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Mercedes McLaren SLR Speedster (2009): spyshots
By
Ben Whitworth
Spy shots
12 August 2008 11:59
The SLR is going out with a bang – this radical stripped-out Speedster version is the swan song for the fraught McLaren Mercedes collaboration. And it’s some farewell model – based on the hardcore 722 version, the Speedster is lighter and harder, delivering white-knuckle 200mph performance. And at around £600,000 plus local taxes, it’s rather dear too, with only 75 mooted for production.
Is that tiny screen all you get to protect you from the elements in the Mercedes SLR Speedster?
Yes, in a word. Full-face helmets will be mandatory for the Speedster’s well-heeled owners. We say Speedster, but beyond its internal codename of Z199, Mercedes has yet to name the two-seater. Unlike the standard SLR and 722 variant, the Z199 will be stripped back to its basics. Ditching the front and rear screen, wing mirrors, climate control and electric seats is expected to shave a healthy 200kg off the car’s kerb weight.
Won't decapitating the car turn it into a fast-moving blancmange?
Because the chassis is underpinned by an ultra-stiff carbonfibre cradle, lopping off the roof – another handy bit of weight saving - won't have any impact on the car’s structural rigidity. To protect your noggin in the event of a rollover, the Speedster is fitted with trademark roll hoops and double-humps – themselves reminiscent of the streamlined Silver Arrows that Mercedes raced in the 1930s and again in the 1950s. And that trio of tiny rear-view mirrors suspended on stalks is pure Can-Am…
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