2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Reviews

WE turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering - would you buy one?This is the new generation Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster, the 3.5-litre petrol model, one from the top when the AMG version arrives next year.A competitive $118,900 ... with a hefty tax component.Porsche's Boxster 3.4S (cost a lot more), BMW's long nose Z4 35is, Audi's TTS Roadster (a lot less).Runs a sweet sounding, naturally aspirated, smooth as silk, 3.5-litre, V6 petrol engine with direct injection driving the rear wheels through a slick seven speed automatic, with paddle shift and multi-modes.Like a rocket, good for a 5.6 second 0-100kmh sprint and offers stupendous performance across a wide engine speed range. Best in M  (manual) mode if you want the full sporty experience. Handles like you'd expect - sharp as a tack, fast responses.Pretty good at 8.3-litres/100km combined but you'll need premium, of course.Gets a 4.5 rating in the Green Car Guide.Engineered for a five star crash rating.Cabin could be tight for larger types but otherwise - the lap of luxury with plenty of flow down stuff from the SLS model and the multi drive mode system gives you choices in dynamics from comfort through to full-on sporty.Superb, trumpeting exhaust sings a sweet song, quick, composed, razor sharp steering, snappy gear changes in M for manual mode. A real sports car. Love the new Magic Sky Roof  with variable tint or fold it right down for open tp motoring.Right in the middle of the price range of its competitors. Bear in mind there's a hefty Luxury Car Tax imposition on this (and many other) cars.Yep, in red.

If you are looking for wind-in-your-hair motoring this summer and you've got your eye on the Mercedes-Benz SLK, keep looking. The two-seat roadster is a classy car on a sunny day but it has been engineered to keep all but a light breeze out of the interior. Hit the go pedal and the new 3.5-litre V6 will still ruffle your feathers, though.VALUEThe two-seat hardtop plays on the same street as the Porsche Boxster, Audi TTRS and BMW Z4. At $118,900 it sits mid-pack in terms of pricing and performance: it can’t match the Boxster’s back road prowess and isn’t as practical as the TT for everyday transport but is the pick of the crop in terms of comfort. The four-cylinder SLK200 is a relative bargain at $82,900, though that's still $6000 over the entry level BMW Z4 20i.DESIGNCloning the look of the SLS AMG gives the SLK presence inside and out. That wide single-bar grille defines the front end and gives an instant expectation that this car will go hard. The dash is dominated by the aircraft-style chrome air vents, giving the cabin an open feel with the roof up or down.  Boot space is 335 litres with the roof up or 225 when it's down, enough for a pair of mid-sized suitcases packed on their sides.TECHNOLOGYSunroofs on convertibles make as much sense as underground solar panels but the SLK350 has two versions, a regular panoramic model and the "Magic Sky control" version. The "magic" system uses crystals embedded in the sunroof that react to an electric current to adjust the amount of light entering the cabin. Here's a tip: fold the roof down. A pair of clear wind deflectors behind the rollover bars can be manually moved to block draughts depending on the angle of the wind. Simple but it works, especially in combination with the Airscrarf vents build into the headrests.SAFETYThe SLK hasn't been officially crash-tested but a five-star rating will be the only acceptable outcome for Benz. An Attention Assist system alerts drivers if the software detects their concentration is waning and the Pre-Safe software automatically pre-tensions seatbelts and closes the windows if it detects a crash is imminent. If you do hit, no less than six airbags will deploy to protect the occupants.DRIVINGThe SLK is a stealth missile. It sidles up to Aussie-built V8s at the lights, whose drivers dismiss it as a hairdressers' car ... right up to the point where the lights go green and the SLK goes feral. The smooth mechanical purr from direct-injection 3.5-litre V6 pitches into a meaty howl as the seven-speed automatic launches from rest to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds. With the top down, you even get to appreciate it (the hardtop does a credible job of muting outside noise). Fuel use is a low 8.3 litres/100km with CO2 emissions at 194g/km. Steering feel is vague at low speed or in a straight line but the response and weight pick up with pace and turn-in angle. The only thing stopping it from being an outrig ht sports car is our roads, with the top down the Merc faithfully transfers the impact from scarred bitumen into the cabin. It still hangs on with the tenacity of a two-year old, but respect for the passenger should see the pace lowered a little off the freeways.VERDICTThe SLK350 doesn't have the poise to match its pace, but it's not designed to. If you need to corner like Michael Schumacher, buy the C63. If you want to look good, be looked at and enjoy a cruise without setting speed records, sit in the SLK.RATINGMERCEDES-BENZ SLK350Price: $118,900Warranty: Three years/100,000kmResale: 53 per cent after three years (Glass's Guide)Safety: Six airbags, Attention Assist, Pre-Safe, stability and traction control, ABS with brake assist and brakeforce distributionEngine: 3.5-litre V6, 225kW/370NmTransmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveEconomy: 8.3 litres/100km, 194g/km CO2.

