[stickshift]

Why is the Merc mcLaren so unloved? Looking at the performance status it beats other supercars in most categories:

from Wikipedia:

Comparison
Despite its near 2-ton weight, the fuel economy is generally better than the lighter Lamborghini Murciélago, and even its lighter, less expensive, less powerful sibling, Gallardo.[6] Still, on the Episode 2 from Season 13 of BBC car show Top Gear the Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV performed as well as the SLR McLaren 722 Edition during a race special in Abu Dhabi. Also, the same show put the SLR and the Porsche Carrera GT on its track, and after multiple attempts, the Porsche beat the SLR-McLaren by just over a second (1:19.8 vs. 1:20.9[7]). However, on a separate race around their short track, the SLR was fractionally quicker than the Carrera GT. In a straight line, the SLR is quicker after around 100 miles per hour.

[RoadTripper]

I think it is unloved b/c it is in no man's land, to some degree. It is a big GT car with a long hood, luxurious appointments, yet the racing house of McLaren was hired to try to put its DNA in the design and production.

So a company all about light weight, high power to weight ratios and carbon fiber is constructing a big, heavy, luxury grand touring car. It's like Lotus building a low slung Bentley. The partnership was doomed from the get go.

Today AMG would obviously be in charge of the SLR, but not sure why M-B couldn't have managed the project alone. Why did M-B feel McLaren was needed for this project?

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by RoadTripper

Today AMG would obviously be in charge of the SLR, but not sure why M-B couldn't have managed the project alone. Why did M-B feel McLaren was needed for this project?

Guess it was one of these projects that they were hoping to end up with the best of both worlds - luxury, reliability, light weight, sports but also a GT car - but like most of these projects just ended up with a compromised big heavy GT.

[Peloton25]

During his keynote address at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena back in 2005, Gordon Murray explained that the SLR was never the car that McLaren wanted to build.

Gordon had come up with a different supercar concept for Mercedes Benz that more closely resembled what you'd expect from them at the same time their own internal designers unveiled the Mercedes Vision SLR concept to the world at NAIAS in 1999. The reaction to their concept was so overwhelming that Mercedes felt that to not put it in production would have been a mistake.

They entered into the partnership with McLaren and eventually purchased a 40% stake in the company, tasking McLaren with taking their concept and making it a reality. Gordon said the first time they put a scale model of the SLR in the wind tunnel the rear end of the car lifted off the ground at speed.

He further expanded on the development process which involved him making near weekly trips to Stuttgart where across the table would be 12 or 13 engineers from MBZ working on one particular aspect of the car, and him as the lone representative from McLaren trying to tell them why they needed to do things a different way. Gordon certainly didn't win every battle, and the car - as a true sports car - suffered because of that.

One of the battles he never thought he'd have to fight was getting the exhaust to exit out the side of the car instead of at the rear where it would disrupt the design of the rear diffuser that was badly needed to stabilize the aerodynamics. Mercedes' engineers told Gordon that they didn't do side exhausts on their cars to which Gordon responded by showing them a photograph of the 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SLR, which of course had side exiting exhaust pipes.

Here's an image of the slide Gordon shared of the basic concept they presented to MBZ. No doubt it would have had similar functional characteristics to the McLaren F1 with a focus on light weight and exceptional performance. It just wasn't to be and in the end the entire process of designing and engineering the SLR caused Gordon to feel he was no longer in control at McLaren Cars and that was one of his primary reasons for leaving.

>8^)
ER

[6th element]

I like it. I find it's a very pretty car to look at certainly isn't short on character and theatre. Sounds great, too. I almost had a chance to take one up to 200 MPH a couple years back with World Class Driving, but sadly it was overheating or having brake issues (can't remember which) before my turn.

I also think the roadster version is a stunner - one of the coolest open-top supercars.

It does feel more Benz than McLaren, to me, but that is just fine. Either way, I'd take it over the new Merc SLS for sure.

If the 12C turns out to be a reliable, high-quality product, we will owe much of that to McLaren's involvement in production of the SLR.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by 6th element

It does feel more Benz than McLaren, to me, but that is just fine. Either way, I'd take it over the new Merc SLS for sure.

.

I have to agree design wise, I do prefer it to the SLS. SLS just looks strange from too many different angles.

[HyperMac954]

Likewise. In fact I just put a bid in a on an SLR. I think they'll also age VERY well. Particularly in the niche of being the McLaren car effectively between McLaren production cars (the F1 and the 12C). Plus, hell, one day I might just have enough moneys to buy an F1 (at which they'll be $6-8M), and I'd love to own a whole set... HAHA

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by HyperMac954

Likewise. In fact I just put a bid in a on an SLR. I think they'll also age VERY well. Particularly in the niche of being the McLaren car effectively between McLaren production cars (the F1 and the 12C). Plus, hell, one day I might just have enough moneys to buy an F1 (at which they'll be $6-8M), and I'd love to own a whole set... HAHA

Have you driven one?

[HyperMac954]

Yeah. I enjoyed it tremendously. It obviously isn't a track monster. It's a Mercedes w/ some McLaren accoutrement. And the noise it makes. Glorious.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by HyperMac954

Yeah. I enjoyed it tremendously. It obviously isn't a track monster. It's a Mercedes w/ some McLaren accoutrement. And the noise it makes. Glorious.

Thanks, how were the brakes?

[HyperMac954]

I didn't really push it, so anything I have to say about the brakes simply applies to everyday, average use. In that sense, they felt fine.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by HyperMac954

I didn't really push it, so anything I have to say about the brakes simply applies to everyday, average use. In that sense, they felt fine.

Good to hear. All the reviews indicated they were impressive but either fully on or not with not much feel.

[Mclaren-tech]

The brakes on the SLR are huge and very impressive. The odd feel that everyone complains about is due to the Mercedes SBC electronic brake system that is installed. Certainly something McLaren did not want to use but again Mercedes where paying for the development so on it goes. Once you have a few miles under your belt in the car, they feel fine, there is thousands of SL and E class Benz's running around with the same system.
I love the SLR, the build quality and engineering is second to none , all Mclaren and the compromise is all Mercedes.
Its my favorite car for what it is and i would own one in a heart beat !

[AugustWest]

I've never been much a fan of the styling (which I think came from the set of Alien/Giger). The interior is also a let-down - WAY to plain/teutonic/bland for a car that is supposedly special (and especially one that costs this much)...

They are build exceptionally well, however, and a few moments poking around in one is pretty impressive. And - it's almost impossible to find fault with the motor!

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by AugustWest

I've never been much a fan of the styling (which I think came from the set of Alien/Giger).

The styling was clearly inspired by Henson.

>8^)
ER