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2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Safety Review

July 28, 2008

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Exceptional energy absorption in a collision
ForbesAutos

For rollover protection, two roll hoops have been fitted
Road & Track

Construction promises a very high level of occupant protection
Edmunds

Racecars are designed to run long distances at very high speeds, but automakers know that high-speed races mean high-speed crashes. To protect their valuable drivers, racecar manufacturers incorporate some of the most advanced safety features in their designs, and many of these have found their way into the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not performed crash tests on the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, reviewers expect that, in the event of a crash in this Mercedes-Benz, 2008’s SLR will perform well.

Unlike most cars, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren's body is made almost completely of carbon fiber. Popular Mechanics notes that this is "the same kind of lightweight, high-strength, carbon-fiber technology as the Formula One race cars" that McLaren builds. Edmunds feels that this construction on the Mercedes-Benz 2008 "promises a very high level of occupant protection," and ForbesAutos thinks the carbon fiber body will "afford exceptional energy absorption in a collision." In a further testament to the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren's safety credentials, when AMG executive Wolf Zimmermann claimed that "the SLR is the safest roadster in the world," Automobile finds "no reason to doubt his assertion."

For the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster, Mercedes has built steel bars into the vehicle's A-pillars, along with a pair of fixed rollover bars. Edmunds finds that "other standard safety features include side and side curtain airbags, knee-protecting airbags, TeleAid, stability control, traction control and carbon ceramic antilock brakes." Hurting overall safety and drivability on the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is the "limited" rear visibility, thanks to the "high rear deck," which becomes "nearly nonexistent when braking at higher speeds when the spoiler deploys upward," according to reviewers at the San Francisco Chronicle. Motor Trend also complains that "Apexes are obscured by the hefty A-pillars."

Conclusion

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is designed to withstand crashes at even the top end of its speed envelope, but no independent testing has been done.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:Exceptional energy absorption in a collisionForbesAutosFor rollover protection, two roll hoops have been fittedRoad & TrackConstruction promises a very high level of occupant protectionEdmunds Racecars are designed to run long distances at very high speeds, but automakers know that high-speed races mean high-speed crashes. To protect their valuable drivers, racecar manufacturers incorporate some of the most advanced safety features in their designs, and many of these have found their way into the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not performed crash tests on the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, reviewers expect that, in the event of a crash in this Mercedes-Benz, 2008’s SLR will perform well. Unlike most cars, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren's body is made almost completely of carbon fiber. Popular Mechanics notes that this is "the same kind of lightweight, high-strength, carbon-fiber technology as the Formula One race cars" that McLaren builds. Edmunds feels that this construction on the Mercedes-Benz 2008 "promises a very high level of occupant protection," and ForbesAutos thinks the carbon fiber body will "afford exceptional energy absorption in a collision." In a further testament to the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren's safety credentials, when AMG executive Wolf Zimmermann claimed that "the SLR is the safest roadster in the world," Automobile finds "no reason to doubt his assertion." For the 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster, Mercedes has built steel bars into the vehicle's A-pillars, along with a pair of fixed rollover bars. Edmunds finds that "other standard safety features include side and side curtain airbags, knee-protecting airbags, TeleAid, stability control, traction control and carbon ceramic antilock brakes." Hurting overall safety and drivability on the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is the "limited" rear visibility, thanks to the "high rear deck," which becomes "nearly nonexistent when braking at higher speeds when the spoiler deploys upward," according to reviewers at the San Francisco Chronicle. Motor Trend also complains that "Apexes are obscured by the hefty A-pillars." ConclusionThe 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is designed to withstand crashes at even the top end of its speed envelope, but no independent testing has been done.  2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR MCLAREN STYLING | [9 out of 10] ForbesAutos: "Turns heads wherever it goes" Motor Trend: "Apexes are obscured by the hefty A-pillars" Edmunds: "Definitively German cabin adorned in leather, carbon fiber and aluminum" When it comes to head-turning, jaw-dropping ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren's ungodly performance is matched by few cars. Lamborghini's V-12-powered Murcielago comes close and offers all-wheel drive to boot. The Porsche 911 Turbo can also be ordered in a roadster form, while the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 promises to be the fastest, most expensive Corvette ever when it goes on sale next year.

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See the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

Comments (1 total)

  1. By  Sher #1, Posted: 7/7/2008

    Love your site

    Just wanted to let you know your site is great. Very informative

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