Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
2003–2010 · Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren — Grand Tourer, V8 Supercharged, designed by Gorden Wagener.
The Story
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is the supercar two giants built together — Mercedes-AMG hand-building its 617 bhp 5.4-litre supercharged V8, McLaren crafting the carbon-fibre body and assembling the car in Woking. Conceived with input from Gordon Murray and styled under Mercedes’ Gorden Wagener, it revived the legendary 300 SLR name as a long-nosed, side-piped grand-touring supercar with a 207 mph top speed.
It was unlike anything else: a front-mid-engined, 5-speed-automatic 200-mph GT that split opinion (purists wanted a manual) but delivered a unique blend of Mercedes luxury and McLaren engineering. Special versions — the lighter 722 Edition, the Roadster, and the roofless 75-unit Stirling Moss — turned it into a collector ladder.
McLaren built 2,157 across 2003–2010. Long underrated, it’s now firmly appreciating: the only road car McLaren and Mercedes ever made together.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Gorden Wagener
German car designer, b. 3 Sept 1968 (Essen); joined Mercedes-Benz 1997, Chief Design Officer since 2016. Author of the ‘Sensual Purity’ philosophy that defines the modern Mercedes-Maybach look. FLAG: reported to step down 31 Jan 2026. Source: Wikipedia Gorden Wagener.
Studio Motors POV
The SLR McLaren is the unrepeatable one: the only car Mercedes and McLaren ever built together, long underrated and now appreciating. Buy the best Coupe you can — or chase a 722 / Stirling Moss for the blue-chip end.
The Engine
Mercedes-AMG M155 (V8)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About SLR McLaren
Worth Knowing About the SLR McLaren
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. A genuine two-company car: AMG hand-built the supercharged V8 in Germany, McLaren built the carbon body and assembled the car in Woking.
- 2. It's front-mid-engined with side-exit exhausts and (controversially) a 5-speed automatic — a 200-mph GT, not a stripped-out sports car.
- 3. The "722" Edition honours Stirling Moss's start number in his 1955 Mille Miglia win; the 75-unit Stirling Moss edition has no roof and no windscreen at all.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. 617 bhp (722 Edition: 641) from the AMG 5.4L supercharged V8; 207 mph.
- 2. Carbon-fibre body, hand-built by McLaren in Woking; 5-speed automatic.
- 3. 2,157 built, 2003–2010 (incl. Roadster, 722, 75× Stirling Moss).
- 4. Revives the 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR name.
- 5. Launch ~$452,750; now appreciating.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Jay Leno — owns a 2010 SLR and profiled it on Jay Leno’s Garage, calling it ‘unbreakable’ (MotorAuthority). Other reported owners include Michael Jordan and Robbie Williams.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The collector ladder runs base Coupe → Roadster → 722 Edition → the grail 75-unit Stirling Moss. Values are rising, especially for the specials. Check the carbon body and AMG engine service history. Buy it as the unrepeatable Mercedes-McLaren collaboration it is — appreciation is well underway.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 2003–2010
- Units built
- 2,157 (all variants)
- Variants
- SLR Roadster (convertible, 2007); 722 Edition (2006, 640 hp); 722 S Roadster; Stirling Moss (2009, roofless speedster, 75 units)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8 Supercharged
- Engine family
- Mercedes-AMG M155 (V8)
- Displacement
- 5.4L (5,439 cc) Supercharged V8
- Power
- 617 hp
- Torque
- 575 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 3.6 s
- Top speed
- 207 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 349 hp/tonne · 6.3 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-Speed Automatic (AMG SpeedShift 5G-Tronic)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-Wheel Drive (front-mid engine) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3896 lb
Questions
SLR McLaren FAQ
Who built the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren?
The SLR McLaren was a joint project: Mercedes-AMG hand-built the 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine in Affalterbach, while McLaren crafted the carbon-fibre body panels and assembled the complete car at its Woking facility.
How much horsepower does the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren produce?
The standard SLR McLaren produces 617 bhp and 575 lb-ft of torque from its AMG-built 5.4-litre supercharged V8, with later variants such as the 722 Edition producing 641 bhp.
How many Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens were built?
McLaren produced 2,157 SLR McLarens across all variants — Coupe, Roadster, 722 Edition Coupe, 722 S Roadster, and the 75-unit Stirling Moss — between 2003 and 2010.
How much is a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren worth today?
A Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren’s value depends heavily on which of the 2,157 cars built between 2003 and 2010 you’re looking at. Standard coupes — originally around $452,750 in 2005 — form the accessible end of the range, while the 722 Edition and especially the roofless Stirling Moss, just 75 built in 2009, command multi-million-dollar money at auction. With its McLaren-built carbon body and supercharged AMG V8, provenance and history are central to any appraisal. Values move; ask Studio Motors for a current valuation.
How does the SLR McLaren compare to the Ferrari Enzo?
The Ferrari Enzo was introduced first (2002 reveal/2003 production), while the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren launched as a 2003 model. The Enzo emphasised track performance with a naturally aspirated V12 and 218 mph top speed; the SLR answered with a supercharged V8, 207 mph, and a true grand-tourer interior with luggage space.
Can you lease or finance a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren?
Yes. Specialty lenders structure collector-car leases and loans on appreciating classics including the SLR McLaren.
Buy, sell, source or lease this SLR McLaren.
Studio Motors operates outside the dealership model — nationwide and off-market sourcing, custom lease structures, trade-in coordination. Tell us what you’re chasing.
