Tag: SLR

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Cars

The world’s most expensive car sold: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR "Uhlenhaut-Coupé" (W 196 S), 1955

When you hear the sentence, ‘the world’s most expensive car’, you might be thinking about Bugatti Chiron’s special edition. They cost more than €3 million, and that’s very expensive.

However, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR broke that record: €135 million by Sotheby’s on the 19th of May, 2022! I know classic cars are always more expensive than modern cars. But €135 million was not something commonly seen! So how can a car cost this much?

There were only two Mercedes-Benz 300SLR cars ever produced. They are both owned by Mercedes-Benz (MB) AG Germany. MB was never willing to sell the 300SLRs. The uniqueness of the 300SLR is not in the design: it is in the technology.

It was one of the first direct petrol injection engine cars, developing 310 PS from an 8-cylinder 3-lt engine with a top speed of 283 kph (176 mph) and only 7.4 seconds to reach 100 kph (62 mph). I know these numbers are not so exciting for 2022, but for 1955 it was groundbreaking. Also, the 300SLR was based on space frame chassis and only weighed 1.1-tonnes! Another interesting fact: the front brakes were on axles, unlike inside the wheels on a regular car, so, they can save weight with the wheels, and the car’s centre of gravity is improved. Additionally, brakes on axles will not lock the wheel easily (ancient ABS).

So, who was driving this car?
It was Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The designer of the car. 300SLR was his company car, and he drove it every day. However, the 300SLR runs very loud and it caused Rudolf Uhlenhaut to have permanent hearing loss. It is good to note too that despite having the 300SLR as the company car, it only had 6045 km.

So, who bought the 300SLR?
Someone wealthy and well connected. I don’t think the owner of the 300SLR is a lottery winner because Mercedes-Benz didn’t wish to sell this car for decades. Simon Kidston urged the Mercedes-Benz board to sell for 18 months…it was one of the toughest sales! I have no idea on the insurance premium for this car.

What happened to the €135 million?
Mercedes-Benz donated it to a foundation.

Is this car worth the money?
Yes! It was before its time and designed with the highest levels of engineering. Their performance figures can still challenge today’s sports cars!

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Rudolf Uhlenhaut
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Rudolf Uhlenhaut mit seinem Dienstwagen, gebaut auf der Basis des Mercedes-Benz Rennsportwagen 300 SLR (W 196 S), 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Muli-Nr. 533, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupé”, Baujahr 1955.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Rudolf Uhlenhaut und sein Sohn Roger mit einem Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR (W 196 S), während den Testfahrten auf der Monzabahn, im August 1955. Rudolf Uhlenhaut and his son Roger on a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S)racing car prototype, during the test runs on the Monza race track in August 1955.

Photos // Mercedes-Benz

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Cars

The Best Looking Car at Night from the Rear-End

Cars at night, here is the photo of the supercars with their tail lights at night. BMW Z4 is not a supercar but I have no idea how it ends up on this list. And also, I really wonder why there is no McLaren and Jaguar. I am definitely sure that, both of these brands look fantastic at night.
The list starts with Lamborghini Aventador, Aston Martin One-77, Ferrari Enzo, Maserati GranTurismo, Bugatti Veyron, Porsche Carrera GT, Audi R8, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Nissan GT-R and BMW Z4. The best looking car at night is Aston Martin One-77!
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Cars

Aston Martin CC100 Concept Similarities with SLR Stirling Moss and Smart Crossblade

Aston Martin CC100, the latest concept car from Aston Martin, which resemble to McLaren Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss Edition! Aston Martin CC100 is powered by V12 6-lt traditional Aston Martin engine with six-speed automatic gearbox. CC100 needs less than 4 seconds to reach 100 km/h and the top speed is 290 km/h.
Unfortunately, the distinctive design of CC100 is not that original for me. When I first saw the CC100, my brain recalled the SLR Stirling Moss Edition unconsciously. CC100 is a visionary car with the inspiration from 1950s LeMans racers. Therefore, CC100 and SLR Stirling Moss resemble that much. However, I cannot avoid the second resemble of CC100 with Smart Crossblade. Just have a look at the door panel CC100 and Smart Crossblade. They both have the same design of hole!
I am sure many people will go and buy the CC100 despite these design similarities.


