Mercedes-Benz SLK Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLK 200K
Prices: £30,330 – on the road
Insurance Group: 16
Emissions: 192g/km
Performance: Max Speed 144mph / 0-60mph 7.6s
Fuel Consumption: (average) 36.2mpg
Safety: Twin front and side airbags / ABS / ESP
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4103/1777/1296

New Frontier

Our Rating: No Rating Available

Back in the late 1990s when the Mercedes-Benz SLK was first launched it was met with a shrug and a whimper. Overall it looked great, but under the bonnet there wasn't much to get excited about and it handles more like the larger Mercedes car lines and less like a sports car. Oddly the lack of pep and drivability didn't do much to dissuade buyers because the car sold very well. The German car maker could have rested on their laurels and left well enough alone, but luckily for the car buying public that type of attitude doesn't fly in a Mercedes design room. The company made some massive changes for the version released in 2004 and has made even more for the most recent update.

The latest version of the Mercedes-Benz SLK has tweaked and it now stands as one of the best overall sports convertibles there is on the market today. One of the biggest changes they made was to enhance the suspension and steering which allows it to feel much more like the sports car it should be rather than a clunky executive saloon. This has been accomplished by utilizing the same steering that has been in the range topping SLK55. They have also increased the horsepower across the entire line-up of SLK models.

Under the bonnet of the newest version of the Mercedes-Benz SLKs sit stronger and leaner engines. The entry level SLK200K went from 172bhp to 184bhp, the LK350 received the addition of 30 extra horses and now stands at 305bhp. The horses of the SLK350 are now higher than can be found in the Porsche Boxster S. Mercedes has connected the more powerful engines to an impressive 7G-Tronic automatic shifter that has been enhanced to adjust the throttle on down shifts making the gear changes gentler. The SLK350 can get from 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds with a top speed of 155mph. The SLK55 still sits as the line leader in engine power boasting 360bhp under the bonnet that can take the car from 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds.

Mercedes also made the exterior look even better by making the front even pointier than it was and the rear gets a F1-style diffuser that holds the car to the road even better. The back part of the car is punctuated with sexy looking trapezoidal exhaust pipes and darkened taillights. They have also added some newly designed alloys across the line-up.

Equipment levels are impressive across the board no matter which SLK is purchased. Some of the features include enhanced audio and phone systems, Bluetooth connectively, iPod connections and voice commands capability. Buyers can upgrade to a Harmon Kardon stereo and the Airscarf heating element in the head restraint area to keep the neck warm when the top is down.

Overall the newly updated Mercedes-Benz SLK is now a true contender in the sports convertible category. Gone are the days where the SLK was a sexy, yet clunky machine that was only purchased by people want to look good and not feel good.