For the third time in its life, reincarnation has occurred once again on the SLK. Must be a good thing eh?
Despite being Mercedes’ baby convertible, the SLK seems to have grown up—especially in size. The bonnet sports a large gaping grill, where the humongous signature crest lies upon it. On the whole, the new SLK has a wider face, and many stylish curves. The bonnet itself has one parallel line running down the middle, resembling a chiseled masculine face. Take a step back, and one realizes that the SLK seems to share the same outlook as its older brothers—the SL, and SLS. From the side, the curves carry on, and grills with brushed aluminum rise up from both sides of the convertible. On the SLK, the wing mirrors follow the S, E, and C-Class, and therefore wears the double-curved signals on the back. To me, the door handle of any vehicle is as important as—say, the engine. On the SLK, the door handle has a certain German touch, which makes opening the doors of the vehicle extremely pleasurable. When shutting the doors, they produce a nice clunk as it clicks into place, giving one sheer confidence in the vehicle. The rear is unlike its predecessor. Where the 2nd generation SLK has a relatively rounded bum, the 3rd generation SLK features a boot, as if someone has kicked it in. Beneath the Mercedes-Benz logo, a cavern of some sort is formed for the car plates. Unfortunately, they seem to give the vehicle an awkward stance. The use of LED’s is ever present, from the rear brake lights, to the signal and reverse lights. On the top right hand side of the vehicle, one will notice the words: 7G-Tronic, stenciled in chrome, which points to the buttery smooth transmission used in the convertible. The twin exhausts are outlined in chrome, for that avantgarde look and feel. With the signature folding metal roof down (this particular folding metal roof was sported on the 1st generation SLK, in 1996, which has led to the use of folding metal roofs on multiple convertibles to date), the back face of the seats are made of a certain kind of aluminum, which displays serenity and innovation.
· Interior
Enter the SLK and one instinctively feels a sense of sportiness—from the flat-bottomed steering wheel outlined in brushed aluminum, to minute details, such as the red dials on a silver background. Lets start from the top. The steering wheel has a good grip, and features many, but sensible buttons, along with tiny paddle shifters. The speedometer utilizes tomato red dials, on a mercury silver background. This causes problems, especially with the top down, as the sun reflects off the silver dials, making them relatively impossible to read. On the left, lies a good to the touch Start/Stop button, which breathes life into the vehicle. At the top of the center console, is the vehicle’s clock, and looks similar to Porsche’s stopwatch, without the stopwatch function. The air conditioning vents are outlined in chrome, with a very 80’s aviation retro feel. The COMMAND system is carried on from the E-Class with optional Internet functionality, and controlled by a brushed aluminum dial. Once again, buttons such as traction control are made of the same reflective material as the speedometers, making them impossible to see with the top down. Innovation presents itself once again, in the new SLK. Lift up the spot for one to rest his/her hand, in order to control the COMMAND system, and voila! The controls to the roof are revealed, just as the S-Class has its unique TELEPHONY system, where the phone is concealed beneath the extended armrest. Once again outlined in brushed aluminum, lifting back the lever the open the folding hard top feels good to the touch. After a good 20-seconds, only then will the roof fully retract. Keep into consideration that unlike (for instance) a BMW 3-Series convertible, the car is required to be stationary, in order for it to become operable. A new feature is available as an option on the SLK called Magic Sky Control, which allows the roof to become a glass panel, where the tint can be darkened or lightened, with the touch of a button. On a chilly autumn afternoon in Britain with the top down, an option called AirScarf, breathes warm air onto the necks of both passengers, from a slot directly beneath the headrests. The factory-fitted sound system does its job quite well, especially with the top down. For purists such as myself, one has the option to tick the optional Harman Kardon sound system. For a two-seater, one finds that space is somewhat tight, with oddly low seats. Though the 10-way power seats with memory allows the seat to be positioned in any possible way, even when raised to the highest seating position, one finds it troublesome to stretch his/her neck in order to see blind spots. Nevertheless, who could fault the build quality of the convertible?
The base SLK (SLK 200 BlueEfficiency) is powered by a supercharged, 1.8-liter engine, which churns out an adequate 184BHP, though lack of power, is felt when on open roads. Mated to a signature 7G-Tronic transmission, shifting gears becomes a sensational experience. Around the corners, the SLK manages to compose itself, and feels nimble, due to its small dimensions. A so-so steering is featured, but is made up for by the suspension. For a sports car, suspension is usually tough and harsh. No no, not on the SLK. The convertible feels well damped, and soaks up bumps and humps extremely well. A pleasant vehicle to drive.
· Verdict
Loving the sharp and avantgarde exterior looks, apart from the odd bum, the use of brushed aluminum, along with the intelligent roof. Interior quality is top notch, ridiculously hard to see buttons, along with low seats—not a good thing. Oodles of available options. SLK 350 paired with 7G-Tronic transmission, the top of the range=the best drive ever. SLK 200 not punchy enough. Porsche, watch out. The Boxster has finally got some serious competition. Despite all the comments, the SLK still happens to be a Mercedes. Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing.
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