SLR Takes LSR

A British-built super car, the SLR McLaren, has set a new London land speed record. The record was set on the runway at London City Airport, right next to motor show venue ExCeL, the weekend before doors opened.

It followed a series of sprints down the runway in a host of sports cars that included a Ford GT and Shelby Daytona Coupe. But it was the SLR that beat all-comers, clocking a top speed of 175.7 mph.

Officials from the Guinness Book of Records were on hand to monitor the record-breaking dash, which will feature in tomorrow's edition of Autocar. Editor-at-large Steve Sutcliffe commented said, 'The SLR McLaren has the power, the technology and the stability to hit those high speeds with incredible control. This is the fastest any production car has ever been driven legally in London.'

Built in Woking, the SLR McLaren makes the sprint from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and boasts a top speed of 208 mph. It is just one of 30 cars being shown in the Dream Drive supercar paddock at the British International Motor Show.