Tag Archives: McLaren

News

20 years of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Two decades ago, Mercedes-Benz premiered a new sports grand tourer developed with British automobile manufacturer McLaren Automotive, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. It was produced until 2010, and 2,157 units left the production line. On this occasion, the company organized an exhibition of these cars, and the most attention was attracted by SLR Stirling Moss, SLR by MSO, SLR HDK and SLR 722 GT Prototype.

McLaren organized a series of events at its McLaren Technology Center (MTC) in Woking, UK, not only to pay tribute to the car but also to the people behind its creation, with several members of the original team still working for McLaren.

Cars appeared on MTC Boulevard with displays showing the evolution of supercars. The event was also attended by enthusiasts from the SRL Club (the global association of Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren owners), along with members of the McLaren team who contributed to the creation of the legendary model.

The story begins in 1999 when the Vision SLR concept was presented, and a year later the SLR concept. A team of former McLaren mechanics from Formula 1 worked on it, and it was also the first hand-assembled car at the MTC (McLaren Technology Centre). The design is closely linked to the Mercedes vision, which has been brought to life through innovative engineering and the use of McLaren’s expertise in carbon composites.

The car is powered by a 5.4 L supercharged M155 SLR V8 engine with 617 hp (460 kW) and 575 lb-ft (780 Nm) of torque. power is sent to the rear wheels via the AMG SPEEDSHIFT R five-speed automatic transmission with three manual modes. It reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h).

In 2009, the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss arrived on the market, a limited edition variant with speedster styling that does not include a roof or a windscreen. It was powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter SLR AMG V8 engine with 641 hp (478 kW). It accelerated to 62 mph in 3 seconds with a top speed of 217 mph (350 km/h).

In 2011, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) announced a bespoke program for the SLR, introducing the Mercedes SLR McLaren Edition. The car features revised bodywork and interior parts, upgraded steering and suspension components and a new titanium sports exhaust.

Last year, McLaren Special Operations introduced the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren HDK (High Downforce Kit), a road-going version of the SLR 722 GT. The car arrives with many improvements, but also a modified variant of the M155 V8 with 680 hp (507 kW).

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Gallery:

20 years of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Tuning

McLaren 650S with new body kit

At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show the British automaker unveiled its new sports car, the McLaren 650S. It was produced until 2017 and was offered in two versions, retractable hard-top convertible (Spider) and coupe. Even though it is a car, which many believe attracts the eyes of many with its design, and should not stand out more, the tuner Zacoe made the car more impressive with a special equipnemt kit.

Inspired by various McLaren racing cars, Zacoe designed a wide body kit for the 650S. Most noticeable is the large rear wing, apparently designed under the influence of the M8D Can-Am driven by Bruce McLaren. There is also a new diffuser that not only looks great but also contributes to aerodynamics. Attention is also drawn to the redesigned rear part of the car where the exhaust system (designed by Frequency Intelligence Exhaust) is at the top, and found inspiration in the McLaren 600LT.

The car also received new aerodynamic rally-inspired disc rims, as well as extended front and rear wheel arches. Zacoe also prepared the wings and placed them behind the front wheels, something similar to the case of the 720S GT3X model. The rest of the car is adorned with a lightweight carbon fiber hood, front fender vents and a front lip spoiler, just like the racing 650S GT3.

Under the hood, there were no changes. McLaren 650S is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8L V8 engine with 641 hp (478 kW) and 500 lb-ft (678Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch Seamless-Shift gearbox (SSG). It reaches 62 mph in 3.0 seconds, 124 mph (200 km/h) in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 204 mph (329 km/h).

Gallery:

McLaren 650S with new body kit

Source: Zacoe

News

Lanzante 930 TAG Turbo

It’s not often that we see a road legal car powered by a Formula 1 engine, but there are always exceptions. Such is the case with this Lanzante 930 TAG Turbo which is powered by a Formula 1 V6 engine.

In order to compete with Renault, McLaren joined forces with TAG and Porsche in 1982 to jointly develop a turbocharged F1 engine. The creative behind it is Hans Mezger, the legendary Porsche engineer who designed some of the best high-performance engines. When the engine was developed to be tested, it was installed in a road-going Porsche 911 Turbo. This later inspired Dean Lanzante to build this specimen. The same engine powered McLaren cars in the 1984 and 1985 Formula 1 seasons.

Lanzante bought 11 engines to be able to produce 11 unique examples of the 930. To fit the 1.5 liter V6 engine Lanzante teamed up with Cosworth but power had to be reduced from a massive 1,000 hp (735 kW) to a road legal 503 hp (370 kW) and 311 lb-ft (422 Nm) of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox with a limited slip differential. That was enough for the car to reach a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph).

The car is equipped with a new radiator, new shock absorbers and carbon brakes, carbon and aluminum components, which reduces the weight by 200 kg, but there is no traction control system. It is mounted on 17″ Ruf wheels.

Gallery:

Lanzante 930 TAG Turbo

Source: Lanzante