The McLaren SLR defines everything that is right in a car. Stunning looks sculpted from carbon fibre, a flat underside which promotes high speed stability, ceramic fade free brakes, 626bhp and 60mph in 3.8 seconds demonstrate that McLaren really know what they are doing when it comes to bringing the Formula 1 experience to the road.
Weighing in at 1693 kg the SLR is no lightweight. Yes it is a supercar, but one that offers refinements you would expect to find in a C class saloon rather than car that directly competes with the Ferrari Enzo. Satellite Navigation, a CD auto changer, air conditioning and a plush leather interior come as standard.
Starting out as a project between McLaren and Mercedes - the goal was to improve upon the Mercedes SL-55. The SLR quickly became an entity of its own with breath taking performance, not only in a straight line but on the track as well. A carbon fibre construction provides four times more rigidity than steel, making the handling far more responsive than expected.
As the fastest automatic car in the world, hitting a top speed of 208mph, and its Formula 1 pedigree – surely there is no room for improvement? Project Kahn begs to disagree and offer a customised SLR to discerning customers.
Starting with the engine a 60bhp upgrade provides additional grunt to propel the SLR to even faster speeds. No official figures have been released, but expect a slight improvement on the 12 second 0-120mph speed of the original model. A sports exhaust system offers an enriched sound making the spitfire like roar of the SLR even more pronounced.
Sports suspension and a custom body styling pack compliment the engine upgrades. Larger 21” and 20” front/rear wheels replace the standard issue 19” rims. It’s worthy of note that Mercedes McLaren have always maintained that 18” and 19” rims offer a more comfortable ride due to a higher tire wall – however if performance is your goal Kahn certainly offer a tempting alternative.
Inside the options are limitless. Kahn can fully customise the interior and match exterior paintwork as well. As one of the UK’s leading design companies Kahn specialise in totally unique and visually rich products so you won’t be left with something that resembles your grannies tablecloth.
Project Kahn have stayed well away from the braking system probably as the factory system is based so heavily around Formula 1 technology and would be very difficult to improve upon. In wet conditions the SLR massages the brake pads to keep them dry so that stopping distances are reduced as much as it’s technically possible.
It is difficult to improve upon an almost perfect car, however Kahn have done a laudable job, and for those who want a unique car to be even more so it’s a viable option.
