Mercedes SLK 350 (R171)

Are you a driving enthusiast? Then what does this sound like to you: A light two seat sports convertible, huge cross drilled front discs and a 3.5l V6 producing 200Kw feeding a 7 speed gearbox driving the rear wheels. It sounds good to me. So then what if I say this sports car combination has electric seats that are heated, a front loader and a 6cd stack in the cubby hole. An air scarf, a plush leather interior, airbags and a suspension set up that handles our pothole laden roads. This is exactly what the SLK is; a luxurious two seater sports car that has the ability to snap your neck should you feel the urge.

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Today on our rough roads we spend more time sitting in traffic than actually driving and to have a stripped out sports car would be impractical and very uncomfortable, so Slk’s, Porsche Boxters and Z4’s start to look very appealing. With these cars it is comfortable enough to sit in traffic but when its 5am on Sunday morning it is quick enough to get the blood flowing. The addition of the retractable hard top makes it even more luxurious but adds weight. This option is not available to the Porsche or BMW. However around a track you are better off with the Porsche. The BMW looks disastrous and has a soft top so it is out of the question for me. The only problem with the SLK is the fact that it can be a bit too feminine, that’s unless you have the SLK55 AMG. As far as I am concerned the 200K is for housewives while the 350 is a good compromise.

The second generation SLK does look good. With a similar front end to that of the Mclaren SLR and twin tail pipes out the back. Not to mention the sound of the 350 and 55 AMG. These cars sound awesome indeed, and especially with the roof down. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 5.4 seconds in the 350 and it has a top speed limited to 250km/h. The 55 AMG accelerates to 100 km/h from standstill in 4.9 seconds. These cars really do suck you into the seat.

The Slk is rather an awesome car; you have a luxurious interior, a good looking exterior, lots of toys, a folding hard top and very respectable performance indeed. Few problems though, hope you don’t have kids, hope you don’t pack much and as I mentioned earlier the similarly powerful Porsche Boxter is much quicker around a track. However if you are driving around the urban streets this might just be what you needed to spice up your life. Fuel consumption is quoted at 9.9L per 100km/h for the SLK 350.

Pros:
Power
Comfort
Toys
Looks

Cons:
Space
Two people only
Price

 

Cylinders/Valves:   6/4
Capacity cc:   3498
Max Power:   200kw @ 6000rpm
Max Torque:  360nm@4900rpm
0-100km/h:  5.4seconds
Top Speed:   250km/h (limited)

 

Ewen Cameron