Four models will wear the SLK badge before the end of the first quarter of 2012. But for now, there's two - the SLK200 and SLK350 - separated by power, features and a wide $36,000 gap.VALUEThis is in the eye of the beholder and yet even the "cheap" SLK200 is well kitted out. Standard is a seven-speed automatic attached to a 1.8-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine. The electric steel roof goes down (and up) in less than 20 seconds, there are 17-inch alloy wheels, iPod/USB friendly audio, heated seats, solar-reflective leather seats and a 147mm colour screen. It's only when you factor in the extras in the SLK350 ($118,900) such as HDD sat-nav, multi-media Comand system, bi-xenon headlights and that big engine that you recognise the reason for the price difference.DESIGNThe SLK is basically the previous model with some heavy styling changes to the nose. It picks up the SLS design for the grille and the aluminium bonnet. From behind it looks a lot wider than the outgoing model, yet appearances deceive because the difference is only 33mm.The single-bar grille looks more masculine - an image Mercedes admits was the aim, yet was coy about putting that in words - and the use of LED running lights literally sparkles up the front. The cabin also takes hints from the SLS - big, round air vents, for example - and while it looks good straight out of the box, looks a whole lot better with the optional AMG kit.TECHNOLOGYThe supercharger in the Kompressor models of the previous SLK has been given the flick. Now it's a turbocharger doing all the blowing. And the whole car is better for it, particularly the reduction in engine noise. The Magic Sky roof - which changes from clear to heavily tinted at the switch of a button - is a $4550 option. Perhaps it's worth it for cities with extreme climates.The Airscarf, which blows warm air on your neck, gets approval for its value, as does the flip-out acrylic panels behind the head restraints that dramatically reduce cabin turbulence. The seven-speed auto - there's no manual unless you make a specific order - is an important inclusion . Same applies to the AMG package option which is $5900 for the SLK200 and $3200 for the SLK350.SAFETYFive star crash rating, six airbags (including a proper head-protecting curtain bag that rises from the top of the door) and all the best electronic aids for the chassis and brakes are standard Mercedes fare.DRIVINGThe package of a front engined, rear driven two seater pretty much indicates how the car will drive. The SLK and BMW Z4, for example, are similarly balanced. But the detail splits them apart. The SLK200 impresses with its strong little engine and impressive power spread from around 3000rpm to 6500rpm. The seven cogs in the auto play a big part in getting the best from the engine, but it won't disguise engine noise - which can get raspy despite a special acoustic box that introduces a more dramatic sound into the cabin.Ride and handling are designed for smooth roads - something lacking on the test route around Ballarat - so rutted bitumen really shakes the body (YOUR  body). Roof down in the SLK200 without the deflector is too breezy to hold a conversation. Steering is very good and, road surface dependent, the little car hangs on really well through fast corners. But though there's a huge financial yawn between the SLK200 and the SLK350, the later is a completely different car. It's fast, sounds like a sports car, has wind deflectors that allow comfortable roof-down touring and has a (slightly) better ride. Slightly, probably because of the weightier