On a deserted regional airport runway, the team from CarExpert on YouTube lined up two of the most fearsome supercars of the early 2000s for a drag race that feels almost mythical: the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren versus the Porsche Carrera GT.
The SLR McLaren relies on sheer muscle. Its supercharged 5.4-liter V8—an extensively reworked AMG unit—punches out 617 horsepower, sent to the rear wheels through a notoriously slow automatic gearbox. The numbers are still staggering today: 0–60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, an 11.2-second quarter mile at 130 mph, and a towering top speed of 208 mph given enough runway.
Facing it is the Carrera GT, a true automotive legend. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V10 producing 605 horsepower, paired with a demanding manual transmission that rewards skill and punishes mistakes. More than two decades after its debut, the Porsche remains deeply intimidating, capable of hitting 60 mph in under four seconds and pushing on to around 200 mph flat out.
We won’t ruin the outcome of this extraordinarily expensive showdown—so hit play on the video and see which early-2000s titan claims victory.
