Somewhere at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, one very lucky crab has a new home.
While driving over the bridge that connects Miami to the Florida Keys, the cap I was wearing flew off my head and into the water. That was a risk Mercedes warned me about when getting behind the wheel of the windshield-less SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. But the risk was more than worth the reward.
| Quick Specs | 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss |
| Engine | Supercharged 5.4-Liter V-8 |
| Output | 650 Horsepower / 575 Pound-Feet |
| 0-60 MPH | 3.0 Seconds |
| Top Speed | 217 Miles Per Hour |
| Base Price | $1.1 Million (2009) |
In 2009, Mercedes and McLaren—seemingly on a whim—decided to honor Sir Stirling Moss's 1955 victory at the Mille Miglia with a limited-edition sports car. By chopping the top off its then five-year-old SLR McLaren coupe, Mercedes-Benz created the SLR Stirling Moss, a completely roofless, windshield-less, ridiculous little sports car.
The automaker only built 75 examples of the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage Marcus Breitschwerdt (and my co-driver) jokes that they wanted to build 72.2 of them in homage to the "722" plastered on Moss's 300 SLR, but it was "not possible to make .2 of a car," he quips. So, 75 it was.
As part of a larger celebration at this year's Moda Miami event in Coral Gables at the gorgeous Biltmore hotel, Marcus and his team team flew more than half a dozen cars from the company's 1,200-car collection in Stuttgart to the Sunshine State, including the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss in question, an original 300 SLR—a $50 million race car in its own right—and a ‘barn find' 300SL Roadster, among others.
Marcus became president of the newly established Mercedes-Benz Heritage brand in 2023. Prior to that, he worked for 35 years in various roles within the company, including CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, head of vans, and elsewhere—all to great success. But more than anything, Marcus is an enthusiast.
"I always say, the five best days in my life were when I married my wife, when our three kids were born, and when I got my driver's license,” he tells me later that weekend, when we're not being buffeted by wind. "I still remember that day."
When I ask what the good and bad aspects of the job are, he responds sternly: "There is nothing bad [about this job]."
And I believe him. Having full access to a collection of 1,200 classics is no bad gig. And having the ability to drive them regularly must be a dream come true. Blissfully, Mercedes extended that opportunity to me, someone who remembers rifling through the pages of Car and Driver when this car debuted during my junior year of high school.
In 2009, the SLR Stirling Moss was an awe-inspiring modern marvel. Today, the 16-year-old supercar still looks great, now with an added air of nostalgia. Apart from a few funky elements on the front end and some very 2000's wheels, the open-top design has otherwise aged gracefully. It looks sleek and streamlined, the hood is looooooong, and the back end is beautiful, with the double-bubble design jutting up behind the seats.
The interior is simple and clean—not a touchscreen in sight. Red-and-black leather covers most surfaces, silver finishes litter the center console, and the seats have a thin layer of quilted leather over two carbon fiber buckets. Not the most comfortable thrones, as I'd soon find out.
In 2009, the SLR Stirling Moss was an awe-inspiring modern marvel. Today, the 16-year-old supercar still looks great, now with an added air of nostalgia.
From the Biltmore in Miami we would lead a pack of around 50 classics to Key Largo and back. That's 60 miles each way with no roof or no windshield, driving down highways and bridges with nothing but sunglasses and, at one point, a hat protecting us from the elements. (It should be noted that the entire field received a police escort so we didn't have to deal with Miami's gridlock traffic, thankfully.)
With two tiny 1.0-inch tall “wind deflectors” being the only barrier between me and the road, driving the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss is probably the closest thing to a superbike on four wheels. It absolutely rules. Cruising down the highway at 60 miles per hour with the wind rearranging your face and pebbles bouncing up into the cabin is an entirely unique experience.
But even while exposed to the elements, the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss was no scarier to drive than an AMG-ified convertible—it just has less windshield. The steering is light, the five-speed transmission is smooth enough, and the suspension is surprisingly compliant; it didn't crash down as hard on pavement as I was expecting. As for those carbonfiber buckets… my butt was numb after 30 minutes.
Subtly behind the wind buffeting you can hear the engine: A sumptuous, supercharged 5.4-liter V-8. McLaren engineers shoved it as far back into the massive engine bay as possible for better weight distribution, while AMG worked its magic on the tuning. The 650 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque sends the supercar to 60 miles per hour in 3.0 seconds flat and onto 217 miles per hour.
Somehow, I survived two and a half hours in the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss on Miami's public highways without a sunburn or a rock to the face. Bless. Shortly thereafter, Mercedes gave us the opportunity to experience the SLR in its natural habitat: On the track.
Miami's tight and twisty Concours Club was the perfect pace to put the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss through its paces. Of course, Mercedes emphasized to "not try and set any lap times" in their $4-million piece of art. Noted. But even at a moderate pace, the Stirling Moss was still absolutely charming.
That supercharged V-8 is buttery smooth up to its 7,000 rpm redline and accelerates hard from a standstill. Down the lone, long straight on the back half of the track, the Stirling Moss feels like an open-top rocket ship. And in some of the turns, I can finally hear the supercharged engine as it bellows out of the quad exhaust tips. What a sound.
Hard on the ultra-grabby brakes and into the tricky back half of the track, the Stirling Moss corners on a dime. The steering is light, but it never feels vague. Even the slightest twitch on the wheel tells you what the car is doing. There isn't even a whisper of body roll; the car loads up neatly in each corner and exits without fuss. It all comes with the added benefit of no roof and no windshield, which means unparalleled levels of visibility—especially useful on the track.
After a few moderate laps, I'm in love. This car is an absolute riot to rip hard, wind in your face, not a worry in the world. Apart from an F1 car, you'll never experience another sensation quite like driving the Stirling Moss on the track.
Apart from an F1 car, you'll never experience another sensation quite like driving the Stirling Moss on the track.
Because of its windshield-less nature, though, the SLR Stirling Moss never made it to the US when it was new. And this particular car is part of Benz's heritage collection, which means you won't be able to buy it. Even if you did, this car cost about $1.1 million new, while used examples fetch upwards of $4 to $5 million at auction.
That said, if you're the type of ultra-wealthy collector with a knack for the unique, it doesn't get much better than the SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. Just make sure to wear a hat you're not afraid to lose.
2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss
