The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German sports car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built jointly in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. Daimler AG, owner of Mercedes-Benz, also owns 40% of the McLaren Group. Due to the presence of the automatic gear box, front mid-engined arrangement and its driving characteristics lead some commentators to classify the SLR McLaren as a GT whose rivals can be considered to be eg the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and Ferrari 599 GTB. It is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world. SLR stands for “Sport, Leicht, Rennsport” (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz has stated that they will build 3500 SLRs in a span of 7 years, with an annual production of only 500 cars. The car’s base price is GB£300000 (approx. US$495000 or €475000, c. 2007). The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR of 1955, based on the W196 F1 car, yet named after the road-going 300SL Gullwing. On 4 April 2008, Mercedes announced they will cease production of the SLR. The last of the coupes rolled off the production line at the end of 2007 and the roadster version is due to be discontinued in early 2009. 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 1200°C. The front discs are internally vented and 370 mm …

FORMORE CAR VIDEOS & REVIEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com Saleen S5S Raptor. According to Saleen, a production version of their latest supercar concept could be on the road in two years, cost just shy of $200000, and go from zero to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds on its way to a top speed beyond 200 mph. The 200-mph engine is a supercharged 5.0-liter engine that puts out 650 horsepower, 630 pound-feet of torque and runs on ethanol. That green-tinged energy is sent through a six-speed manual or optional paddle-shifting sequential transmission. Accompanying the bright yellow paint is a set of 20-inch wheels with a carbon fiber finish, sheltering big 15-inch brake rotors in front and 13-inchers at the rear. Kelley Blue Book’s Micah Muzio walks around the latest Saleen with designer David Byron. For more new car reviews, interviews and automotive news visit kbb.com today.