| The Mercedes-Benz SLR acquired a dedicated | | | | because of its motor-racing genes and the |
| status in the world of motor racing during the | | | | throughout use of high-tech materials that, despite |
| mid-1950s. Aside from its long list of legendary | | | | all their inherent benefits, are generally only ever |
| race victories, its cutting edge technology and | | | | found in a few individual components of even |
| thrilling design instantly transformed it into a | | | | premium series-production cars due to the high |
| blueprint for all high-caliber Gran Turismo touring | | | | costs and well detailed manufacturing processes |
| cars. | | | | involved. |
| To receive a world premiere in autumn 2007, the | | | | This is particularly true to the high-strength but |
| new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is | | | | lightweight carbon-fiber composite materials |
| likewise equipped with charisma and technology | | | | (CFRP) that are utilized. Mercedes-Benz and |
| that is ahead of its time. Just like today's Formula | | | | McLaren, its Formula 1 partner, have gained a |
| 1 racing cars, it boasts a carbon-fiber construction | | | | number of years of experience with this material |
| that gives it very high levels of safety and | | | | that is conventionally used in the aviation and |
| exceptional torsion stiffness on a par with the | | | | space industries. In an impact, carbon fibers have |
| Coupé version. To produce outstanding | | | | a level of energy absorption which is four to five |
| handling characteristics, the construction blends | | | | times higher than that of steel or aluminum. The |
| with a with motorsport origins. The 460-kW | | | | weight advantage of this high-tech material over |
| 626-hp AMG supercharged V8 engine under the | | | | steel is about 50 per cent. |
| hood of the new high-performance sports car | | | | The new high-performance Roadster invested on |
| pushes it to a maximum speed of 332 km/h, | | | | all of these benefits. The complex carbon-fiber |
| matching the outstanding mark set by the | | | | technology has furthermore undergone a modern |
| Coupé. Its occupants never have to | | | | redevelopment for the Roadster's monocoque. As |
| compromise on comfort or everyday practicality | | | | a result, there is low weight as well as excellent |
| despite of the fact that the Roadster comes with | | | | energy absorption due to the unique carbon-fiber |
| a fully retractable soft top to flux pure open-air | | | | crash structures, which imply excellent occupant |
| driving felicity with the ultimate in performance. In | | | | safety, plus a level of torsional stiffness that is |
| this manner, the Roadster succeeds in taking | | | | beyond comparable for an open-top car. This |
| driving culture and motoring pleasure into an | | | | gives rise to the sort of sparkling performance |
| entirely new dimension for open-top super sports | | | | that is normally the preserved idea of super |
| cars. | | | | sports cars with a fixed roof. |
| Among the ranks of high-performance open-top | | | | Should you want to change the air intake of your |
| sports cars, the SLR McLaren Roadster is in hock | | | | McLaren, check your owner's manual and see if |
| to carve out a very special name for it. This is | | | | an Ingen cold air intake can be a remedy. |