After battling a prolonged illness, racing legend Sir Stirling Moss passed away earlier this week at the ripe old age of 90. Moss is considered one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers in history to never win a championship, but back in 1955, the British racer won the famous Mille Miglia endurance race piloting a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.

Recent tributes to the 300 SLR include the SL 417 Mille Miglia Edition and the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss, of which only 75 examples were ever built. Like his original racecar, the SLR Stirling Moss didn't have a roof or windshield, much like the modern Ferrari SP1 or McLaren Elva. Mercedes-Benz has not built a car quite like the SLR Stirling Moss since 2009 but thanks to an amazing rendering, we now have an idea of what a modern version could look like.

This creation is called the Mercedes-AMG GT Silver Echo and is clearly inspired by the old SLR Stirling Moss. Designer Costas Phouphoullides says, "The Silver Echo is a tribute to the late Sir Stirling Moss and the 300SLR that won the 1955 Mille Miglia. Just as 2009 SLR Stirling Moss was based on the then Mercedes Benz Halo SLR; I have chosen to use the current halo of the range; the AMG GT."

"This coach-built special lends its style to a long lineage of Mercedes racers and is designed to put driving pleasure above all. There is neither a roof nor a windscreen to separate the driver and passenger from the outside world; they enjoy unadulterated high-speed excitement with all the attributes of a speedster. The nose is designed to pull in air through the long engine and doubles as an aerodynamic wing to produce down-force at speed. The DRLs are placed as far outboard as possible, creating a marker for the driver when cornering. Sir Stirling Moss and the cars he drove have been huge influences on my career. May his legacy continue to inspire," Phouphoullides added.

We think the rendering looks seriously cool and Mercedes should even consider producing a few of them as a limited edition homage to Moss. Phouphoullide is currently a designer for Geely and Lynk & Co and has previously worked for Bentley Mulliner and Ford Exterior Lighting, so his work is clearly professional enough to be used on a production model. We imagine the Mercedes-AMG GT Silver Echo would be powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which should sound lively with no roof or windshield.