Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss

Who do you think you are..?

Sir Stirling Moss. F1 legend, driving god, OBE, knight of the realm, and now…car. That’s right, Mercedes has unveiled the new SLR Stirling Moss, perhaps one of its wildest road cars ever.

There is no roof or windscreen to separate the driver and passenger from the elements as they hit the 217mph top speed. The 650bhp SLR Stirling Moss accelerates from 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and will cost a whopping 750,000 euros.

Production will be limited to 75 units and although production of the SLR Roadster will cease at the end of May 2009 as planned, production of the Stirling Moss will commence in June 2009.

The original 300 SLR won the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio as well as the Tourist Trophy. It was driven by the stars of the time: Juan Manual Fangio and Karl Kling – and, first and foremost, by the British racing driver Stirling Moss.

Mercedes says the new car is true to the ethos of the original by being sophisticated yet Spartan. There are just two wind deflectors a couple of centimetres in height to protect the driver and passenger from the airflow.

Two air scoops integrated into the bodywork serve as roll-over bars. The car is fitted with the SLR’s supercharged V8 and the bodywork is made entirely of carbon fibre.

And if you are wondering who is going to pay three quarters of a million pounds for the Stirling Moss, I’ll let the Mercedes press release explain: ‘The new SLR Stirling Moss is the kind of high-calibre speedster coveted by the sporting gentry and enthusiasts alike.’ Right.