What could possibly be hotter than a “standard” Mercedes-McLaren SLR? Well, RML Group seem to have an answer, in the form of the track-ready SLR 722 GT. The bad news is that there is more chance of the sun freezing over tomorrow than the possibility of one these super-Mercs being made street legal.
By Kyle Kock
You can be guaranteed that this isn’t just an SLR with a few performance mods and a couple of other extra bits to justify the oh-so-obvious high pricing. RML Group is a reputed British motor racing specialist and upon repeated requests from members of the SLR. CLUB, has redeveloped more than 400 components on the car, to transform it into a limited edition racer of which only 21 will be built to compete in the SLR CLUB Trophy. This exclusive club is chaired by the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Dr. Dieter Zetsche himself and members include the likes of F1 racers David Coulthard and Jochen Mass. No wonder the estimated fetching price of a little short of R10 million is so easily settled.
What is obvious from the over-the-top bodywork is that this SLR definitely won’t be driving Miss Daisy anytime soon. Following extensive aerodynamic development, the new body kit includes a huge front splitter, wider fenders, side skirts, large rear diffuser and a fixed rear spoiler that make the SLR 722 GT look like it could race in F1, DTM and the 24 hours of Le Mans all at the same time. The track work this car is intended for is evident in the lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels with central locks to allow fast tyre changes during a race event.
The supercharged AMG 5,5-litre V8 engine now produces 507 kW and 830 N.m of torque at 1,75 bar boost thanks to a racing induction kit and sports exhaust, This unit is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel shift paddles that has been adapted to racing conditions. Although the lion’s share of the attention attention RML paid to the car is evident in aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, the SLR 722 GT is still capable of a zero to 100 km/h sprint of just 3,3-seconds and a top speed in excess of 300 km/h.
The newly-developed suspension set up includes a wheel allocation system at both front and rear, a modified stabiliser on the front axle and adjustable shock absorbers so the set-up can be made track-specific. The racing brakes comply with FIA GT regulations, so it features a modified cooling airflow and adjustable balance.
In true race fashion, the interior features a roll-cage, buckets seats with six-point harness, racing steering wheel and a re-designed instrument panel.
Click one of the options below to download a wallpaper of the Mercedes-McLaren SLR 722 GT: 800×600 OR 1024×768