Photos Credits
Smart, Aston Martin, Mercedes
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Cars

Porsche 918 Spyder with Electric Power

Porsche 918 Spyder, this new Porsche will take the space after Carrera GT left the production. Porsche 918 Spyder is a totally new concept, unlike Carrera GT it does not run on only petrol power, Porsche 918 runs with electric power as well. There are two electric engines are placed in 918 Spyder, one in front axle (122 PS) and the other one in rear axle (108 PS) act as a hybrid and runs with petrol engine. Moreover, 4.6-lt V8 petrol engine is also present and produces 570 PS of power. The combination of electric and petrol engines deliver more than 770 PS of power to Porsche 918 with only 3lt/km of consumption level! In addition, batteries can be charged by plug-in but charging times are not announced yet. The top speed is more than 325 kph (200 mph).
918 Spyder will also feature adaptive rear-axle steering and fully adaptive aerodynamics. Rear-axle steering can be found in BMW cars today and improves the cornering and parking significantly. Adaptive aerodynamics will be similar to Bugatti Veyron’s adaptive rear spoiler; acting as an air brake and improve handling at high speed.
Porsche 918 Spyder will go into production end of September 2013 and first delivery will be before the end of 2013. Porsche will be using carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFPR) to manufacture 918 Spyder. This enables to reduce the weight significantly and improve consumption, better handling and also better safety in higher speeds. As a result of this new technologies, Porsche defines the 918 Spyder as minimum consumption and maximum of performance.
According to press release and technical information, Porsche 918 Spyder will create a path in super car segment. During 2000s; we saw Ferrari Enzo, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Porsche Carrera GT and Ford GT. Each of these cars developed and improved the meaning of super car, and in following years we will a new type of super car territory. 

Specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder*

Body: Two-seater Spyder; carbon fibre reinforced plastics
(CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier;
two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system.

Drivetrain: Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-litre V8 mid-engine with drysump
lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and
decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit
on front axle; electrical system recuperation; four
cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery;
thermal management.

Engine Power: > 570 hp (V8 engine)
~ 90 kW (hybrid module on rear axle)
~ 80 kW (electric motor on front axle)
> 770 hp (combined)

Suspension: Double-wishbone front axle; optional electro-pneumatic
lift system on front axle; electro-mechanical power
steering; multi-link rear axle with adaptive electromechanical
system for individual rear wheel steering

Brake system: High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive
recuperation; ceramic brake discs (PCCB).

Energy supply: Lithium-ion battery with 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL
nominal), 202 kW maximum power and mainscompatible
plug-in charger.

Performance: Top speed > 325 km/h
purely electric > 150 km/h
Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h < 3.0 s

Consumption
(NEDC): Total ~ 3.0 l/100 km
CO2 emissions: Total ~ 70 g/km
Range: Purely electric > 25 km
* Provisional specifications

Pictures’ and Video’s Copyrights
Porsche
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Cars

Yin & Yang: Mercedes SLS AMG Cabrio

In Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang represent the interconnection of contrary forces. It may sounds a bit difficult, let me explain it with examples. In nature everything has yin and yang aspects; male and female, cold and hot, slow and fast, war and piece, good and bad, coupe and cabrio. This list can go forever with infinite different contrary forces.
Everything happens in the world has a good and bad sides, it is impossible to avoid this. If you wish to drive a super car, you need to pay lots of money. You cannot buy a brand new super car with cheap price tag. Because it is impossible in terms of manufacturing and finance! This is supported by yin and yang. Good and bad complete each other! Super car is the good side and expensive price tag is the bad side.
As you might noticed from the my previous posts, Mercedes SLS AMG is the my least favourite car. I would never ever buy one, except a bargain for a second hand. Honestly, I would still go for a second hand SLR instead of brand new SLS AMG. Because, SLS AMG is not able to reflect anything new like its predecessor 300SL! 300SL featured state of art three litre direct injection engine, but current retro interpretation just offers a 6,3 litre AMG engine with some modifications. This engine can be found in AMG tagged car, nothing really specially. And the design is not my favourite. But this is subjective, someone else can love it. Similar to my sympathy to SLS AMG Cabrio.
This new cabrio is something totally different than the dull looking SLS AMG! With this cabrio, they complete each other like yin and yang. The good is cabrio and the bad is coupe. I was not expecting this kind of state of art retro interpretation of 300SL. Red coloured canvas cabrio SLS AMG is the best-looking cabrio on market! And they did a great job to avoid the metal roof, which kills the all the harmony of open air sensation.
If you are planning to buy a SLS, just wait for the cabrio!

Pictures’ Copyrights
Mercedes

Published at: http://uygarr.blogspot.com https://carsandlife.net

Categories
Cars

Mercedes McLaren SLR Yo-Yo

I am not a fan of old cars. When there is a new model, I usual don’t like the previous one. There are some exceptions! When Mercedes revealed the ugly looking SLS AMG model, I felt the same. It is a retro interpretation of iconic model 300SL from 1954. But it was not the first time, unfortunately it was the second time! They did the same thing with SLR. It was also a retro interpretation of 300SL, but sales did not go that well.

