Monday, May 26, 2008

2009 Mercedes Benz SLK



Having sold almost a half-million SLKs to date, Mercedes-Benz is revamping the second-generation car to keep it current. In all there are 650 new parts, the bulk of which, new look aside, key on the comfort and dynamic sides of the car’s split personality.As the first of the current crop of hardtop convertibles (the SLK launched in 1996), the SLK continues to offer the best of both worlds. With the tin-top up you have the comfort, hushed ride and security of a coupe. Hold a button for 22 seconds and the lot folds down into the trunk in an intricate mechanical ballet – at times the different pieces come within a whisker of disaster, of course, they never do.

When the rear-drive SLK arrives this spring, it will be offered in three flavours: SLK 300 (formerly the 280), SLK 350 and the uber-powerful SLK 55 AMG. The mortal versions are offered with either six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions, the AMG comes with automatic only.The appearance changes are subtle but meaningful – the front bumper has a more chiseled appearance (especially in AMG guise) and the rear apron now has a quasi-defuser built in to it. Add darkened tail lights and larger exhausts tips and you have a more purposeful look. Those enlarged tailpipes also sound the part whenever the gas pedal is flexed – the 55’s throaty V8 positively barks through its quad-pipes.

Adding the AMG Sport package to the SLK 350 does a number of good things. First, it adds the 55’s more aggressive look and better tires – P225/40/R18 front and P245/35R18 rear verses the stock P225/45R17/P245/40R17 combination. It also includes steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for the seven-speed automatic. These things work very nicely. In the sport setting (there are also comfort and manual modes) the box holds each gear a little longer, which helps performance. The paddles then allow the driver to drop a cog (or two) to set the car up for the corner without having to take a hand off the wheel. I prefer stirring my own gears, but this thing is good enough it represents the best of both the drive and driven worlds.In terms of the pure driving excitement, the AMG version is the most enjoyable if it’s a first class adrenaline rush you seek. With 355 horsepower and a tire-shredding 376 pound-feet of torque on tap, this thing moves whenever the driver guns the gas – 100 km/h appears on the clock in a scant 4.9 seconds. It is also noticeably firmer, has even better road manners and much better brakes than the 350. It is as good as any serious performance car that can be purchased for under $100,000.

There is something truly rewarding about driving a car that’s able to out-bass one of those really annoying vroom and boom wrecks. In any form, the SLK has the mechanical hardware to dust these fruitless ventures away from a light – and without so much as breaking a sweat. How sweet it is!

(Auto Reviews Online)

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