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Here is the question: why do you need 617 horsepower in your everyday commuter car?

The answer: To hit 338 km/h (210 mph) in a handful of seconds.

Of course, in Ontario if you get caught doing this, they'll take away your car. They'll throw you in the clink, throw away the key and post your face on billboards as a dangerous offender. Jail is scary, but losing the car is a nightmare for the owner of a 2009 SLR McLaren Roadster with a sticker price of a cool half-million. American dollars, that is.

It is possible the SLR will be worth more than that some day; this year marks the end of a production run of about 500 cars a year, so there are few of them and no more in the works.

Rare cars usually increase in value over time. But rare cars from a company - Daimler AG and its Mercedes-Benz brand - that loves its racing and its racing heritage, and loves to prove it with specialty cars in small numbers? Another thing entirely.

This, of course is the purpose of the SLR - which stands for Sport, Leicht, Rennsport in German (sport, light, racing).

View the rest of this news article at The Globe and Mail.

TAGS: MERCEDES BENZ SLR MCLAREN ROADSTER SPORT LEICHT RENNSPORT