German auto maker Mercedes-Benz announced its offer for 2008 the SLR McLaren super sports car.

With trademark quality Mercedes parts like Mercedes car headlights, the vehicle exudes the latest Formula 1 technology from the Vodafone-McLaren-Mercedes racing team. SLR McLarens handling characteristics is provided by the carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials that comprises the vehicle. Of course, safety is not a question here, since Mercedes is known for excellent safety features.

Because of its fully retractable top, the SLR McLaren gives excellent open-air driving experience that is suitable for daily use. To achieve a top speed of 207 mph, the car is powered by a supercharged compressor 617-hp AMG V8 engine that measures 5.5-liter.

Since this vehicle has the Formula 1 technology, it can be concluded that it links with the racing cars. The Formula 1 silver arrow visually depicts this link. The style of the 50s lives on with this vehicle due to the lateral louvers, side pipes behind the front wheels and the wide-opening gull wing doors.

The SLR is fully designed to yield top performance. It has refined roof material, which is available in three different hues. It does not only assure daily comfortable use. It also promises a high-performance sports car with attributes which were only associated before to closed cars. In fact, you can sill talk to your fellow passenger over 120mph on open-air journeys. And that is because of the aero acoustics.

In less than ten seconds, you will experience opening or closing of the semi-automatic roof. You need to simply unlock the roof from the windshield frame and briefly raise it to open the roof. Then it folds electrically. An aluminum cover is installed into its front area so the roof closes very classy.

The wind tunnel gives excellent levels of handling, aero acoustics and aerodynamic efficiency. The 2008 SLR McLaren also has the aerodynamic concept found on the SLR coupe. This concept includes an airbrake installed into the access lid and a diffuser in the rear bumper. This provides increased down force on the rear axle.

Still part of the Formula 1 technology that are found in the 2008 SLR are high-performance carbon-ceramic brake discs for excellent braking performance, and the unique front-mid-engine design yields optimum weight distribution. The supercharged compressor that is 5.5-liter AMG V8 engine has a 617-hp and a maximum torque of 575 lb.ft. This is matched with an AMG Speed shift R five-speed automatic transmission that propels the vehicle starting from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

Mercedes would never destroy its image when it comes to car safety features. Safety is assured in this vehicle by the unique carbon-fiber crash elements, steel-reinforced A-pillars and two fixed roll-over bars. Further included are adaptive airbags, knee and side airbags as well as seat belt tension detectors and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

Semi-aniline-leather-upholstered carbon-fiber bucket seats (which can be individually adapted to the driver and front passenger through various seat pads sizes), dual-zone automatic air-conditioning (which is suitable for hot season), a high-quality BOSE premium sound system (for a cool and relaxing ride), and a multifunction sport steering wheel with shift paddles (that adds to the sporty image of the SLR) are the exclusive standard equipment found in the 2008 SLR McLaren.

To be delivered in the US in the fall season this year, the new Mercedes-Benz SLR is manufactured at McLaren’s Formula 1 factory in Woking, England.

Dwyane Thomas is a part time cook and full-time auto-enthusiast. This 31-year old Civil and Environmental graduate is a consultant at one of the engineering firms in Pennsylvania.