At the 1999 North American International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz presented their Vision SLR concept, inspired both by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR "Uhlenhaut Coupé" of 1955, which was a modified Mercedes-Benz W196S race car, and the design of closed-wheel Formula One cars, a field in which Mercedes had prior experience, as Mercedes-Benz were already designing and developing powertrains and electronics for McLaren's Formula One Team.