2006 McLaren-Mercedes SLR

• 617 bhp, 5439cc, supercharged V8 - the ultimate 'Grand Tourer' with everyday usability
• Introduced in 2003 and developed jointly with the McLaren Technology Centre
• UK-supplied and only 16,500 miles from new. On offer from a significant private collection
• Over ú16,000 in care and attention only 1,000 miles ago at the SLR Centre in Brooklands
• Supplied with a good history file and offered at a very realistic and sensible guide price

Manufactured between 2003 and 2010, their new supercar allowed Mercedes-Benz and its then Formula 1 partner, McLaren, to showcase their collective experience in the development, construction and production of high-performance sports cars and, just like its legendary 300 SLR predecessor of 1955, it incorporated technological developments that were ahead of their time. Yet the term 'supercar' does not do full justice to the SLR, which, its peerless performance notwithstanding, is a luxurious and finely engineered Gran Turismo in the best traditions of Mercedes-Benz. Rather than creating an all-out, no-compromise supercar, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren decided to take a slightly different route. Instead of placing the engine in behind the cabin, the car had a front-mid-engine layout, with the engine sitting behind the front wheels and just ahead of the cabin. This, near-perfect, weight distribution not only helped to improve the SLR's handling but also provided the car with a rather spacious cabin and a decent boot, not common in cars boasting such performance credentials. As it was supremely engineered and built to incredible standards at McLaren's facilities in Woking, it boasted a very high level of fit and finish, absolutely appropriate for any car wearing a Mercedes-Benz badge.

The heart of any car is its engine, and that of the SLR McLaren is truly outstanding. Produced at Mercedes-Benz's AMG Performance Division, it's a 5.5-litre, 24-valve, supercharged V8 producing 617bhp, making it one of the most powerful engines ever found in a series-produced road-going sports car. Impressive though this peak horsepower figure is, it's the torque produced by the Lysholm-type twin-screw supercharger that is its most remarkable feature. The torque curve is almost flat: there is already 440lb/ft by 1,500 rpm and well over 500lb/ft between 3,000 and 5,000 revs, and acceleration is equally phenomenal, with 0 to 60 mph taking just 3.8 seconds and the quarter-mile only 11 seconds. Of course, a car with such impressive speed credentials also requires an equally impressive braking system. An automatic airbrake and Mercedes-Benz's Sensotronic