The SLR was never going to be a new F1. This was always going to be a front-engined, rear-drive coupé. It was always going to be left-hand drive only, too, as the small demand for right-hand drive cars didn’t justify the expense of re-engineering. And it was always going to be a car that needed to share a genetic link with the rest of the Mercedes range.
That everyone knows it’s a Mercedes proves the DNA strand has worked. But there’s no hiding from the fact that the SLR isn’t beautiful. The bonnet is ludicrously long, and the rear light clusters have a slight aftermarket twinkle. Then again, it was styled to shock and, in that, it succeeds.
The reason for the SLR having a staggering 2.8 metres between the steering wheel and the tip of its nose is the need to place a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 behind the line of the front axle and pass all present and known future crash tests. It’s almost a front- and a mid-engined coupé.
The powertrain is unlike anything seen in a supercar before. Not in terms of power; 626bhp at 6500rpm from 5439cc is bang on the money for a supercar these days, although 575lb ft of torque on demand from 3250-5000rpm is fairly astonishing. But it’s the transmission that tells you everything you need to know about the SLR. This is the first supercar to use a proper automatic gearbox.
The SLR’s carbonfibre tub brings extraordinary torsional rigidity and crash strength. Ceramic brakes take the Formula One connection another step further. They also work in conjunction with a world first: an air brake.
With a claimed maximum speed of 207mph, much of McLaren’s influence on the SLR came in the wind tunnel. A complicated front splitter and rear diffuser channel air in and out of the underbody area, but the most interesting aspect is the side-mounted exhaust. Pipes and catalysts would have created unwanted turbulence if mounted under the floor, so the pipes exit behind both front wheels.