1-in vented, cross-drilled ceramic disc

WHEELS AND TIRESWheel size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F: 9.0 x 19 in, R: 11.5 x 19 inWheel type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cast aluminumTires . . . . . . . . . . Michelin Pilot Sport PS2; F: 245/35ZR-19 96Y,

R: 295/30ZR-19 100YTest inflation pressures, F/R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32/35 psiSpare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . high-pressure compact

C/D TEST RESULTSACCELERATION SecondsZero to 30 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.6

40 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.250 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.860 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.670 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.480 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.390 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7

100 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.9110 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.3120 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.8130 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.5

Street start, 5–60 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8Top-gear acceleration, 30–50 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7

50–70 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4Standing 1/4-mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.6 sec @ 125 mphTop speed (redline limited, mfr’s claim) . . . . . . . 207 mph

BRAKING70–0 mph @ impending lockup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 ft

HANDLINGRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.97 gUndersteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . minimal moderate excessive

FUEL ECONOMY EPA city driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 mpgEPA highway driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 mpg

INTERIOR SOUND LEVELIdle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 dBAFull-throttle acceleration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 dBA70-mph cruising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 dBA

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