2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss: History, Engine, Performance, Styling, and Pricing

This SLR is a tribute to renowned British race driver Stirling Moss, who famously won the 1955 Mille Miglia race in Italy in the original Mercedes 300 SLR, in what remains a record time. Yet the SLR Stirling Moss is as much a reward for loyal Mercedes customers. Only those who have purchased previous SLR models (for a minimum of $495,000) will be offered a chance to buy the new SLR Stirling Moss.

The Stirling Moss is what's known as a speedster, though it is almost deliberately cartoon-ish in its exaggerated, arrow-shaped styling. Speedsters typically dispense with most of the windscreen, and with the roof entirely. The Stirling Moss will be equipped with two wind deflectors, less than an inch in height, strategically shaped to direct airflow away from its occupants' faces. It will also come with hard tonneau covers that can be placed over the cockpit opening or stored in the trunk. That for the passenger side can be used when the car is driven, though of course the driver's side tonneau can be installed only when the car is parked.

The Stirling Moss body and chassis are fashioned almost entirely from carbon fiber, which is formed in large ovens at extreme temperatures. Carbon fiber is much lighter than most metals, yet it's incredibly stiff, and it offers outstanding crash protection properties. The car is sculpted with a long hood, short rear overhang and functioning air scoops inside the bars that provide rollover protection. Its high, deep side skirts require side doors that swing upward in front, rather than outward like the typical car door.

Inside, the SLR Stirling Moss is an exercise in minimalism. Most of the exposed surfaces are polished carbon fiber, with a bit of aluminum trim and rugged leather on the seats. Those seats adjust manually, to forgo the weight added by electric motors, and there is no radio, telephone or phone interface included. Each car will have an aluminum plaque engraved with its number and Stirling Moss's autograph, next to the gear selector on the console.

Under its long, arrowhead hood, the SLR Stirling Moss has a supercharged, 5.5-liter V8 hand built by Mercedes' AMG performance division. The engine generates 650 horsepower and about 605 pound-feet of torque. Power flows to the rear wheels through a heavy-duty five-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted manually.

So equipped, the SLR squirts from a stop to 60 mph in about 3.2 seconds, with an unrestricted top speed of 217 mph. Of course, a driver shouldn't expect more than about 12 mpg traveling at a snail-like 75 mph.

Buyers who haven't purchased one of the 1500 SLRs already produced won't have a shot at the Stirling Moss; those who do have a chance to buy one may have to go to Europe to do so. It isn't clear at this point whether Mercedes will be able to certify the Stirling Moss for sale in North America without modifying the tiny wind deflectors, and it has no intention of doing so.

The SLR Stirling Moss has already been priced at 750,000 Euros. At current exchange rates, that translates to slightly more than $1 million.

There are plenty of impressive, expensive cars out there. Not all of them are dream cars; we all have our lists. Does this crack the F40, Reventon, 250 GT Spyder California, McLaren F1 range of "willing to do almost anything to get" cars?