Halos aren't just for F1 cars
By Cam Tait / Saturday, 7 October 2023 / Loading comments
Remember the uproar when the FIA mandated halos in Formula 1 back in 2018? For the first time in nigh on 70 years, drivers would have some form of protection (beyond a helmet) against flying debris and Romain Grosjean’s F1 car bowling antics. A very positive change, of course; anything that prevents F1 drivers from sustaining life-threating injuries on live TV ought to be considered a win in anyone’s book.
Doesn’t take away from the fact that the solution was heavy, made it difficult to identify drivers and looked completely out of place on something as purposeful as an F1 car. However, a few races into the new ‘safety’ era, a particularly nasty shunt involving monsieur Grosjean was enough to completely change public perception of the halo, to the point where old single-seaters now look awkward and naked without it.
So what of road cars, then? Granted, we’re talking about an exceptionally small part of the drop-top market here; essentially models built without the convenience of a folding roof, and with only a sliver of glass between you and a face full of insects. Speedsters for the most part, although let’s consider stuff like the BAC Mono, KTM X-Bow and Ariel Atom as part of the mix, too. At the risk of inciting mass table bashing, it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise if there’s a point in the future when some sort of halo-like device will be mandated on cars where a helmet – or bobble hat – is your only protection from a bout of road rash when things go seriously south. And if, for whatever reason, that were to come into force, it might look a little something like Bussnik’s Mercedes-AMG GT-S Speedlegend.
An interesting-looking thing, right? I think it’s fair to say that the AMG GT makes for a pretty-looking speedster, bearing a (slight, admittedly) resemblance to the SLR Stirling Moss, complete with the double humps at the back. Little wonder it looks like a factory option, as the car was put together by HWA, the German motorsport team closely associated with Mercedes; so much so that it handled production of the manic CLK GTR road cars. The halo – or ‘Speedbow’ – is intended to bring an essence of F1 to the speedster, incorporating overhead switches for… reading lights. And an SOS button. Granted, it won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s an interesting interpretation of what an old Mercedes 300 SLR crossed with the all-conquering W11 F1 car would look like.
It also helps that it is exceptionally rare. You may be familiar with the AMG GT R-based Speedlegend that launched a few years ago, but this is a slightly earlier GT-S variant which, according to the ad, started life as a pre-production, right-hand drive Roadster before being shipped off to HWA for conversion. Just three were produced (to the GT R’s five), with this example coming in a rather exquisite spec of Designo Selenite Grey over Exclusive Creme leather. You also get a pair of ‘signed’ Schuberth helmets included in the sale. Who signed them isn’t listed, but presumably one of the signatures is that of Ronald Bussnik, the brainchild and designer of the Speedlegend.
You probably guessed it, too, but you’ll need to give the seller a ring to find out how much they’re asking for it. Using its original price as a barometer won’t be easy, either, because Bussnik never made it publicly available. One did, however, go up for auction earlier this year, with a lower estimate of £550,000. Serious money, and it’ll surely be worth it for someone looking for a never-to-be-repeated Mercedes speedster with an F1-style halo bolted to it. Give it time, you’ll be surprised how quickly you get used to it.
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