Benz ups SLR ante

MERCEDES-BENZ has confirmed this week that its high-performance partner McLaren will build a limited-edition ‘722 S’ version of the million-dollar, left-hand drive-only SLR roadster.

Drawing its name from the 1955 Mille Miglia won by Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson in a Mercedes 300 SLK (number 722), the 722 S gets retuned suspension compared to the standard SLR – stiffer springs and shock absorbers, which lower the ride height 10mm – while the power source is the SLR’s familiar supercharged 5.4-litre V8 that comes in the same (higher) state of tune as last year’s 722 Edition coupe.

That means a power output of 478kW (650hp) and peak torque of 820Nm – up from the basic SLR’s 460kW/780Nm. McLaren claims the result is 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.7 seconds, with 200km/h reached in 10.6 seconds. Top speed is 335km/h – said to be unrivalled in the world of series-production roadsters.

As was the case with the 722 coupe, the 722 S roadster’s “hand-built” production run – which takes place at the Formula One workshops of McLaren in Woking, England – will be restricted to 150 units. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in January 2009.

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