#slr

As if Mercedes-Benz’ s SLR wasn’t amazing enough in factory form, Edo Competition might have built the ultimate variant of the SLR we have ever seen. Sporting 722-hp and 656 ft-lbs of torque, up from the factory 617-hp and 580 ft-lbs of torque, the Black Arrow is as fast as it is menacing. The 5.4L V8 supercharged engine has received a fine collection of engine modifications to go with the matte black exterior and 21-inch wheels.

In the course of its life, there were a few models of the SLR that were offered, the coupe, the roadster plus the 722 editions of those two body styles which had more power. However, at the end of its production life, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren brought out a final version of this car called the SLR Stirling Moss edition (named after the famed racing driver who won the Mille Miglia race in 1955 in the original 300SLR).

As much as the Japanese love modifying and tuning their cars, enthusiasts in the land of the rising sun love to get their hands on a fine German luxury car. While names like Brabus might be known best in Germany, Benz-tuner Carlsson has a huge following in Japan, thanks in part to its smart marketing efforts – like always displaying at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg recently repeated what he said a year ago by declaring that the horsepower war was indeed over. The last time he said it the Mercedes tuning experts at RENNTECH countered by announcing a 695 hp package for the 65 Series cars. This time they’re making their point even stronger by releasing a 777hp version of the iconic SLR.

That’s right…. 777hp!

There is more of a story behind the RENNTECH 777 than that, however. The supercar has actually been planned for quite a while and is the first of several special edition vehicles RENNTECH will release in 2009 to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary.

In order to get all that extra power – an addition of 160hp over the standard model – RENNTECH modified both the supercharger as well as the engine’s internals. Also key in the build was an upgraded cooling system.

With all that extra power RENNTECH engineers also reinforced the transmission and installed a new limited slip differential built by Japanese supplier OS Giken. The new diff can send up to 100 percent of the power to just one of the rear wheels – significantly improving the SLR’s cornering ability.

Most obvious, however, is the significantly redesigned exterior that looks considerably like the SLR 722 GT race car. RENNTECH designed the new aerodynamics using state-of-the-art CFD software – the same technology the company used to design the GLK Hybrid Rally Racerat the 2008 SEMA Show.

The RENNTECH 777 features a massive rear spoiler, a huge front splitter, a new hood and front bumper and even new side skirts that flow into significantly wider fenders.

In those fenders can be found a set of custom one-piece center-locking wheels.

RENNTECH founder Hartmut Feyhl had this to say about his latest creation: “It can be described as a street-legal track car, or something closer to what the enthusiasts were hoping for from the SLR, originally – which is more a successor to the McLaren F1.”

Feyhl also says that just 20 versions of the 777, (and of other 20th anniversary special editon models), will be built. “We intend to build a few different extreme vehicles like this for our 20th anniversary,” he says. “They are all very exciting projects, and we will be announcing them throughout the year, as they approach completion.”

Mark us down for a 666hp C63 Hartmut!

Official release after the jump:

Mercedes kicked off the Detroit Auto Show with the world premiere of its fabulously ridiculous SLR Stirling Moss.

It seems as though the Mercedes-McLaren partnership releases a new special edition version of the SLR every week. This week it’s the SLR Stirling Moss edition, a topless version of the SLR designed to celebrate Moss’s many Mille Miglia victories during the 1950s.

Ironically, Mercedes actually says the car that is not intended for the racetrack – hardly a fitting homage to Stirling Moss.

Power is still served up in massive doses, however, with the standard supercharged V-8 pumping out 650hp.

And while the supercar sans-windshield looks like something out of a Marvel Comic (or out of the Ambiguously Gay Duo’s garage), it does evoke a certain nostalgic resemblance to open-top autos from days gone by.

The design is undeniably unique and it’s hard not to love the front bumper redesign.
Located in the trunk are two body panels that can be placed over the open cockpit, transforming the sleek machine into a genuine automotive piece of sculpture.

The SLR Stirling Moss edition will also be priced like a piece of fine art at 750,00 Euros ($1.5 million). Only 75 units will be made.

Mercedes describes the Stirling Moss edition SLR as the “crowning glory” to the SLR family. One can only hope that means McLaren will now stop beating this dead horse.

Official press release after the jump: