Innovative Mercedes Class SLK

Elegant, powerful, undoubtedly the most innovative car of the year.

This roadster is undoubtedly the most innovative car of the year. Even more powerful than its predecessor, it is also more elegant and therefore more appealing.

Eight years have already gone by since the SLK appeared on the international scene. Last spring saw the arrival of the second generation. Saying that this model has character is something of a euphemism ! Visually first : its design has taken inspiration from racing cars ; a long sleek hood, a sharply sloping windscreen, wide doors, cropped rear, a longer wheelbase (30 mm), distinctive “prow”, profiled gills by way of a radiator grill, double exhaust system… Everything contributes to an airy allure and an impressive silhouette. Same goes for inside : black surfaces for the dashboard, a silver finish for the switches, keys and decorative inserts, leather seats (available in six different shades), all giving it a strong personality. Not forgetting its stashaway roof, which opens and closes even more quickly (in 22 seconds), and occupies even less space in the trunk thanks to the pivoting rear lunette (trunk volume + 63 l).

Careful selection of the materials and a judicious choice of colours contribute to making the SLK’s image even stronger. The passenger compartment comes in black, Univers blue, Orient beige, multi-red, alpaga grey and tobacco brown. By combining these colours with the twelve shades of paint for the bodywork, one obtains a wide array of possibilities.

Careful selection of the materials and a judicious choice of colours contribute to making the SLK’s image even stronger. The passenger compartment comes in black, Univers blue, Orient beige, multi-red, alpaga grey and tobacco brown. By combining these colours with the twelve shades of paint for the bodywork, one obtains a wide array of possibilities.

Close-up protection

Safer than its illustrious predecessor, the roadster benefits from security systems that become active depending on the situation. Such as the adaptive airbags : they are deployed in two phases and depending on the seriousness of the accident. In the event of a lateral collision, the ones called “head and thorax” are deployed. In addition, a captor triggers the lateral airbags and the two safety-belt retractors (even if the car overturns). To anticipate problems, the passenger compartment has been improved in its entirety : front uprights reinforced with oval steel tubes with a high elasticity limit, side rails comprised by an interior and exterior shell, itself reinforced by separation sheets and a more solid floor, thanks to the transmission tunnel, the two connection beams placed in the prolongation of the front side rails and the two seat crossmembers.

Lower consumption, higher performance

You can choose from three models. The SLK 200 Kompressor (manual gearbox with six gears, 163 hp) requires 8 % less fuel than its predecessor (for equal power) and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/hr in 8.1 seconds. The SLK 350 (same gearbox, but 272 hp) is capable of breathtaking sprints : it only takes 5.5 seconds to reach 100 km/hr. Its fuel consumption under town conditions is 14.2 l/100 km. Finally, the SLK 55 AMG proposes an automatic gearbox with seven gears and 360 hp ; it takes just 4.9 seconds to put 100 km/hr on the clock ! For all three models, Mercedes has predicted longer spells of fine weather and driving with the roof off. With the Airscarf neck-warmer (a world exclusive) incorporated into the back of the seats, warm air flows from the ventilation ducts in the head-rests to keep the passengers’ necks and heads comfortably warm. SLK 200 Kompressor, 37,400 €. SLK 350, 46,150 €. SLK 55 AMG, 71,600 €.

By Cécile Olivéro - Photos : presse.