Mercedes's Baby SL Builds Up Its Muscles
By KEITH MARTIN, NY Times
TESTED: 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350
WHAT IS IT? Sporty two-seater with a retractable hardtop.
HOW MUCH? Starts at US$46,220.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT? Guy-friendly styling; a new 268-horsepower dual-cam V-6.
HOW QUICK? Zero-to-60 m.p.h. in 5.4 seconds (manufacturer's estimate).
ALTERNATIVES: Audi TT 3.2, BMW Z4 3.0i, Porsche Boxster
FIFTY years ago, Mercedes-Benz gave birth to its first baby SL, which looked like a scaled-down version of its awe-inspiring 300SL sports car. While the resemblance was notable and the price attractive, enthusiasts regarded the little 190SL as a harmless, underpowered car.
From 1963 to 1997 Mercedes produced a single SL model, which evolved from the petite 230SL to the ponderous celebrity-mobile cars of the 1990's. But with the debut of the 1998 SLK230 Kompressor, the company reinstated its practice of offering a smaller version of its flagship roadster.
The SLK was relatively peppy, thanks to its supercharged engine, and its retractable hardtop set it apart, but its styling was rather tame. It was rarely mistaken for a serious sports car.
That car's replacement, the SLK350, which goes on sale this month, is a different story. It has a very aggressive stance and an attention-grabbing appearance, with design cues that hint at the US$450,000 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar. The lines of the new SLK sweep upward from front to rear, somewhat reminiscent of the short-lived Lotus Elan of the early 1990's. The car still has a retractable hardtop, which provides a choice between open air and an enclosed weatherproof cabin.
The all-new 3.5-liter V-6 engine has four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts, in contrast to the V-6 of the 2004 model, which is a three-valve, single-cam design. Horsepower is rated at 268 (up from 215 for the SLK320). A new six-speed manual transmission is standard, and a seven-speed automatic - Mercedes says it is the world's first - is an option.
Despite the improved performance, the base price is just US$450 more than that of the previous V-6 model (no 4-cylinder model will be offered in the United States), although some equipment that was standard, like power seats, is now optional.
I drove the SLK350 on winding roads through the Columbia Gorge in Oregon, on freeways and at Portland International Raceway. On the road, it is a winner, a cut above the previous SLK. The handling is predictable, with negligible body lean in turns, and even with the optional sport suspension the ride was comfortable.
The seven-speed automatic was superb, always finding the right gear and shifting quickly, and the new manual transmission is vastly superior to the one previously offered. My only complaint is that its ratios are widely spaced, causing the engine speed to drop out of its ideal range on gear changes.
The cup holders are good for a German car, which is to say they are mediocre by American or Japanese standards. They pop out from the dashboard above the navigation system, ensuring that the air-conditioning will cool your hot drink.
Mercedes did a better job of positioning a new option it calls the air scarf, a heating system built into the seat that blows warm air onto the base of your neck. Odd as it may sound, it proved effective on chilly mornings when the top was down.
While the current SLK has a reputation as a sports car for those who don't quite know what a sports car is - the commonly heard but impolite term is "chick car" - the new SLK350 can be considered alongside the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster in performance and appearance. But the retractable hardtop gives it an edge over all its competitors.
2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Compact Convertible
Available: September 2004
Preview
What Edmunds.com Says: With the release of BMW's new Z4, Mercedes has some catching up to do and this new SLK looks like it has the performance and features that will close the gap.
First Drive: 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK
Roadster Reborn
By Ed Hellwig, NY Times
Date posted: 03-15-2004
When the original SLK debuted in 1998, it was hardly your typical Mercedes. With its convertible hardtop, reasonable price tag and pint-size dimensions, it looked like it left a factory in Japan not Germany. It was often labeled as "cute," a moniker that no doubt inspired fits of frustration among Mercedes' more traditional designers. "It is not cute, just smaller," they probably lamented.
As shocking and unexpected as it may have seemed at the time, it proved to be a successful combination of personality and performance, selling well against rival roadsters like the BMW Z3 and Audi's TT. But like any breakthrough design, the time comes when the originality wears thin and the quirks of old age start to wear through. After seven years on the market, the SLK was beginning to show such symptoms, so in an effort to keep it relevant in a cutthroat market Mercedes gave its entry-level roadster a full redesign for 2005.
