McLaren MSO Builds Incredible 1-Of-12 SLR Race Car Tribute

• Conversion costs $350k, not including the donor car
• Based on the fire-breathing Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
• Only 12 will be built

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is remembered fondly, even though it never reached the same cult status and second-hand value as the Porsche Carrera GT.

It was one of the hottest cars of the 2000s. That whole display of wealth and excess phase brought the SLR to the world stage. Less known was the racer, the SLR McLaren 722 GT. Perhaps that’s why it appeals to Manny Khoshbin /YouTube, a channel that very well could be the world’s foremost authority on the SLR outside of Mercedes and McLaren.

The prolific supercar collector was recently asked by MSO (McLaren’s ‘anything you desire’ division) if he’d like to give up one of his nine cars to have it become a tribute to the 722 GT racer. Mercedes-McLaren did a similar road-going 722 Edition, but that car paid tribute to Stirling Moss’ original 722 race car from the 1955 Mille Miglia, to which the SLR 722 GT was also a tribute. Technically, that makes this a tribute to the race car that is a tribute to a 1950s race car.

The channel has spoken on the car before when the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren HDK was teased. Now, some new information on these cars has come to light. According to the YouTuber, the price is steep. It’s $350,000 for the package, excluding the donor car.

Once you factor in the average market rate for a regular ol’ coupe (around $265,000), you’re looking at approximately $615,000 for this limited tribute racer. Of course, much is down to parts and labor, turning your street car into a virtual race car. Or you could get a McLaren 620R…

We say “sort of” simply because these aren’t dedicated 722 GT racers. The first car and 12 other cars will be a sort of halfway point. MSO retains the interior, instead doing everything else it can to make the street cars perform like racers. The list of changes is extensive, starting with a new exhaust system fitted with a bypass valve. You’ll be able to hear the 617-hp 5.4-liter supercharged V8 coming.

Other changes include a revised bumper, splitter, flared hood with vents, aero package (including bumpers, diffusers, and a wing), new 19-inch wheels, new interior trimmings, and a full respray in color or livery of your choosing, and finally, an advanced handling package. That includes new retuned suspension and redone steering. Khoshbin says the latter has something to do with retuning the rack to be more direct. If any owners tire of their new toys, McLaren will let the owners keep their spares so that the cars can be converted back to stock.

Of course, what is a 1-of-12 $600K+ supercar without special badging to remind everyone what it is? All SLR HDKs will get special MSO badging and build number plaques. In addition, McLaren will refinish the cars received as needed. So, if you’re going to track your SLR before turning it into a racer, now might be the time to do that.