The new Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster, debuting in the fall of 2007, with a a carbon-fibre construction like today's Formula 1 cars, has a supercharged V8 engine under the hood of this high-performance sports car which propels it to a top speed of 332 km/h.

Mercedes and its Formula 1 partner, McLaren, have many years of experience with carbon-fiber that is conventionally used in the aviation and space industries. In an impact, carbon fibres have a level of energy absorption that is four to five times higher than that of steel or aluminium, while the weight advantage of this high-tech material over steel is around 50 per cent.