With a dramatic new design inspired by Mercedes' Formula One race cars, the second-generation SLK is every bit as eye-catching as the original. It's also slightly larger and more powerful than its predecessor, two traits that will likely earn it a little more respect from serious roadster enthusiasts. It still has the fun-to-drive character that made it so likable in the first place, but as we found out during a brief introductory test-drive, this SLK is more than just a cute convertible with a luxury badge.
With a body that's nearly three inches longer and two and a half inches wider, the second-generation SLK gained just enough size to make the interior livable without distorting the compact design of the exterior. While the previous version had the feel of a leather-lined bobsled, the larger cabin of the '05 version gives you plenty of room to move about. Even taller drivers can stretch out without using up all the available seat travel, and having a passenger aboard no longer entails getting up close and personal with every turn.
Even more impressive than the added room is the redesigned dashboard with its more cohesive layout, cleaner gauge cluster and higher-quality materials, the latter constituting a real plus given the fact that Mercedes has been criticized in recent years for skimping on its interiors. Good-looking soft-touch material covers the top of the dash, glovebox and doors while plastics of similar quality fill in the rest. The climate control layout varies depending on whether you add a navigation system (now DVD-based), but both arrangements use easy-to-decipher dials that are usable at a glance. Taken together, the long list of improvements creates a more upscale, tasteful-looking cabin that far exceeds the previous model's.
In addition to looking good, the SLK feels good as well with soft and supportive seats that remain comfortable even after several hours of continuous driving. Keep the windows up while the top is down and there's minimal wind buffeting. If that's not enough, consider the new Airscarf system that channels warm air to your neck and shoulders via dedicated registers in the headrests. It actually works quite well, and when combined with traditional seat heaters the SLK becomes one of the most useful all-weather convertibles on the market.
If the improvements to the interior aren't enough to convince you that this SLK is indeed a step above its predecessor, one full-fledged stomp on the throttle should be enough to seal the deal. With 268 horsepower on tap courtesy of an all-new 3.5-liter V6, the SLK can sprint to 60 miles per hour in just 5.6 seconds, according to Mercedes-Benz. Repeated floggings on wide-open back roads inspired little doubt in M-B's numbers. The power kicks in early and remains solid throughout thanks to variable camshafts and a two-stage intake manifold. As an added bonus, the stout V6 pours out a satisfying wail that inspires flat-footed runs to the redline at every opportunity.
Complementing the impressive new power plant is a pair of transmissions that offers excellent flexibility and performance whether you go with the standard six-speed manual or new seven-speed automatic. Last year's manual gearbox suffered from a vague, hollow shifter that inspired little confidence through the gears, but the reworked linkage in this year's model delivers a solid feel and smooth action that transforms the six-speed into a gearbox worthy of consideration. Then there's the seven-speed automatic that offers up serious performance (Mercedes claims that the automatic-equipped SLK is a tenth-of-a-second quicker to 60 than the manual) along with the everyday drivability of a traditional automatic.
Other notable improvements under the skin include a new rack-and-pinion steering system and more powerful brakes. The recirculating-ball steering system used in the previous model was often chastised for its heavy feel and inconsistent feedback, but the new setup is not only lighter to the touch, it returns enough road feel to maintain the car's sporting demeanor during aggressive driving. The revised brakes could still use a better feel through the pedal, but their ability to bring the SLK to a halt in a hurry is never an issue.
If you get the sense that Mercedes adequately addressed nearly every fault in the previous model, you wouldn't be far from the truth. The SLK now has the power to go head-to-head with a Porsche Boxster and the handling to keep pace with a BMW Z4. It may not be as wholly satisfying in terms of pure performance, but it's no longer a distant third either. Its revamped interior is arguably better than both the Boxster and the Z4 while its unique hardtop configuration gives it an edge when it comes to safety and security. It's not a perfect car by any means, but in the thinly populated world of entry-level luxury roadsters, the SLK now offers one of the most compelling combinations of style, performance and comfort available anywhere. It's still not your typical Mercedes, but that's the way the boys in Stuttgart like it, cuteness and all.
Click here for photos of the New 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350
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