V6 eng ine up front.VERDICTAn improvement on the outgoing model but still a specialised purchase which puts it in the same league as the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4. But its powertrain offering - four cylinder, V6 and from early 2012, a 5.5-litre normally-aspirated V8 - widens its market and creates a convertible for nearly all needs.MERCEDES-BENZ SLKPrice: $82,900 (SLK200), $118,900 (SLK350)Warranty: 3-years/100,00km, roadside assistResale: 56% (est.)Service interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety: 5-starEngine: (SLK350) 3.5-litre V6, 225kW/370NmBody: 2-door 2-seat convertibleWeight: 1540kgTransmission: 7-speed auto, rear driveThirst: 8.3L/100km, 95 RON, CO2 194g/km"Family nose is only part of the evolution of this desirable roadster"

A bunch of scruffy blokes once told me the Mercedes-Benz SLK was a 'hairdressers' car'. From the look of them, none had been near a hairdresser in years, of course. And none of them have been near the new SLK, or they'd be changing their views.Metal roof up or down, this is a great little two-seater, and a sheer joy to get around in.The entry-level price of $82,900 gets you into the SLK200, with a 135kW/270Nm 1.8-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed automatic, with fuel economy of 6.9L/100km. Base spec includes heated seats with sun-reflective leather, brushed aluminium trim, 147mm colour nav/info screen and 17-in alloy wheels.Of course it gets a five-star crash rating, with an arsenal of safety equipment including door-head airbags among the six on board, acceleration skid control and the Pre-Safe system that preps the car if it's in danger of crashing.The $118,900 SLK350 tested here has a 225kW/370Nm 3.5-litre V6 also with the seven-speed auto and fuel economy of 8.3L/100km. Sure, the more powerful engine adds some extra dollars, but the $36,000 price difference also bridges you to Merc's multimedia Comand entertainment/info/comms system, HDD satnav, internet browser, intelligent bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, neck-level heating, electronic memory packages for both seats, ambient lighting and 18-in wheels.The new SLK has been heavily restyled around the nose, and picks up some extra jewelry to dress up the new face and interior. If there's not enough bling for your personal taste, the AMG accessories shelves will help you out.You sit deep in the car, with the cockpit wrapped around you, and there's plenty of luxe to enjoy.The body has a distinct wedge shape, and the high-ish bootline at least allows for a reasonable luggage capacity for a roadster. Opening the roof – a 20-second job -- cuts the 335 boot capacity down to 225 litres, but that's still enough to fit a suitcase.Right from the first tap of the accelerator, the SLK350's V8 opens its throat and promises great things. And it lives up to that promise with prompt throttle response, sharply honed and weighted steering, and the unbeatable combination of a big engine in a little car.It corners brilliantly, rides smoothly and only tends to get upset when you hit rough bitumen. Patchy surfaces give it a touch of the jitters and the noise intrudes on what is otherwise a fairly quiet cabin – even with the roof down, the deflectors keep wind rush under reasonable control.You'll need that, because it's dangerously easy to get the SLK350 up to – and well beyond – legal speed limits.Hairdressers' car? You'll be lucky to find a hairdresser that can ever get your 'do' back in place if you've been out in the SLK350 with the top down. Step this way: two chairs, no waiting.

