Mercedes ends McLaren collaboration

Mercedes-Benz will end its partnership with McLaren Automotive when its agreement expires next year. Together, the German automaker and the British sports-car manufacturer built the SLR premium roadster.

“The partnership ends in 2009, and it will not be renewed,” a Mercedes spokesman said.

Media reports say a new flagship premium roadster called the SLC will replace the SLR in 2010. It will be built by Mercedes’ in-house performance unit AMG at the automaker’s Sindelfingen plant, near Stuttgart.