Until recently, Mercedes-Benz could be considered a conservative automotive company. Occasionally they would drop a bombshell, releasing a peculiar beast such as the 300SEL 6.3 or Porsche influenced 500E/E500. The tie up with McLaren to produce the SLR didn’t seem too out of the ordinary, given the collaboration of the two concerns in Formula 1 racing. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was a bit of a 300SL revival, with its doors that swung vertically forward, two-seat layout and grilles on both front fenders. Mercedes had done supercars like this before, but no one could anticipate the special edition that was coming. The SLR Stirling Moss.
Named after the famed British racing driver and built to commemorate Mercedes’ participation in the famed Mille Miglia race, the SLR Stirling Moss was a purpose built, open-roofed hooligan. This car was a true speedster with no windscreen or roof, and shared little externally with the SLR Coupe and Roadster. A split cockpit and roll hoops completed the look, with a 640 horsepower, supercharged V8 provided the motivation. Available only to former SLR owners, only 75 examples would be built. For those wanting a rare and rather current collectable, you can find this Mercedes on offer in Frankfurt, Germany.
