McLaren Special Operations is the place you go to if your McLaren F1 needs a service or if want a particularly interesting paint job on your new Artura or Senna. However, there is another car that MSO also looks after and it’s a model for which there is a particular fondness: The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
Launched in the era of supercars like the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo, the mad Super GT with the side exit exhausts and supercharged V8 has always been something of a curiosity. It wasn’t well received when the press first drove it (understandably), but with the benefit of time, views seem to have mellowed. The SLR has also seen numerous iterations over the years and now there is perhaps the best version of all: the HDK. Those letters stand for High Downforce Kit and the car has indeed been treated to a big wing and diffuser, but there is much more to it than that.
The inspiration for this limited edition (just 12 will be built) is the even wilder 722 GT prototype, a race car that was built under the gaze of Gordon Murray but which never raced. Rarely seen, we managed to get it into the studio for this film. The SLR did eventually go racing, but those cars, built by RML, were never quite as crazy or beautiful as this original prototype.
And now, 20 years later, there is a road-going version, with a paint job that might have leapt from a Disney Cars movie. It is an intentionally fun design that is meant to bring out the child in all of us and the SLR HDK is certainly a car that makes you smile when you get behind the wheel. It is intimidating and fast and yet also quite easy to drive thanks to its automatic gearbox and mountain of torque. There is both the sense that you’re driving something very close to a race car and yet also the feeling that you are in a GT, complete with corduroy upholstery on the bucket seats!
At the end of the day, the SLR HDK is really just a bit of fun. A bit of fun that is capable of over 200mph – a speed which this particular car has done on numerous occasions, because it has covered over 90,000miles as a pre production prototype (PP14). In previous lives it has been crashed and shaken on rigs and fitted with numerous bodywork and suspension upgrades, but now it has been adorned with hand-turned gold leaf (look closely at the numbers) and given to Hagerty to drive across snowy moorland roads.
We hope you enjoy the film. Is the SLR a car that you have always admired or been perennially baffled by? What livery would you paint on an HDK? Let us know in the comments down below.
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The SLR McLaren HDK is absolute masterpiece. Shame it wasnt raced due to variety of misfortunes like XJ13.
Hoovie if youre in here please put a wing on your SLR
That's a beautiful Merc.
I wonder if anyone will modify the AMG GT models like this?
@3.45 it looks like the wheel is buckled?
The fact that I instantly recognized that the parts in the 722 Prototype were from an F1 GTR before they said it shows how iconic the F1 is.🤩🤩
CRAY history on PP14
Exhaust sounds like flatulence
When someone tells you that money 💰 can’t buy you happiness ,well that person doesn’t have good taste in cars ! Exquisite work like always guys,thanks ! I feel poorer financially but richer in feel as a car-man !
So either do this add on package or just buy an entire spare SLR for the same money? Hmm..
A well deserved ending for this pre production car
I wonder if it would be possible to do a manual conversion on these.
He was really feeling himself with that absolutely hilarious corduroy quip
Can't wait for Manny to take delivery of his
This is the best looking car I've seen in my life. The spec is out of this world. A close second is the Bugatti Rembrandt.
My old G Wagen had a version of this engine (M113K – this is an M115). What a thing. I miss it so much
I been waiting for the next cathpole vid for a while now🥹
I still can remember when my dad got me a diecast model of the SLR for Christmas when I was small 😢❤
Please bring back revelations
Not sure about the rear wing looks.
People say Ferrari's road going v12s sound more like racing v12s than Lamborghinis but I find that amusing given how similar the Aventador sounds to the McLaren f1
Love the car
These should have came with a V12. I always thought that's what the SLR had in video games. Until I was older and looked them up, I was very disappointed.
I somehow feel this version of the SLR should have had a transmission makeover. A race car inspired makeover that drives best left in auto is contradictory. Perhaps a sequential gearbox would be too much but an SLS/AMG GT gearbox…would be amazing.
I made many AMG engines. I always thought to myself that the transmission added to the car…or at least how you drove it. A race car for the elderly with a good back.
That’s kind of a boring video about an amazing machine.
I love the corduroy reference lolz. Why not just use velcro. 01/05/23 BRS
It's pretty wild! Would have been nice to see an updated steering wheel, and if possible, updated transmission. Imagine this with a 7G tronic! (If the 7G can handle AMG 65 power and torque, it can surely handle SLR output.)
McLaren needs to off an updated transmission to all SLR owners. A 7 speed Dual Clutch being the ideal option, but even the Mercedes 9 speed auto would be a massive improvement for owners. It would certainly increase the value of the cars if the work is carried out by McLaren themselves.
That paint job is gash, it makes no sense and doesn't suit the car in the slightest.
I mean I think I understand what he's trying to say but what I'm hearing is that it's shifting and braking are horrible but it's so damn expensive and unique that you have to love it otherwise you may regret spending all that money
Huge SLR fan but never knew about the backstory of the race car, thanks Henry!
Best sounding and looking car ever!
i love it, pure and simple
Its garbage
11:09 Hmm, makes me think of the Stirling Moss edition, with its roof cut off and wild styling changes.
I was luckly to have seen a SLR driving away from a parking lot in Beverly hills. It's a spectacular classy car.
SLR ❤
Missed opportunity, all they had to do is put in a manual transmission, make the steering wheel more interesting, and make the brakes a bit more usable. The looks were perfect in the standard car!
Surprised koshbin doesn't have this car
GO CARS USSR.
Looks like it went through Halfords for the spoiler and stickers 🤣
When was it produced ? I mean this particular hdk
Too bad it has a horrible paint job and graphics
Happy retirement PP14, you have earned it
Production value is insane,out of this world 🥇
Looks like MSO started rivaling Mansory
Now I know why the Aston Martin Vulcan owner chose to give the Car to RML to make it Road Legal.
what a beautiful monster work of art. i really love the paint job on this one