It is being given a makeover for 2008, gaining revised looks, improved interior and more powerful engines. But the German carmaker is doing one of its now-expected tricks by achieving the power increase, along with a small gain in torque, with improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions.The SLK, a two-seater sports car, was introduced a decade ago as the smaller brother to the famed SL line of 'Benz sports cars whose price has slipped out of reach of most motorists.The SLK selling now is the second generation, with prices spanning $86,000-$164,000, while the 2008 model is a heavily revised version of that. Mercedes-Benz says it has 650 new parts over the existing model, so it's not just an engine do-up. The 2008 SLK has just been announced in Europe and will go on sale in right-hand-drive in the UK in April.Mercedes-Benz Australia tells Carsguide the new SLK is expected here soon after that, meaning it's only a few months away.The latest technology gets a look-in, too. A new audio and telematics system, NTG 2.5, will be in the SLK and is said to be easier to operate and offers a wider range of functions. The sound system will include a hands-free Bluetooth connection and a new media interface in the glovebox where mobile music devices, such as an iPod, can be connected and operated by the car's audio control system. A new three-spoke steering wheel will carry multifunction buttons. It is part of an interior revision that is aimed at being more driver oriented.It has a new instrument cluster, too.The 2008 SLK can be picked over the existing model by a new front bumper with modified air dam and a more pronounced arrow shape, picking up the feel of the more expensive, bigger SL series. The rear end has a diffuser-style lower section, suggesting more serious performance. And it has darkened tail-light lenses inspired by the Mercedes-Benz performance arm AMG. Larger exterior mirrors include LED turning indicators with a more pronounced arrow shape.The range will start with the SLK 200 Kompressor, a four-cylinder supercharged 1.8-litre where power goes up 15kW to 135kW and torque increases 10Nm to 250Nm — but gives 7.7 litres per 100km.SLK280 is the three-litre V6 good for 170kW but fuel consumption has been cut to 9.3 litres per 100km.Much work has gone into the 3.5-litre V6 engine of the SLK 350. It gains 24kW to 224kW of power at 6500rpm and 10Nm more torque for 360Nm at 4900rpm. The improvements come from changes including a new intake manifold, higher compression ratio and modified valve train.The SLK 350 has a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission that is programmed to blip the throttle on downshifts is appealing.The six-speed manual is standard on SLK models, leaving a five-seed automatic optional on the 200 Kompressor and the seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic on the 280 and 350 models. The hot-rod SLK 55 AMG retains its 5.5-litre V8 engine of 265kW and 510Nm and 7G-Tronic with paddle shift. SLK has what 'Benz calls a vario roof — a hardtop coupe that converts to open roadster in 22 seconds.Optional in the UK and Europe and to be confirmed for Australia is a direct steering package, which is standard on the 55 AMG.Once the steering angle is past five degrees, the steering ratio increases rapidly for more direct response.It reduces steering-wheel rotations, aimed at making city driving less cumbersome and enabling sweeping, faster roads to be negotiated with only small steering inputs.

But for many of those whose scones are swivelling in its direction, the only sight that'll really register is the tristar emblem embedded within the nose. Indeed, for people of certain means and disposition there's something automatic about the decision to buy a Benz.Or rather, the 'non-decision.' Carsguide's lost count of the times we've heard something like; “Brand X was very good, but we just had to have a Mercedes.”Whether C-Class or E-Class, SUV or AMG, it's the same story. As someone once said; “A BMW is for the man making his money, a Mercedes is for the man who's made it.”Indeed, the average age of the tristar brand's buyer is post-midlife. In the past decade the company has sought to lure a less-mature punter with soccer-mum mobiles such as the B-Class, the new and groovier looking C-Class Avantgarde and, of course, the SLK roadster.As to the rival cars we've selected at page right, well, the Boxster's the critic's choice, the BMW's the collector's and the Nissan is stunning bang for the buck. But a Mercedes is, after all, a Mercedes.Apart from the folding metal roof (rivals make do with ragtops) that fold up or down in 22 seconds, the version in which we spent the week had its value equation enhanced enormously by it being a Designo edition.For a premium of $8000 over the standard 350, the Designo adds what would otherwise be about $22,000 in additional kit. There's a choice of metallic paint and two-tone leather upholstery combinations. Ours was 'platinum black' with red/black Designo two-tone leather.There's also Alcantara roof lining, wood/leather shift lever, individual wood trim and leather-covered roll-over bars. You won't find another roadster with such cockpit ambience.It also cops 17-inch, five-spoke alloys, lowered sports suspension,Bi-Xenon lamps, Harman/Kardon surround-sound system, and climate-control airconditioning including a neck-level heating system.Merc's seamless 7-speed automatic is the standard transmission, its