2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S carried the modern SLR’s 722 tribute into a separate open-car series. A fabric roof and substantial performance specification define it more usefully than the word rare alone. Mercedes-Benz announced 150 examples, with customer availability from January 2009.

History and verified programme identity

The Roadster 722 S was announced in 2008. The factory release gives January 2009 availability and identifies manufacture with McLaren at Woking. The 722 reference recalls the 7:22 start time associated with the 1955 Mille Miglia-winning 300 SLR. That historical theme links the modern coupé and roadster, but their allocations are separate. The photographed 2009 car is therefore consistent with the programme’s launch chronology rather than evidence of an additional edition.

Engineering and design

The manufacturer lists a supercharged V8 with 478 kW / 650 PS and 820 Nm. Its published maximum-speed figure is 335 km/h. Those are programme specifications, not independent measurements of the pictured vehicle. The maker also describes a fabric roof designed around the car’s high-speed brief. An open body introduces its own design priorities, including airflow around the passenger compartment and the practical operation of the roof. It should not be reduced to a coupé whose roof has simply disappeared. 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

Creator-identified 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2025, shown with its fabric roof raised.

What makes this version distinct

Roadster 722 S is a full model identity. It is distinct from a standard SLR Roadster, from the 722 Edition coupé and from the track-oriented 722 GT. The source image is an exterior view of a car identified as a 722 S. A general SLR group photograph or a similarly coloured standard roadster would not provide the same exact-subject illustration.

Collecting and chassis evidence

Retain the factory edition record and document the roof, body and mechanical histories separately. Original delivery specification should establish the exact version, while dated maintenance and repair records explain its present state. A later first registration does not by itself create another factory production year or edition. 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 722 Edition coupé provides the direct comparison within the SLR family. CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet shows another way AMG combined limited production with an open body. Their different seating, structures and technical briefs matter more than a shared association with high-performance Mercedes-Benz.

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 Roadster 722 S?

Mercedes-Benz announced 150 Roadster 722 S cars, separate from the 150-car 722 Edition coupé programme. Announcement was in 2008, with availability from January 2009. No present survivor count is assigned.

How is SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S 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 engine: Supercharged V8; manufacturer 5.5-litre class; published output / torque: 478 kW / 650 PS; 820 Nm; availability: January 2009, following 2008 announcement. 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 Roadster 722 S 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 Roadster 722 S cars, separate from the 150-car 722 Edition coupé programme. Announcement was in 2008, with availability from January 2009. No present survivor count is assigned.

Who photographed the supplied image?

MrWalkr via Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 4.0. 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

• 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition
• 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet

Sources and photo credits

• Mercedes-Benz manufacturer record
• Mercedes-Benz manufacturer record

Photograph: MrWalkr via Wikimedia Commons original source, CC BY-SA 4.0. Original image or source-provided thumbnail supplied without local cropping, retouching or synthetic enlargement.