Mercedes-Benz SLK55 2005 Review

It is a car that is not sensible, not rational, not affordable and not practical.

But if you just want to have fun, it makes all the sense in the world.

It can be a droptop cruiser or a pocket rocket, and pretty much anything else depending on your mood. It has V8 stonk, Benz quality and a folding metal roof, though a $162,000 price means you won't be seeing one on every street corner.

The SLK 55 AMG has been moved up and away from the sweet six-pack SLK 350, which we have already tested – and enjoyed – into a different sort of car.

The baby Benz has been turned into a blitzer after a run through the AMG hot-house in Germany, which creates fiery cars out of all sorts of unlikely silver-star machinery, including the compact C-Class and even the four-wheel-drive ML.

It has made its name and reputation with a string of V8-powered E55 stonkers, including a station wagon, and has really lit the fuse with its CL 65 coupe, which will top 320km/h.

The SLK has just joined the line-up as part of a policy to put AMG muscle into every new Benz, including the svelte CLS four-door we are previewing on Page 16 of Cars Guide today.

The baby droptop keeps its basics, including the folding metal roof and compact two-door cabin, but it is pumped out in every direction.

That means a 5.4-litre V8 engine, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, a nose that hints at the $1 million Mercedes McLaren SLR supercar, and a set of bulging exhaust pipes to let people see and hear that it's more than just a starter SLK.

The package also includes a full set of airbags, automatic airconditioning, bi-xenon headlamps, rain-sensor wipers, DVD-based satellite navigation, a CD-stacker sound system and heated seats with a classy device to blow warm air around your neck.

The technology in the car is impressive, with composite brakes to go with anti-skid control and brake assistance, 18-inch alloy wheels with 225 front and 245 rear rubber, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, AMG sports suspension settings and electronic stability control.

The body has been upgraded with a deeper front spoiler feeding air to the oil cooler, a side air outlet, AMG side skirts and a small lip on the bootlid.

The engine room is the action station, with a hi-tech V8 that has alloy pistons and a twin-pipe intake system. It punches out 265kW and 510Nm and feeds power to the rear wheels. It is hooked to Benz's latest seven-speed automatic, complete with touch-change buttons on the back of the steering wheel.

Going by the numbers, the SLK 55 AMG will sprint to 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds, romps to 200km/h in 17.5 seconds and is only held back to a top of 250km/h by its electronics and Benz's "good neighbour" policy in Germany.

ON THE ROAD

It took a while to warm to the SLK 55 AMG. Five wet days on greasy roads and no chance to open the roof did not help.

But when we talked to people about the car, researched what customers were trading and took it on a fun run, it came into focus. The picture was impressive.

The SLK 55 AMG is an indulgent, brutal, relaxing, charming, confronting, rewarding car with many sides.

It can waft as gently as a breeze, blast past slow-moving freeway traffic, make an impressive opening-night arrival, relax you on the commuter grind or turn Sundays into fun.

We still believe the SLK 350 is a nicer car, and there are some people who say the SLK 55 is an engine looking for a bigger convertible, but you can't question its strengths.

It is so quick in a stoplight run and it can turn a tiny tickle on the throttle into a V8 rumble that makes you smile.

It is less enjoyable on twisting roads, where a Porsche Boxster or 911 would be preferable, and it does not have the sharp edge of a BMW M3 or the comfort of a new M6 coupe.

The SLK is a coupe and a convertible and that means it covers a wide range of rivals.

It is a point-and-squirt sort of car that tends to hop and skip over broken surfaces and often sets the traction control light blinking as it searches for grip, even with the AMG tweaking of the computer and its sports suspension and tyres.

We are not fans of the seven-speed auto, even though it keeps the engine turning hard. We have been spoiled by the Double-Shaft manual in the latest VW range.

If you line up the SLK 55 against rivals, it is a relative bargain, if you want only a couple of seats and can cope with a tight boot.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The SLK 55 is a wild thing and it is hard to fight off. You want to rattle its cage just to hear the roar. It's like a sawn-off shotgun on wheels.