Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Goes Full Speed Racer At SEMA

Introducing our newest baddest project, Là SLR. Building this car was a lot fun and and more importantly the people I get to work with every day designing my dream. Thanks to everyone involved.
 

With a decade of experience at the SEMA Show, it’s no surprise that Toyo Tires is back again this year with the Treadpass. In fact, this year, the company collaborated with 26 builders to bring unique creations – and one of them is this cool Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren by John Sarkisyan of S Klub. If you’re wondering what the collaborative supercar would look like in the hands of an artist, well, look no further.
 
Seemingly drawing inspiration from Speed Racer’s Mach 5, Sarkisyan’s customized showstopper is called the Là SLR. It is based on a 2006 Mercedes SLR McLaren coupe but with its roof chopped off while retaining the butterfly doors. Capping off the design masterpiece is a set of shiny HRE S107 wheels wrapped in Toyo Proxes Sport max performance summer tires.
 

Channeling Its Inner Mach 5
While the exterior and interior white and red color theme hints at the cartoonish inspiration, this modified SLR McLaren has a lot going for it. Apart from a full Audison sound system, Sarkisyan employed a 30-piece one-off body kit for the car, including a widebody kit that expands the width by 10 inches, allowing for massive rear tires to fit. The separate bubble windshields for the occupants are also customized, as well as the hand-made stainless exhaust and the cabin.
 
The specifics of the custom interior weren’t specified, but based on the photos, it looks like the entire interior is dressed with bright red Alcantara. The chopped roof harkens to the extremely rare SLR McLaren Stirling Moss speedster, though we must say this one has been dialed to 11. Apart from the roll hoops behind the seats, there’s also a halo-type roll cage a la Formula 1 race car.
 

Rolling Art In The Hands Of An Artist
Sarkisyan is no stranger to building awe-inspiring Mercedes-Benz classics. We’ve seen this guy create a stunning 300SL speedster with a modern supercharged AMG V6 engine under its hood. But probably his best work goes to the unique Porsche 550 speedster with a single, centralized seating – a true masterclass in resto-modification.
 
If you happen to be in Vegas this week for SEMA 2024, Sarkisyan Mach 5-inspired SLR McLaren will be on display at the Toyo Tires Treadpass, located between the Central and South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s SEMA Show runs until November 8, 2024.