Mercedes thought that, it is like a car similar to estate E Class and planned to keep producing it for seven years, which is very unusual for super car market. And it was not good enough to compete with Ferrari Enzo. They were introduced at the same time. Also Ferrari Enzo was not planned to be sold for seven years and 500 cars per year! With a basic maths, Mercedes planned to sell 3500 SLRs in seven years. This strategy is very normal for a dull E Class but it did not work with SLR!

Anyway, Mercedes introduced the SLS AMG which is cheaper than SLR and boring than SLR and worse looking than SLR and made from aluminium instead of carbon fibre. And SLS something turn into mass production “super” car. You can see it everywhere on earth, Mercedes loves to sell cars to everyone and destroy the uniqueness.

Anyway, I have just saw something in Mercedes merchandise store. I really wish to meet with the person, who is designing the products here. The SLR section offers yoyo covered with leather. What were you thinking while designing this product for SLR! SLR has a fluctuating sales figure and let’s represent this with a yo-yo! I could not find any plausible reason to offer a yo-yo with SLR name on it!

Mercedes did not like the SLR, we all know that but please don’t take revenge like this!
http://shop.mercedes-benzworld.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1541

Pictures’ Copyrights
Mercedes
Categories
Cars Fashion

Carbon Fibre Fashion

Carbon fibre became a very popular material in many different areas. It started with airplanes, formula 1 cars, normal cars, laptop computers, iPhone cases and many other things. Carbon fibre is a composite material. This means, it is a combination of carbon and fibre. More basically, it is a very strong plastic! Actually it is stronger than steal and also very light, therefore it is very expensive. This unique characteristics make is very popular for automotive and aerospace industry. Mercedes McLaren SLR was a carbon fibre car, all formula 1 cars are carbon fibre, some Porsche 911 models especially GT series have carbon fibre parts to reduce weight and sustain the same level of safety.
Interestingly this ugly looking material and offers the feeling of plastic become a fashion material. Actually I was afraid of this integration in fashion, because carbon fibre is like a plastic. You cannot feel the difference in fashion products and looks weird. For iPhone cases, it might be okay. Light and robust to damages, that’s fine. A fresh fashion designer from Prague decided to use carbon fibre in shoes, in women shoes! I am not kidding. She designed high heels made from carbon fibre, the material looks exactly the same as a car interior or some unpainted parts of Mercedes SLR.
In terms of creativity, this is a great integration but in terms of functionality I really wonder the benefit. With these carbon fibres shoes, you will use less calories to walk around and even if you use them for breaking some other things nothing would happen. Also you can run faster with these shoes, as they are lighter! Actually I have no idea how carbon fibre create a benefit for fashion.
For more details; Zuzana Serbak and Carbon Fibre
Pictures’ Copyrights
Mercedes, BMW, Zuzana Serbak
Categories
Cars

Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss Edition:The best and most forgotten

Sicily, where the Mediterranean sea meets with pure enjoyment of sun light. A great place to spend your holiday and experience Italian food. You will be forgetting daily stresses and refresh yourself.
However, Sicily is not a place to eat and swim! Sicily is the place for racing :) From 1927 to 1957, Sicily held Mille Miglia open road racing. What is Mille Miglia? It means thousands miles racing through the road Sicily. This is not a ordinary race with safety cars and thousands of cameras catching every single point. This race was drawing the between best and worst. Drivers, cars, team everyone was under heavy stress to finish this impossible race in public roads. As they push harder with drum brakes cars, they came closer to see their life like a movie! As you can expect, the cars racing at those years did not have sophisticated safety technologies like now. Actually, racing in Mille Miglia was racing with yourself!
In 1955, Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson with Mercedes 300SLR finished this 1597 km dangerous race in just 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds and average of 157 kilometres per hour. Basically, they achieved a record which cannot be achieved now, I think so! in 1955, driving at the average of 157 km/h is totally unbelievable. There was not ABS, traction control, carbon fibre or anything else; they had only their senses.
Hopefully; before the contemporary SLR’s production stops, Mercedes McLaren produced SLR Stirling Moss Limited Edition. Unfortunately, senseless SLS AMG’s PR campaigns shadowed the only SLR worth to buy!
This car is a combination of past and the future. In every single detail, you can see bits from the original 300 SLR and modern racing technology. This kind of integration between past and present cannot be achieved very easily. It could end up either too present or too past. But this did not happen with this SLR.
Probably in future, this SLR will be one people be paying huge amount money during the auctions. Sorry but the normal SLR will stay normal. And if you ever visit Sicily, don’t forget remember the Mille Miglia.
Pictures are taken from;
Mercedes, Autospies, Wikipedia Websites
Categories
Fashion

TAG Heuer Meridiist, Don’t Drive and Text !

