Top Cars

Things got just a bit brighter for the Detroit Auto Show. Mercedes-Benz will officially unveil what will surely be one of the most attention-grabbing cars in Cobo Hall, the 2009 McLaren SLR Stirling Moss. The boldly styled Merc will be the last vehicle built under the partnership with McLaren, and even at a cost of €750,000 Mercedes should have no trouble finding buyers for the 75-car allotment. Each will feature full carbon fiber bodywork wrapped over the standard version, a 650-hp supercharged 5.5-liter V8 and the five-speed automatic transplanted from the SLR 722. Despite lacking any sort of roof or proper windscreen, the Stirling Moss can still achieve a top speed of 217 mph and can reach 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Other unique features include "swing-wing" doors, a retractable air brake that can be operated manually and a two-piece tonneau cover (stored in the trunk) that can cover the entire cockpit or just the passenger seat. Check out the gallery below for high-resolution images, and expect plenty more when we see the car live in Detroit.