Retro-looking SLK retains classic folding hardtop roof

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Friday, January 13, 2012

It is not the time of the year for wind-in-the-hair motoring, unless you want double pneumonia, but there will still be interest in the newest version of Mercedes’ iconic two-seater, the SLK.

Introduced by the Stuttgart outfit in 1996 and updated in 2004, the latest incarnation arrived in the middle of last year and is now fighting for share in the small but intensely competitive roadster market.

I tested the 1.8 litre turbocharged version late last year and found it to be a very welcome addition to what’s already on offer here.

Although based on the same platform — slightly modified — as the second-generation SLK, the new car’s looks benefit from the designers having dipped into the company’s heritage.

With styling paying homage to the famous SL roadster from the 1950s, the SLK is a fine-looking machine, and even if it does tip its hat to old three-pointed-star icons it still cuts a dash as a modern statement of design.

The wider, more pronounced grille — echoing the SLS — the massive air intakes, the re-profiled headlights with LED daytime running lights, the new side air intakes and the revamped boot shape and rear lamp clusters give the SLK its most attractive look yet.

The folding hard-top roof, the most revolutionary thing about the original machine, is still a masterpiece of design.

Some say the roof was the best part of the original because the car was not much kop; it was known as a boulevard tourer not a decent road-goer. Mercedes has dispelled similar criticism of this model.

Changes to the width and reinforcement with carbon fibre on the rear bulkhead have done a lot for the driveability of the SLK, while the aluminium bonnet and wings help greatly with weight.

Throw in a variable-rate steering rack, adaptive damping and torque-vectoring brakes and the SLK is now much more of a drivers’ car and its enthusiasm for tight, winding roads is more noticeable.

And when you consider that the 1.8-litre (1796cc) turbo petrol engine pushes out 135 kW (181 bhp) and will make the 0-100 kph dash in 7.3 seconds, and in seven-speed auto form, as tested, will reach a top speed of 237 kph, this makes the whole package all the more alluring.

With its high-pressure injection system and twin-balancer shafts, the engine is a dinger and provides exceptional levels of push in the 1,800-to 4,500 rpm range, making the driving experience a very engaging one.

The interior, too, wit its brushed aluminium trim and, in the case of the tester, full leather seats, is a very pleasant place to be and even if the boot space is impractical, the SLK still provides the majority of characteristics which roadster customers’ demand.

A really nice car and while it is not one which will light a fire under many serious enthusiasts, it will tick the right boxes for most.