New high-performance roadster from Mercedes

Next week’s Paris Motor Show will see the launch of Mercedes-Benz new 722 Edition based on the current SLR Roadster that will be called the ‘722 S’.

Apart from two aluminium frames, the body of the 722 S is completely made of carbon-fibre materials. It also features the same 650hp (478kW) and 604lb-ft (820Nm) output from a hand-built 5.5L supercharged V8.

The five-speed automatic carries over from the standard SLR lineup but has been specially configured to accommodate the engine’s very high torque, and allows the driver to choose between two sets of shift characteristics. As a result, the SLR Roadster 722 S sprints from 0-100kmh in just 3.7 seconds, and 200kmh is reached in 10.6 seconds.

The car’s top speed is 335kmh.

First sales will start in Europe in January, and only 150 units will be built in total.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that its partnership with British sports car manufacturer McLaren to build the SLR supercar will come to an end next year. To mark the occasion the companies are planning to release a special edition ‘Speedster’ model.