facility enhanced by steering-wheel gearshift paddles and response by push button settings; comfort, manual or sport. There's a parking assistance system, electric seats with memory settings, sat-nav and UHI mobile phone pre-installation system.Apart from the roadster, Designo appointments are available on the Mercedes Benz CL-Class, CLK, CLS, E, M, S and SL.In most respects, the SLK's performance just about matches its sinuous shape. The 200kW/350Nm V6 punches it from standing to 100km/h in a claimed 5.5 seconds, so it hardly lacks for straight ahead go.Where Merc besotted buyers might get a rude shock is by a ride that, while reasonably cosseting by class standards, is a good way from soft.A broken surface is not its friend when pushing on and mid-corner bumps are fully felt through the steering wheel. It's impossible, however, not to be impressed by the strength and rigidity of the body.That rack and pinion steering isn't quite so direct as its rivals, slightly lacking precision around the centre, though it's loaded up meatily by the point when the hands have moved 12-to-6. If it's not so razor-sharp a tool as its ostensible competitors, that's not really the Merc's remit. While the SLK will satisfy most buyers in the dynamics department most of the time, rapid open top cruising is what it's all about.And in this the SLK excels.You may not really need seven forward gears but the Merc's auto is way more sophisticated than anything else on offer in the segment, providing a welcome manual override of drive via the shift paddles. The transmission is a good metaphor for the whole car: a smooth unit that's accessible and a pleasure to live with.It's a bit of a flop aurally, though. While the 3.5 V6 has all the potency you could wish for with a wide easily tapped torque band, it sounds ... well, kind of dull (to be fair, I should add that no one seems to agree with me on this point).Like the 3.0-litre V6 of the C280 we drove recently, it has to be held manually at high revs (at redline it upchanges automatically) to make much noise. It's no good ripping through tunnels with the roof down, the engine note is muted when you'd like something crisp and declamatory.Pity, because the SLK is an open roadster that satisfies other senses. The bottom lineAn automatic choice in more ways than one. SnapshotMercedes Benz SLK 350 Designo Price: $123,500Engine: 3.5L/V6; 200kW/350NmEconomy: 10.3L/100km (tested)0-100KM/H: 5.5 seconds The rivals BMW Z4 M RoadsterPrice: $130,800Engine: 3.2L/6-cylinder; 252kW/365NmEconomy: 12.8L/100km0-100KM/H: 5.5 seconds  Porsche Boxster SPrice: $135,100Engine: 3.4L/6-cylinder; 217kW/340NmEconomy: 14.6L/100km0-100KM/H: 6.3 seconds Nissan 350Z Roadster Touring Price: $73,990Engine: 3.5L/V6; 230kW/358NmEconomy: 12L/100km0-100KM/H: 6.0 seconds (estimate) 

The compact droptop is the hottest item on the Mercedes menu in 2005, and the McLaren men usually get what they want when it's Grand Prix time.Also, there is a little hint of Formula One about the all-new Mercedes SLK.Squint when you look at the nose and you see how the drooping bonnet and road-sniffer snout were inspired by the McLaren-Mercedes grand prix cars.It also gives the SLK a visual link to the king-of-the-hill Mercedes-McLaren SLR. Most people would be hard-pressed to pick them apart in a 100m taste test – provided, of course, that Lindsay Fox brings Australia's only SLR back from Europe.But back to the SLK, which has become a sellout in Australia, with a waiting list that rolls back as faras demand for the demonic SL 55 AMG.Benz sold 350 cars in the second half of 2004 and is expecting solid demand through 2005 for a car that is bigger, bolder, brighter and much more refined than the first model to wear the SLK badge through the mid-1990s.Pricing starts at $86,900 for the SLK 200K, which is a lot for a Commodore shopper but a relative bargain for someone searching for something special in the prestige class. It also runs it up comfortably against rivals including the Audi TT Roadster and the Chrysler Crossfire droptop, which looks good but uses the mechanical package from the previous-generation SLK.The basics of the new SLK are the same, with a two-seat cabin and a folding metal roof, but Mercedes engineers went right down to the road to revamp the car for the noughties.They were working inside a bigger envelope, because the car is now 72mm longer and 65mm wider. It is space that's been put into the cabin, giving more room in every direction.Fine tuning includes a computer screen in the centre of the dashboard, Mercedes' latest seven-speed auto gearbox and an engine choice that runs from a supercharged four to a revamped V6, up to the stonking V8 that's fitted to the pocket rocket SLK 55 AMG.The initial focus for the new-age SLK has been on the 350 model, priced at $112,900. It has the latest four-valve V6, with variable valve timing and movable flaps in the intake system to release 200kW of power, and 350Nm of torque in a broad sweep from 2400 through to 5000 revs.The SLK comes standard with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, but Benz is also pushing harder with the six-speed manual, a saving of $3500, after working to improve the shift feel.There are all sorts of other changes, from reshaped seats and new-look switches to a tougher-looking plastic panelling for the dash and console to make it more usable in top-down conditions.ON THE ROADTHE SLK 350 is a terrific car. It looks good, drives very well and