2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition connects a modern supercharged grand touring sports car with a specific 1955 racing reference. The number 722 commemorates a Mille Miglia start time. It is not a production total: Mercedes-Benz described the coupé edition as limited to 150 cars.

History and verified programme identity

The 722 Edition appeared in 2006, so this profile corrects the source inventory’s 2005 year. The maker’s launch material explains the tribute to Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson’s 1955 Mille Miglia success in a 300 SLR carrying number 722. The modern car was manufactured with McLaren at Woking. This historical connection provides the name and theme without making the SLR McLaren a continuation chassis from the 1950s racing programme.

Engineering and design

The manufacturer describes a supercharged 5.5-litre V8 producing 478 kW / 650 PS and substantial chassis and braking development. The front-engined, rear-drive arrangement and the car’s long bonnet remain central to its character as a design. Its upward-opening doors provide another visual link to Mercedes-Benz sports-car history, yet doors alone say little about the underlying structure. The technical comparison should use the 722 Edition specification, rather than either a standard SLR or the competition-oriented 722 GT. This specification belongs to the documented programme. It should be compared using the original measurement convention and the relevant configuration. A larger number copied from a different engine, market or racing derivative would describe a different car. Likewise, an engine change during restoration does not add another vehicle to the original production run. The distinction matters particularly when a model name appears in both road and competition histories: shared styling or ancestry can coexist with substantially different structures and equipment.

The physical car in the supplied photograph

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition coupé with its upward-opening doors raised; the source identifies the road 722 Edition, rather than the 722 GT race car.

What makes this version distinct

The road coupé, the later Roadster 722 S and the 722 GT are three different subjects. A photograph of a race-prepared 722 GT would not be an exact substitute for this profile. Likewise, adding 150 roadsters to a 150-coupé allocation does not create a 300-car coupé series. Programme and body definitions are kept separate throughout the records.

Collecting and chassis evidence

Retain original edition documentation, chassis identity and a dated record of body and mechanical work. The carbon-intensive structure makes the chronology of repairs especially relevant to a historical file. A 722 emblem can support an identification, but it should agree with the underlying factory record. Start with the permanent chassis identity and a dated factory specification, then organise invoices, registration documents and photographs into a chronology. A recent photograph describes present appearance; the original delivery record establishes how the vehicle left its manufacturer. Record replacements and reversible changes without erasing their dates. For a limited edition, retain the allocation paperwork and edition plate together, since a badge alone cannot establish membership. Photographs of body seams, interior fittings and mechanical markings help a specialist understand changes across time. Where a vehicle has been repainted or restored, keep the earlier material alongside the finished appearance. A clearly documented change is more informative than an unsupported claim that every component has remained untouched.

Related Mercedes-Benz designs and meaningful comparisons

The Roadster 722 S carries the same numerical tribute into a separate open-car series. SLR Stirling Moss goes much further by removing a conventional windscreen and roof from its design brief. These comparisons show three distinct interpretations of the same broad modern SLR family.

Reading the sources

The programme sources and the photograph answer different questions. Manufacturer and custodial records establish the original model, Type, category and published production scope. The creator’s file establishes the pictured subject, setting and image permission. An individual chassis history can then add ownership, competition entries and dated repairs without changing the scope of the original programme. Build references are not survivor counts, and a later specification does not automatically become an additional newly manufactured vehicle. Where primary evidence does not establish a complete fabrication census, that field remains unassigned.

Specifications and rarity evidence

Frequently asked questions

How rare is the SLR McLaren 722 Edition?

Mercedes-Benz announced 150 SLR McLaren 722 Edition coupés. This is a distinct series from the later 150 Roadster 722 S cars. The 722 name refers to the historic racing start time, not the number manufactured.

How is SLR McLaren 722 Edition classified?

This is a named original Mercedes-Benz road-car programme or factory body configuration within a qualifying low-volume family. The source-defined reference is below 7,500. Completed manufacture, shared allocation ceilings and current survivor counts remain separately labelled.

Which technical details are established for the programme?

The primary record supports introduction: 2006; engine: Supercharged 5.5-litre V8; published output: 478 kW / 650 PS. These are programme or explicitly attributed photo references. A particular surviving car’s engine, chassis repairs and competition preparation require its own dated documentation.

Does the photographed appearance establish factory originality?

The caption records a real creator-identified SLR McLaren 722 Edition subject and its documented setting. It establishes the illustration’s scope, while original components, restoration work and individual race provenance require chassis-specific evidence. A competition number, current paint or museum display is not used as an originality certificate.

What rarity or archive scope is verified?

Mercedes-Benz announced 150 SLR McLaren 722 Edition coupés. This is a distinct series from the later 150 Roadster 722 S cars. The 722 name refers to the historic racing start time, not the number manufactured.

Who photographed the supplied image?

Thomas doerfer via Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 3.0. The original file and licence are linked with the image. Retain the creator, source and licence when uploading, exporting or reusing it; local retouching and synthetic enlargement have not been performed.

Related Mercedes-Benz profiles

• 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S
• 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

Sources and photo credits

• Mercedes-Benz manufacturer record

Photograph: Thomas doerfer via Wikimedia Commons original source, CC BY-SA 3.0. Original image or source-provided thumbnail supplied without local cropping, retouching or synthetic enlargement.