TAG Heuer is one of the most magnificient watch brand on earth. If you are car lover and if you don’t love TAG Heuer Monaco; you either have no idea what that is or you don’t love cars! Nothing on earth can replace the place of Monaco :) Its unique character and being part of motoring world created this unique essence. Of course, TAG Heuer is not only Monaco, the Carrera, SLR Calibre and many other hand made watches are beyond the word of watch. Every unique model of TAG Heuer reflects a unique identity and targets different customer range and people who are buying each model are looking for something different.
Recently TAG Heuer introduced a mobile phone called Meridiist. It has the same unique identity like watches. Hand made with perfection of ultimate production, every button fits on this phone is made so precisely you have the same feeling like a handmade watch. Meridiist is one the best luxury mobile phone which can be purchased.
However I have found something really shocking! The teaser on Meridiist’s website is showing a man texting while driving. Yes, I found the same video clip on YouTube and the man is driving Mercedes McLaren SLR and while driving he is texting with Meridiist. As far as I know, driving and texting or talking is strictly forbidding anywhere on earth and TAG Heuer is playing a video which is showing texting and driving. I am pretty sure that, they have missed this point unless they will not place this video on internet.
You can understand this on picture below and please watch the time frame 0:55 and you will notice it.
Alternative link for video: http://www.vimeo.com/11075535

Pictures are taken from;
TAG Heuer’s Website

Categories
Cars

McLaren Aether, better than MP4-12C ?

I don’t like to start writing from a negative side but, I have to start this time. I have always mentioned that, a car should have a proper and pronounceable name! But the perfectionist car manufacturer McLaren produced the most sophisticated car on earth and name it like MP3 player!
After the McLaren F1, we did not see a road going version of a McLaren until the disaster of SLR McLaren. Technically SLR McLaren was a piece of engineering but this did not help to lost its value in second hand market. Engineers and consumers are thinking in a totally different way.

Engineer, it based on the word engine!  And that’s the most important part of the car and made from steel and does not have any emotions at all. Consumer, is based on the word consume. And that means, buy a product, consumer it, and throw it away. When engineer and consumer words intersect on business environment, which is called a car dealer, things may not go that well all the time! Consumers are expecting more than engineering in a car. They want passion, uniqueness, excitement and also a good name. Not something a like a chassis number or MP3 player as a name.

Unfortunately, McLaren’s success in car engineering cannot be observed when they name their cars :( May be Ron Dennis doesn’t like branding. And name their most important not in an appropriate way.

Nowadays; if you are going to reveal a car and planning to make a sensation, please focus on the branding a little bit more. Why? Because, people should remember your car easily, if they are planning to buy one and they should not associate unusual notions! Unfortunately, people might associate McLaren’s new car with something unusual, a MP3 or MP4 players. MP4-12C might sound cool or help engineers to separate it from Formula 1 cars, but it will not help to differentiate itself from its competitors! It is terribly hard to remember MP4-12C! Instead, everyone will call it “new McLaren” or “MP4 something”. They will not have problem to remember MP4, because there are MP4 players currently available on market!

Why I do write these thing on a Saturday night? Because, ideas were so strong in my mind and I could not stop writing it! This car is one of the most smart car on earth and it is not produced in Germany! That’s the important point, if a car is not produced in Germany and offering very sophisticated technology you must keep an eye on it :) I will mention only one feature of this car. There is an on board diagnostics system on this car, it may sound senseless for some of you but it is totally a revolution in car business. This car can detect a problem, identify it and contacts with workshop for preparing necessary part (it will communicate by mobile infrastructure not in a magical way). This kind of technology can be seen in some trucks or in air planes. Usually, in most of the cars there is an orange light or “please visit workshop” message to warn driver for any existing problem with the car. Moreover, it won’t describe the problem and never communicates with workshop.
McLaren is created a new era in automotive industry and ignoring the second most important thing after engineering in automotive industry, branding! Remember the Bugatti Atalante! Excellent engineering, state of art design and a unique name.

My suggestion; name this car as McLaren Aether. Aether is the first-born elemental Greek gods. He is the personification of the upper sky, space, and heaven in Greek Mythology. How long did it take to find this name? Only half an hour of reading a book about mythology :)