is nicely priced for the people who will be shopping in the Benz district for their next car.We enjoyed the extra space in the cabin, the extra stiffness in the body and the improved driving experience. The original SLK was a fairly dull and uninspired drive, but Benz has done a good job in tweaking the little two- seater without turning it into a car you have to drive all the time, like the BMW Z4 or Nissan's 350Z roadster. It is still comfy for cruising and that's a big bonus.But we cannot say the same for the six-speed manual gearbox in the test car. Benz says it is a lot better than earlier manuals, but that's not much of a plug from a company that sells almost exclusively automatics – even to its sports-focused AMG owners.We found the change was slow, and needed the clutch right on the floor for a significant pause to avoid baulking. It might save $3500, but the manual also has worse fuel consumption and a slower 0-100km/h time than the automatic.It's a pity because the latest V6 is a honey. It has a creamy surge of acceleration from less than 2000 revs, but gets barking from 3500 and is keen to rev right to the redline (most un-Benz). It means the car has the punch to back its looks and won't be embarrassed at the traffic lights, or in a tight overtaking sprint.The engine also makes curvy roads into fun runs, particularly with the sharper feel in the steering. We tried a seven-speeder briefly during our SLK time, and would definitely pick it over the manual, and not because it has nifty shift buttons on the steering wheel.We could feel the extra rigidity in the new SLK and, perhaps surprisingly, it was better with the top down.The roof itself is as terrific as always, the headlights are good, there is pretty good luggage space and the car is easy to park. It also did pretty well on fuel at 13.2 litres/100km, sipping less than nine litres on the highway. But we didn't like the new plastic trim, which gets dirty easily, and the outside temperature gauge in the test car often went crazy and spun around to 44.5C on a top-up 18C day. So the Benz isn't perfect.THE BOTTOM LINEThe update has made the SLK a sportier drive, and even more of a head-turner.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 is one of them.We loved the cheeky, entry level Kompressor model that we drove a couple of weeks back with its perky 1.8-litre supercharged engine.But the 200kW, V6 powered SLK 350 is something else again.The fact that Benz has an even more powerful, V8 AMG version of the car on the way is mind-boggling.How much power do you need?In some repects we still prefer the lighter, more nimble Kompressor in comparison to the heavier, more powerful SLK 350.The Kompressor is a car in which you have a lot of fun, without feeling that you have something to prove.It has a nice note to the exhaust, strong mid-range acceleration and light razor sharp handling.But powerful cars are like a drug and it is difficult to ignore the call of the big torquey V6.The car gets off the line in a rapid fire 5.6 seconds on its way to 100km/h (even faster with the auto).That's every bit as fast as a WRX, the benchmark for so many performance cars these days, and almost as quick in fact as the ultra high performance STi.However, the V8 when it arrives will eat have both Soobys for lunch, able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.It's easy to get bogged down in performance figures and the rest of the "mine's bigger than yours" revhead culture.Suffice to say that the SLK 350 is an exciting car to drive and one that embodies the traditional elements of sports car design – it's light, compact, with a low centre of gravity and excellent power to weight ratio.A purpose built two-seater, the SLK joined the Benz lineup in 1996, with a cleverly designed metal roof that can be removed at the press of a button, tucking neatly into the boot.Even with a price tag of $112,000 for the SLK 350, it is still a far cry from super car territory but offers the same sort of style and performance as a Porsche or Ferrari.Let's just say if you won the Lotto, you could do a lot worse than buying one of these beautiful pocket rockets.One of the other clever things about the new SLK is the optional "air scarf" system that was fitted to our test vehicle.This ingenious device delivers warm air to the back of your neck through small holes located in the seat head rests, allowing the occupants to enjoy that open air feeling even on the chilliest night.The new 3.5-litre V6 engine in the SLK 350 is good for 200kW of power and 350Nm of torque, 25 per cent more power than the previous V6 and 13 per cent more torque.A seven speed tiptronic style automatic transmission is standard on the 350 and is actually a fraction faster than the manual tranny, at 5.5 seconds for 0-100km/h.Our test car was fitted with the optional, no cost six- speed manual and despite the qucker time is certain to be the choice of enthusiasts.Fuel consumtion for the manual transmission is rated at 10.6L/100km.We achieved a figure of 12.8L/100km during testing.Standard equipment includes climate controlled airconditioning and leather upholstery, driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags, cruise control, stability control with anti-lock braking system, acceleration skid control and brake assist.In additon the 350 gets satellite navigation, CD changer, electrically adjustableseats, larger 17-inch wheels and rubber, and bigger brakes with perforated front discs.

