GT5 Transcripts/Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The concept version of the SLR McLaren was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 1999. It was the talk of the town, and everyone wondered if Mercedes-Benz was indeed going to build this supercar. The answer came at the 2003 Frankfurt Auto Show when a production version of the car was displayed. As the same suggests, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was built alongside McLaren Automotive of Formula 1 fame.

The SLR was a supercar of the highest order. It featured a carbon-fiber unitized body, ensuring low weight, which by the way was a lean 1768 kg, more than 200 kg lighter than the SL55 AMG. Under its hood sat a supercharged 5.5-liter V-8 with dry sump lubrication that produced a whopping 616 HP at 6500 rpm and 575.7 ft-lb of torque from 3250 to 5000 rpm. The SLR had the same 5-speed automatic that the SL used, but added sport, comfort, and manual settings.

The brakes featured SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control), a brake-by-wire system, with carbon-ceramic discs at all four corners. The front calipers were 8-pot Brembos while the rears, also Brembo had 4-pots. The suspension system consisted of double wishbones at all four corners.

The SLR boasted an amazing power-to-weight ratio of 2.8 kg per PS, which allowed the car to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds. Top speed: a cool 208 mph.