Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is grand tourer car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England and sold from 2003 to 2009. When it was developed, German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz owned 40 percent of the McLaren Group.
Due to the automatic gear box, front mid-engined arrangement, and its driving characteristics, some commentators classify the SLR McLaren as a GT, whose rivals would be vehicles such as the Aston Martin DBS V12 and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.
SLR stands for "Sport, Leicht, Rennsport" (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz stated that they would build 3,500 SLRs over seven years, with an annual production of 500 cars

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe & Racecar of 1955, which was a modified Mercedes-Benz W196 F1 race car. It was introduced on 17 November 2003. On 4 April 2008, Mercedes announced that they would cease production of the SLR. The last of the coupes rolled off the production line at the end of 2007 and the roadster version was discontinued in early 2008.

The SLR features Sensotronic, a type of brake-by-wire system.The brake discs are carbon-ceramic and provide better stopping power and fade resistance than steel discs when operating under ideal working temperature. Mercedes-Benz claims these discs are fade resistant to 1,200 °C (2,200 °F). The front discs are internally vented and 370 mm (15 in) diameter eight-piston callipers are used. Rear discs are 360 mm (14 in) in diameter with four-piston callipers. During wet conditions the callipers automatically skim the surface of the discs to keep them dry.