Over 1,700 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens will have run down the production line at McLaren's facility in the UK when the line closes in May next year. It'll only be closed for a short while though, as 75 very special SLRs will follow the coupé and roadster models down the production line to finalise the successful series of hypercars. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is the most extreme model in the SLR family ever, featuring no roof and completely revised bodywork. Just 75 will be made, and each has already been snapped up by the SLR's biggest fans.

Extremely wealthy SLR fans that is, the SLR Stirling Moss's £710,000 price making the regular version look rather affordable. What does that huge, credit-crunch ignoring chunk of money buy you then? Well it's certainly exclusive, as it's unlikely that even in postcode Beverly Hills 90210 that your neighbour will have one of these in their collection. Given its extreme nature, and its collectability it is unlikely you'll ever see one on the road either, even though it's designed as the ultimate driving edition of the SLR series.

Without a windscreen and fully carbon-fibre bodywork, it's light. The 641bhp supercharged V8 is certain to sound fantastic al-fresco; however, with the ability to reach 62mph in just 3.5 seconds and a 217mph top speed you might want to mute the aural thrills by wearing a helmet - we can't imagine how much it'd hurt to interface (literally) with a bee at the SLR Stirling Moss's v-max. Ouch.

More than merely a windscreen removal job, Mercedes has redesigned much of the SLR's bodywork and interior. The quad lamps at the front have now gone, replaced by single-unit lights more in keeping with Mercedes' current design direction. All the bodywork has been revised too, the SLR Stirling Moss's lines a modern twist of those of the 1955 300 SLR that Moss piloted to victory in record time in the gruelling Millie Miglia road race.

Like Moss's racer the 75 extreme machines feature twin roll hoops behind the driver and passenger. Two tonneau covers can be fitted to close off the car, and the doors open in an up and over fashion to access the simplified cabin. Each car will be individually numbered, and the SLR Stirling Moss will be the fastest fully open car you can buy. Until the tuners get their hands on one that is...

Kyle Fortune - 19 Dec 2008