Skip to main content

The Mercedes SL GTR transcends mechanical design, enters the realm of the living

There are three things we like here at the Digital Trend Cars section: tech, power, and design. And while most things fire on at least one of those cylinders, few fire on all three. This car does, however.

It’s called the Mercedes-Benz SL GTR and we think it’s absolutely brilliant.

From the mind of Mark Holster, the slippery AMG is powered by a – of all things – Nissan derived 5.5-liter V8 ripped from the frame rails of the Nissan GTR GT1 racecar.

The rest, however, is all AMG. It has a racecar chassis, race suspension, and five-spoke magnesium wheels backed by carbon-ceramic brakes at all four corners.

The body – as you might be able to tell – was penned to look as if it had been shrink-wrapped over the mechanical components. To us, it looks like a living form. It doesn’t look like a husk containing clump mechanical components but rather a living, very angry-looking creature.

Yes, the car is only a rendering and doesn’t really exist, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a thing of beauty, a thing worthy of daydreams – and we like that.

If it had been up to us to spec the lustrous life form, we would have fitted it with tech taken from the 2014 Mercedes Formula 1 car: hybrid components and an ear-piercing 1.6-liter V6, which you can hear for yourself in the video below.

Imagine if the Mercedes brass were brash enough to shoehorn their F1 tech into a road-going car to take on the likes of the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1 fame? It would be an incredible car for sure.

If they did build such a motorway monster, I’d hope they’d use the bodywork from Mr. Holster.

(Images and video courtesy of Mark Hostler)

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more