Merc SLR for safety car

Would you use a $450.000 car to pace a race which then afterwards you can no longer sell? I know I wouldn't. Plus they are pretty rare why waste them.

 

It would be nice to see them out there though..

 

They are not using the CLK, they are using a modified SLK 55 AMG as the pace car. They took 220 lbs off the production version along with modification to the brakes, chassis, cooling and exhaust systems.

Carol

 

How many pace cars do they bring to a race - 2/3/4? If so it shouldn't be too hard for MB to build a few extra purpose built SLR pace cars. Resale for such cars shouldn't be too much of a problem. The SLK's though serve the purpose of slowing down the F1 cars and MB don't really need the pace car route to showcase the technology of SLRs.

 

when i was at the '04 USGP, there was one slk 55 AMG and a e55 AMG wagon there.(along with the medical stuff)

 

per FIA regs - (1) safety car except for circuits over 7 km - positioned at equi-distant points around a circuit may be authorized - required number of vehicles is determined according to length of track and difficulties it presents - I remember seeing more than one medical car at Spa sitting at various places. FIA Medical Car follows for the 1st lap and must be a 4 door vehicle that accomodates 3 people. There's a minimum of 2 extrication teams for an F1 race - 3 teams for circuits over 6 km. Resuscitation unit is necessary. One doctor & 1 paramedic "on foot" is required in pit lane. The list goes on and on . . .

Carol

 

At the '05 Canadian GP I saw they had two SLK55's and two C55 Estates. Beautiful sound on that SLK, It was as memorable as the sound of the F1's.

 

Here's a link to the photos of the NEW Mercedes Safety Car - personally I like the SLK better, perhaps because we have one and it's "sportier" than the CLK.

Carol

http://www.f1racing.net/en/gallery.php?catID=1983

 

so true...

 

take an SLR and put inside Dietrich!!!!

 

yeah, the CLK doesn't look nearly as good as the SLK.

 

Here's a '99 CLK55 AMG safety car (although the ad calls it a pace car) with a pretty high asking price. If it sells around that price, they might hold value pretty well: http://www.autosalon-singen.de/Katalogfahrzeug_RecordView_DetailAll.cfm?fahrzeugID=03344_0010_03_02&languageID=GB

 

They're not concerned about speed. They're concerned about safety, so why put a supercar out on the track to calm things down (or start things up) when a decently fast is sufficient enough for the job?

EDIT: Also the 85,000 euro is nowhere close to the $450,000 price tag on the SLR.

 

Sorry to half OT, but in the opening scene of Mondays Apprentice Donald T arrives at the door of Trump Tower in a white SLR. I wasn't watching it, my boy called me into the room to see the car.

 

he only drove that because it looks cool to people who aren't car nuts(most people who watch the show) and because he can only drive automatic.

 

No... Mercedes and Mac didn't have the best relationship over that car, just ask Gordon Murray... Anyway, car is out of production now isn't it?

Coulthard ordered one his last few months at McLaren and was sacked not too long after, ( Source: according to Nigel led "F1" magazine.) Makes me wonder if he kept the order.

RocketBoy

 

$450,000?

I wonder how much it costs Merc to make it. Do you really think it will cost them this much? I think it may only cost them $45000.

 

The SC for 2006 will be the new CLK 63 AMG