| Product Name: | 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class | | Category: | Cars |
The first SLK had all the core constituents most people sought in a Mercedes convertible: it was a Mercedes and it was a convertible. Showing to the world one's level of disposable income while concurrently serving as a rolling display for one's pretty face seemed to count for everything, especially since such an opportunity could finally be seized at half the cost of before (previously, it was either the $80,000 SL or nothing).
Viewed as a car, though, the SLK initially forgot to include a couple of things: acceleration, a manual transmission, an engine that sounded better than a lawn mower, steering that could match the precision and feedback of a Hyundai Elantra, etc. Dismissed as "definitely not a sports car", a "sprinter in 20-pound shoes", and other such accurately harsh summations, the first SLK's specialness pretty much ended after its power retractable top.
For the new SLK, Mercedes kept the top but reworked everything else right down to the bottom. The body grew a tiny bit - just enough to increase comfort. Steering and (front) suspensions made switches in fundamental design, and all three former engines got dropped like Oldsmobile. Figures for torsional and bending rigidity (a big deal with open cars) hardened up by 46% and 19%. Finally, the new look is sharper-edged in a mini-McLaren sort of way, possibly in the hopes of finally attracting some handsome faces in addition to the pretty ones.
| Number of Seats | | | Available Colors | | | Gear System | |
Additional featuresDespite larger all-around dimensions and a fatter face showing to the atmosphere, the SLK's drag coefficient dropped to 0.34 / 0.37 with the top up / down. They also claim 30% / 20% greater resistance to the forces of front / rear lift. It doesn't have those swiveling headlights everyone's been squawking about, but watch closely and you'll notice the fog lights lighting up one side of the car whenever you take turns at 25 MPH or below with your blinker on.
If you don't mind a little complexity in exchange for no-compromises driving, the SLK's top still tops all others. All you gotta do is hold down that little button next to the parking brake, and throughout the next 22 seconds (down from 25 in the first SLK) watch the various body panels do their dance: trunk opens its mouth, roof peels back, folds like origami and settles in, trunk closes. We are amused. The SLK will hold the honor of being the lowest-priced car with a power retractable roof until the Pontiac G6 convertible and Volvo C70 get here.
Even with the roof above your head, designers seem to have scooped out enough room for all but the tallest drivers. The seat goes back quite a ways as well, and even if the high-rise beltline and hood make you feel kind of buried, feelings of confinement are minimal. The seats' manual (!) adjusters work just fine, with no-nonsense levers that let you sit ideally in seconds. The truly colossal news is that the steering wheel now tilts in addition to telescoping, finally laying down a big welcome mat for drivers of more than just one stature.
And they will feel welcome in this cabin. The inspired curves are a refreshing departure from the all-business look of the last model and most surfaces are firm, while the important ones still soft enough to cushion any arm or elbow you might spontaneously slam down.
And they will feel welcome in this cabin. The inspired curves are a refreshing departure from the all-business look of the last model and most surfaces are firm, while the important ones still soft enough to cushion any arm or elbow you might spontaneously slam down.
The SLK also does the safety thing. After the expected two-stage air bags (child hazard: the passenger's doesn't turn off) come knee bags, plus "side/thorax" bags that extend upwards towards the head. (Should any deploy, Automatic Collision Notification sends help via the standard Tele Aid system.) And don't forget one key advantage held by members of the $40,000 roadster class but not the $20,000 class: those roll bars you see behind the seats are real. Mercedes went so far as to drop this baby on its head from 20 inches off the ground to see what would happen (don't try this at home), and claim that the A-pillars hardly deformed at all.
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