But if it is half as good the new, second generation SLK I regret missing out.In the course of a year we get our hands on a lot of flash sports cars here at CARSguide but the baby Benz impresses as easily the best example of the genre that we have driven so far.Even the entry level SLK 200 Kompressor with a relatively conservative 120kW of power is stunningly good.The small two-seat SLK sports car with its removable metal "vario" roof joined the Benz lineup in 1996.The current model which made its debut in September is available in two forms at the moment, the Kompressor with a supercharged four cylinder engine and the hard-hitting SLK 350 with a 3.5-litre V6 – an AMG V8 is still to come.Our test vehicle was the SLK 200 Kompressor, although we will be bringing you more on the V6 in the weeks to come.The Kompressor is a ball to drive, with snappy performance, an urgent note to the exhaust and pin sharp, point and shoot handling.The supercharged 1.8-litre in-line four cylinder engine is a lift from the larger C-Class range.It provides the same output but is claimed to use eight per cent less fuel than the previous power plant.The car lacks some punch off the line, but delivers strong mid- to high-range acceleration which is where you want it.Maximum power of 120kW is delivered at 5500rpm, while peak torque of 240Nm is available between 3000 and 4000rpm.Revs build quickly and the engine peaks easily in the lower gears, so short sharp changes are the order of the day.Our test vehicle was fitted with the optional six- speed manual transmission which actually reduces the price of the car by $3100 – a win-win situation for the enthusiast.The stubby shift lever falls easily to hand and is ergonomically sculpted to sit snugly in the palm, with a quick precise feel to the change.Reverse gear moves from left rear to left front in the revised transmission.A five-speed auto with F1 style change buttons is standard.The Kompressor returns a respectable 7.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash in manual form while the auto is a little slower at 8.3 seconds.But sports cars are more about style and twisting mountain roads than flat out, straight line performance.Point this car at a corner and revel in the experience as it rotates neatly about its own axis before sling- shotting out the other side, with almost perfect road manners.Equally impressive is the light way the car sips fuel, with the on board computer reporting average consumption at just 9.5L/100km from the 70-litre tank – we might add, without a hint of being driven sedately.The SLK is a striking car, much bolder and more visually impressive than the model it replaces, with its long swooping bonnet and large swept back headlights.Twin exhaust and chunky rubber herald the car's credentials from the rear.With its huge three pointed star dominating the front radiator grille, there is certainly no mistaking this car for anything else.Of course, there is only room for two inside, so it cannot be judged in terms of practicality.However, the electrically operated metal roof offers all the joys of open air motoring with none of the drawbacks.The SLK is just over four metres long and stands a shade under 1.3 metres tall, weighing in at 1390kg with a body that is 72mm longer and 65mm wider than the previous model, providing occupants with more space and greater comfort.Boot space is reasonable, with a hard plastic cover that must be in place before the roof has sufficient space to open.Opening and closing the roof takes just 22 seconds.About the only thing we disliked about the SLK is that long descent to the driver's seat and the large, wide opening doors which do not augur well for narrow driveways.The seats are also a little firm and the steering wheel a tad upright for our taste.Standard equipment includes climate controlled airconditioning and leather upholstery, driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags, cruise control, stability control with anti-lock braking system, acceleration skid control and brake assist.The Mercedes-Benz SLK Kompressor is priced from $86,900.