Mercedes have launched the latest iteration of their Mercedes McLaren SLR called the SLR Roadster 722 S. Not to be confused with the power output of the car, which stands at 650hp (478kW), the “722” labeling came from a race in 1955 in which Stirling Moss competed in a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR. The start time for Stirling Moss was exactly 7.22am.

The Mercedes McLaren SLR Roadster 722 S is based on the SLR Roadster but features numerous performance improvements.

The body of the 722 S, with the exception of two aluminum frames, is completely made of carbon-fiber materials just like the hardtop. 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 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in just 3.7 seconds, and 124mph (200km/h) is reached in 10.6 seconds.

In addition, the 722 S still features a fully retractable folding roof designed to withstand the extreme speeds the car is capable of !

First sales will start in Europe in January, with pricing around the €520,0000/$750,000 mark (about €25,000/$36,000 more than the standard SLR Roadster) and only 150 units will be built in total. North American availability and pricing is yet to be announced.