The 722 has it, all right. As noted, the supercharged and intercooled, 5.4-liter V-8-each one handmade at the AMG works in Affalterbach, Germany, before being shipped off to the McLaren assembly facility in Woking, England-has been bumped to 641 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 605 pound-feet of torque (up from the regular SLR's 575) at 4000. As before, the engine mates to a five-speed automatic transmission, now with aluminum shift paddles (for manual-mode gear selection) instead of wheel-mounted buttons. The retuned chassis is stiffer and almost a half inch lower, the forged-aluminum wheels have grown to 19-inchers all around, the front brakes (Brembo carbon-ceramic discs) have swelled to 15.4 inches, and the bodywork features a new carbon-fiber front splitter that increases downforce on the front axle by 128 percent-without increasing drag. In addition, overall weight is down by nearly 100 pounds, thanks to lighter wheels, aluminum shock housings, and thinner carpeting. Inside, the cockpit sports new leather trim (including a spectacular Alcantara steering wheel), red stitching, and lavish expanses of carbon fiber.
While many "special edition" cars offer little more than special badges and maybe a new color or two, the 722's enhancements-some 300 changes in all-push the SLR into a performance realm so lofty, at times it can be hard to breathe.
Compared with the standard SLR, acceleration has improved from stunning to simply outrageous. Flatten the throttle, and the 722 blurs time and space; if you could unpaste your head from the seatback, you'd find the horizon in your lap. Mercedes claims the 722 will hit 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds (versus 3.8 for the standard SLR) and sprint from 0 to 124 mph in only 10.2 (down from 10.8). Zero driving talent is required: Thanks to that mountain of supercharged torque, that self-shifting slushbox, and electronic traction control, all you have to do is stomp on the gas. Accompanying the speed show is a roar that'll have all wildlife within a two-mile radius fleeing for cover.
Into the vast desert surrounding Dubai the sheiks have funded roads about as good as you'll find anywhere (don't be fooled: those "sand dunes" you see in the photos are actually huge sacks of money). Yet even on pristine asphalt the 722 feels exceptionally stiff. Body roll is virtually nonexistent, and when a tar strip or a crack in the pavement appears, the 722 amplifies it. It's hard to imagine the pounding you'd take if you drove a 722 through, say, the minefield that is downtown Detroit. Also, it'd probably be wise to set up a special savings account for those times when you accidentally drive too quickly over a speed bump-and shatter that fancy carbon-fiber front splitter of yours. The 722 is almost too serious for the real world.
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