Modified Cars Blog » Mercedes

The End of the Mercedes McLaren

Brett — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:24:59 +0000

With Mercedes Benz acquiring its own Formula One team and parting ways with the McLaren Formula One team, and with the production of the current Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren super car drawing to a close, it seems to be an end of an era in terms of supercars! Or is it the start of a new era with both Mercedes Benz and McLaren producing their own high performance supercars? Let’s look at what the two manufacturers have to offer …

First up is the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG, the successor to 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing”, with its AMG tuned 6.3-Liter V8 engine producing a maximum of 563 bhp and 480 lb-ft of peak torque, which perhaps falls short of the 650 bhp and 627 lb-ft of torque produced by the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren’s 5.5-Liter supercharged V8 engine. Nevertheless, the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG is a worthy supercar! Then from McLaren Automotive we have the McLaren MP4-12C with its high-reving twin-turbo 3.8-Liter V8 engine that is expected to produce around 600 bhp and 433 lb-ft of torque!

Neither car quite manages to measure up to the performance of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren but both are not too far off!

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing

Brett — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:58:37 +0000

After seeing an endless string of spy shots over the past year, we’ve finally been treated to some non-camouflaged pictures and details of the successor to 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing”, namely the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which is to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. Reports have it that the body is made predominantly from carbon fiber to keep the weight down, and will feature carbon ceramic discs as optional!

Power for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG will come from the 6.3-Liter V8 engine, which is found in most Mercedes-Benz AMG s models, and which produces up to 563 bhp and 480 lb-ft of peak torque. The power will be transmitted to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Given the light weight of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, zero to 60 mph will be achieved in a blistering 3.7 seconds before topping out at 197 mph!

Production of the SLS AMG is expected to begin in late 2010 and the car will be available from Mercedes-Benz dealers in 2011 at around €177,500.

Nissan 200SX Successor?

Brett — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:36:18 +0000

Just a few months ago, amidst the doom and gloom of tumbling car sales, we reported that Nissan put its GT 2012 plan on hold but it seems that things are changing, according to Auto Express anyway. Auto Express is reporting that Nissan is reviving plans for one of the models that fell under the GT 2012 plan, i.e. a new turbocharged 2-Liter 4 cylinder, front-engined, rear-wheel-drive (FR) sportscar to replace the Nissan 200SX (or Nissan Silvia as it was called in Japan) that as discontinued in 1998. According to Auto Express the small sports car will be a rear-wheel-drive two-seater roadster to rival the Mazda MX-5, the Honda CR-Z and the next Toyota MR2.

The still unnamed roadster will be built on the 370Z platform and will take its styling cues from the 370Z and the Nissan Urge concept, which made its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007. The sports car will be powered a new turbocharged 1.6-liter petrol engine that will feature Nissan’s new Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) Piston Crank System that uses a multilink connecting rod to vary the compression ratio. Under light load conditions, the engine will use a higher compression ratio and low turbo boost for improved thermal efficiency and fuel economy, but under heavy acceleration, the VCR system will shift to a lower compression ratio with higher boost pressure for greater power! According to inside sources, the engine will produce a maximum power in the region of 200 to 225 bhp, enough to propel the car from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 140 mph, while producing low CO₂ emissions and a fuel economy of around 35 mpg!

According to Auto Express, Nissan hopes to keep the price right around $20,000 and hopes to have the car in dealers’ showrooms by 2011.

[Source: Auto Express]

Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss

Brett — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:05:28 +0000

Mercedes-Benz are not content with just the limited edition SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S that the company released to celebrate Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson’s victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. They have now released another limited edition SLR Roadster, the new Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss, in honor of the British racing driver and Mille Miglia record-holder Stirling Moss and the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR of the 1950s!

The striking two-seater Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss is true to the original Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR in that it has no roof, side windows, or windscreen! It does have two little wind deflectors that have been engineer in a wind tunnel to guide the airflow over the driver and passenger, as well as two integrated air scoops that serve as roll-over bars. The body of car is made entirely of carbon fibre and is a distinctively reminiscent of the silver arrow, with an elongated hood and a compact boot.

Under the carbon fiber bodywork, the SLR Stirling Moss features the same 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine as the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S. The engine produces a maximum power of 650 bhp and a peak torque of 627 lb-ft, enough to propel the SLR Stirling Moss from 0 to 62 mph in a quick 3,5 seconds and on to a top speed of 217 mph!

The Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss will be limited to only 75 units and will be available in the second quarter of 2009 at a retail price of €750,000 each! They will, however, only be made available to existing Mercedes-Benz SLR customers!

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S

Brett — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:59:08 +0000

Mercedes-Benz is to celebrate Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson’s victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia with the release of a limited edition SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S! In 1955 Moss and co-driver Jenkinson piloted the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR to victory – its racing number was 722!

The numbers are impressive, not that the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is a slouch, but Mercedes-Benz claims a maximum power of 650 bhp and peak torque of 627 lb-ft. from its 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine! Although the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S is not stripped down track-day special, it still boasts a 0 to 62 mhp acceleration time of only 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph! Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission.

The SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S comes with a tweaked suspension and sits 10 millimeters lower on light 19-inch forged aluminum wheels for a significant improvement in handling. The interior features sports bucket seats with embossed 722 S lettering on the head restraints, a BOSE sound system, a multifunction sports steering wheel with column-mounted paddle shifts and a navigation system.

A limited line of 150 SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S coupes will be produced at McLaren’s Formula 1 workshops in Woking, England and will be available from January 1, 2009!