Modified SLR McLaren by MSO Brings Race Cred

Back in December of 2021, images of a very special Mercedes-Benz appeared online. The images weren’t shared by the German automaker, but rather by customers of McLaren Special Operations. They teased a new limited-production run of modified Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens built by MSO. A road-legal homage to the 722 GT race cars, this new SLR HDK is one extreme supercar project. Thanks to real estate magnate and SLR super fan, Manny Khoshbin, we have a few more details.

For those who unfamiliar with the SLR lineup, just 21 examples of the 722 GT were planned for production in-period in a single-make series called the SLR Club. The cars were constructed by the RML Group with approval from Mercedes-Benz and tweaked for racing. The bodywork was widened to accept fatter rubber. Aerodynamics concessions marred the SLR's flowing lines with vents and diffusers. A large wing adorned the rear of the cars, completing the exterior treatment. Under the hood sat a modified variant of the car’s supercharged 5.4-liter M155 V-8 that produced a whopping 680 hp. The interior of the 722 GT is as barren and purposeful as you’d expect from a race car. The cars carried an MSRP of $1.2 million when they first arrived, which reportedly slowed down interest in the series itself. Only 12 cars were built, according to reports.

Now though, MSO is hoping to give a few more Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren owners the chance to experience the 722 GT's magic. The new HDK (High Downforce Kit) package from MSO will see your, uh, more pedestrian SLR adopt the wider bodywork of the 722 GT. A host of mechanical tweaks will sharpen the driving dynamics of the aging supercar, with the hope of bringing a bit more of that race car feel to the road. Along with the handling package, MSO will include an upgraded steering system. Unlike the factory-built 722 GT models however, these new builds will receive a fully-trimmed interior. The SLR HDK by MSO is also street legal.

MSO will charge customers $350,000 for the SLR HDK, assuming you already have a donor car available. Even then, the company only plans to build 12 examples of the car. And while there will be people upset to see such an important vehicle be modified like this, it is important to remember Mercedes sold 2,157 examples of the SLR. That’s far more than the limited production numbers we see on the high-end sports cars of today.

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