Teresa’s View: A little more power goes a long way for SLK

Sat., Jan. 29, 2005

Teresa Herriman Marketing Department Correspondent

When it was introduced in 1997, the SLK from Mercedes-Benz looked marvelous. The designers began with a trip down Mercedes memory lane, harking back to the classic 300SL and 190SL roadsters of the ‘50s and ‘60s — saucy wenches that exuded sophistication and danger. However, the hotness the exterior promised wasn’t delivered under the hood and the SLK got the dreaded “chick car” rep.

So, for the SLK’s first-ever remodel, M-B designers looked for something more manly for their inspiration and found it in the immensely studly SLR McLaren supercar. The SLK’s new flattened nose and wide-open grille is an impressive copy of the $450,000 Formula 1-inspired racecar.

For a little power, the SLK350 received a new, 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a silky six-speed manual transmission. The AMG-enhanced version — the SLK55 — acquired a 5.5-liter V-8 engine that produces an exhilarating 355 horsepower. M-B says the SLK350 will peg the 0-to-60 dash in 5.4 seconds, while the SLK55 does the same run in 4.9 seconds.

The SLK transforms itself from a roadster to a convertible with the same style, grace and speed. The retractable hardtop drops in 22 seconds and takes up less trunk space than the original.

If it’s luxury you want, this car has it. I half expected a bubble bath. It has the most amazing feature I’ve seen since my beloved heated seats — an optional AIRSCARF provides neck-level heating vents at the base of the headrest to help keep momma warm during open air-touring. For safety’s sake, the SLK offers front, knee and side-impact air bags.

There is so much to love about the SLK, but there’s almost something sinister in its perfection. It reminds me of that desperate housewife on television, without the freaky red hair.

What Is It?: The SLK is a two-seat roadster convertible. Prices for the SLK350 start at around $46K. The SLK55 AMG starts at $60K.

The Name Game: SLK stands for sportlich, leicht, and kompakt — or sporty, light and compact for the English-speaking among you.