Looking to rekindle the romance from its iconic racing cars of the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz joined forces with McLaren for the first time outside of their Formula 1 relationship to create the SLR McLaren. Under its hood was a 616-brake horsepower version of the supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 that Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division shoehorned into cars such as the SL 55 and CL 55, albeit highly modified. The engine was revised to use dry-sump lubrication, a Lysholm-type twin-screw supercharger, and a pair of intercoolers.

Mercedes-Benz and McLaren chose to utilize a carbon-fiber monocoque for the chassis, providing both incredible strength and rigidity while remaining as lightweight as possible. To optimize weight distribution, the engine was placed over three feet behind the front bumper, giving the car its impressive, long-hooded silhouette. This was mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Carbon-ceramic brakes and an innovative brake-by-wire system ensured rapid stopping, even considering the car’s touring-ready 3,900-pound curb weight. “Butterfly” doors added a touch of modern flair while giving a stylistic nod to its ancestors, including the immortal 300 SL Gullwing.

Testing conducted by Car and Driver magazine proved the SLR to be a world-class performer. The 0–60 sprint was over in just 3.4 seconds, while an 11.2-second quarter mile was achieved at a final speed of 130 mph. Given enough room, the Mercedes-McLaren topped out at an impressive 208 mph.

Completed in November 2005, this SLR was finished in the iconic color scheme of Crystal Laurite Silver over a Black/Anthracite Exclusive Leather interior. Built to US specifications, it was delivered new to Tennessee according to the accompanying Carfax report. The file additionally shows that the car would make its way to Nevada, before being sold to a new owner in Missouri during 2014. Later, the SLR was brought to Colorado by its current caretaker. Today, this supercar presents itself in excellent condition throughout demonstrating the exceptional care it received when driven for 10,216 miles from new.

Offered both in coupe and roadster configurations, a mere 2,157 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens were sold in total worldwide, and ownership of any one of these magnificent machines—let alone one as well-preserved as this example—affords the buyer membership into an exclusive club indeed. The SLR represented a significant performance and styling development in Mercedes-Benz and McLaren history; more than that, it offered a supercar experience unique among its peers, and still provides a high-performance thrill nearly two decades after its introduction.