2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 Reviews

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 ROADIt 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 LINEThe 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.

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.