An Ultra-Rare SLR Reimagined by McLaren Special Operations
With over 2,000 examples existing today, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was never produced in large numbers. Built between 2003 and 2010, the SLR was a product of the Mercedes-McLaren partnership – a supercar with F1-inspired engineering and grand touring capability.
But for a very select few owners, even that wasn’t enough. In 2018, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) introduced the SLR McLaren “McLaren Edition” – a limited-run upgrade package available only to existing SLR owners. The upgrade transformed the already potent machine into something more focused, more aggressive, and significantly more exclusive.
Just 25 SLRs received this treatment, making the McLaren Edition three times rarer than the Stirling Moss Edition. MSO’s goal was to refine the SLR into a sharper, more track-capable machine while preserving its long-distance comfort. The result was an entirely new breed of SLR – and one of them is looking for a new owner.
RM Sotheby’s
The MSO Conversion That Costs a Fortune
The example now for sale is an original Japanese-market SLR, first delivered in Tokyo in September 2005. Acquired by its current owner in 2017, it was sent back to McLaren for the coveted MSO conversion. It was completed in 2019 at a cost of over $175,000, with the upgrade touching virtually every dynamic and visual element of the car.
Handling was improved with revised springs and dampers, lowering ride height by 0.4 inches. Aerodynamic upgrades included a carbon-Kevlar front floor, new rear diffuser, 722 GT-style front wheel arch vents, and a larger active air brake. These upgrades help generate 15% more downforce than the already aggressive SLR 722 Edition. Though the engine remained stock, a lighter ceramic-coated exhaust added acoustic drama.
Visually, the car stands out with restyled front intakes shaped like the McLaren logo, 722 S-spec wheels, tinted lighting elements, and a striking metallic red paint finish that appears black under certain light. Inside, the cockpit has been reworked in black Alcantara with red stitching, featuring “MSO” embroidery on the headrests and a new Alcantara steering wheel.
RM Sotheby’s
Price and Provenance: What You Get for $700,000
With only 17,523 miles from new and just 746 miles logged since the MSO upgrade, this SLR McLaren Edition remains in excellent condition. It’s being offered for $700,000 with RM Sotheby’s, which isn’t surprising given the extent of McLaren’s bespoke reengineering and the exclusivity that this car brings to the table. Still located in Japan, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a unique piece of modern supercar history – one that is almost one-of-a-kind.
RM Sotheby’s
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