Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream: Swiss Cheese
By Jay Williams - 30/April/2009
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Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream
The SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream sparkles
It's not a bad body kit - pity about the colour scheme
Ueli Anliker, his babe and his car before the re-style
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Bern, Switzerland
– This is what you get when you already have the pet tiger, the solid gold toilet, and more money than sense. Shown at the Auto Emotionen, a Swiss tuning
show, the 999 Red Gold Dream is more of a nightmare, turning a
once-respected supercar into a gaudy trinket whose only improvement
would be destruction. And the man behind this hideous car is (drum roll please) Swiss designer Ueli Anliker. He claims to have spent some US$4.5million on the vehicle. That's because it features 24 carat gold accents. This mad Swiss man has taken the term “Pimp My Ride” a little too
seriously, to the point where car fans from around the world are
calling for blood. One of the most stylish supercars Germany has ever devised has been turned into something Snoop Dog would drive. Honestly,
if you were to take this tricked-out Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 and
park it next to the Batmobile it would have Batman running away with
deep thoughts of spoiler envy. Like most SLR's, power is supplied by a high power 5.5-litre supercharged V8. The
car, while terrible to look at and capable of melting eyes from their
sockets such is the contrast, can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in
under 4.0 seconds and has a top speed of 334km/h (207mph). For a car that was launched in 2003 it still make big numbers:  Power: 460kW @ 6500rpm
Torque: 780Nm @ 3250rpm
The
Ueli-mangled McLaren 999 is a fast car, which may be a safety feature
so that mobs of angry by-standers half-blinded by the car can't chase
it down and attack the driver for exposing such an eyesore. It
features more gold than the third Austin Powers movie with huge gold
mags, gold detailing around and behind the headlights and
taillights. Even the exterior paint job is gold flaked. Then
take a look at the interior - it carries the same theme with plush
gold trim splashed everywhere, much like a genie's shoe. Now,
having said all that I don't really mind the body kit itself, but the
bright red paint job and over-the-top interior design make the car look
like a cheap trinket rather that a world-beating super car. I honestly think that Ueli Anliker just wanted to create a car that went with his red jeans. In the words of a wise Swiss man “The poor lack much, but the greedy more”.
Related Links:
- Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 GT (2007)
- Mercedes-Benz
SLR Stirling Moss (2009)
- Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster (2007)
- Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black (2008)
- Mercedes-Benz Vision GLK Freeside Concept (2008)
- Mercedes-Benz F 700 Concept (2007)
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