Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster 2011 Review

Name: Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster 2011 Review
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

Exhibiting more agro, on the road and in the carpark, the new SLK Roadster takes some inspiration from its SLS Gullwing big brother

Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster

Local Launch
Great Ocean Road, Victoria

What we liked

>> SLS-inspired design
>> Interior comfort levels
>> Improved boot space

Not so much

>> No manual gearbox
>> Road noise
>> Steering lacks feedback

OVERVIEW

>> Skewing away from a feminine past

As the spiritual successor to the iconic Mercedes-Benz 190 SL of the mid 1950s, the modern day SLK Roadster is the vehicular embodiment of freedom. Its metal folding roof can provide the best of both motoring worlds - open top convertible or closed roof coupe - but for a company that prides itself on technological advancement, Mercedes wasn't giving the SLK its full due.

Underpinned by an ageing C-Class platform (W203), the second generation SLK made the best of what was presented. But with the arrival of the third generation SLK based on the more modern C-Class (W204), it delivers a far more inspired vehicle - in more ways than one.

Long considered a "hairdressers' car", the new generation R172 model not only brings with it a new platform that takes advantage of all the latest 'Benz gadgets, it skews the design away from its feminine origins towards an edgy, more masculine design. Indeed, the new SLK Roadster draws inspiration from the imposing SLS AMG Gullwing supercar - particularly in its grille design - and looks suitably sporty in the flesh.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

>> Premium unleaded all the way

Buyers have just two models to choose from (for now), both petrol-powered: the four-cylinder turbo SLK 200 and V6 SLK 350. The SLK 200 kicks off proceedings at $82,900, almost $10,000 less than the previous generation R171 entry-level models.

For that you get plenty of standard kit, such as solar reflective leather upholstery (that Mercedes-Benz says can reduce surface temperatures by 13 degrees on hot days), 17-inch alloy wheels, a colour TFT screen with six-CD/MP3 compatible stereo, USB/iPod and auxiliary audio connections, rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, sports seats, lowered sports suspension, a heated rear window, seven-speed automatic gearbox and even a first aid kit.

The Vario roof system features an electro hydraulic folding mechanism made of magnesium which can be operated remotely via the key fob.

Thankfully Mercedes-Benz has seen the light and replaced the antiquated foot operated park brake with an electric park brake, which tidies up the footwell nicely.

Step up to the SLK 350 and you'll be parting with at least $118,900. For that you get vastly improved straight-line performance thanks to two extra cylinders and more standard equipment on top of the abovementioned items, including a larger 17.8cm COMAND online multimedia system with HDD satellite navigation, 10GB music register and internet browser, intelligent xenon headlights, memory seats, mirrors and steering column plus 18-inch alloy wheels.

The SLK 350 adds a couple of comfort upgrades as standard which make top-down driving much more enticing: the transparent AirGuide draught blockers and AirScarf neck heating system that pipes hot air over the neck area via vents in the seat headrests. The SLK 350 also adds red ambient interior lighting.

There's a diesel-powered pop top offered in Europe, but 'Benz Australia says it won't be coming Down Under because it's only built in left-hand drive.

The obligatory AMG package upgrade is available, priced at $5900 for the SLK 200 and $3200 for the SLK 350. It adds unique alloy 18-inch alloy wheels, AMG body kit, LED daytime driving lights, tinted brake lights, sports suspension, and upgraded front disc brakes and calipers on the SLK 200.

Order the AMG package and the interior gets a sporty spruce up too, with red stitching on the seats, steering wheel, door armrests and gear shifter, matched with uber-cool red seat belts.

MECHANICAL

>> Touch of magic

A most important element of any modern day convertible is the roof. Granted, a nice engine and gearbox and well-sorted chassis are always welcome, but the speed and method with which the roof opens and closes is what attracts attention.

Mercedes-Benz has upgraded the Vario roof system for the new SLK, claiming it now takes a respectable "less than 20 seconds to open or close the roof completely" - but you can only do it while stationary. The roof makes use of a new magnesium frame that sheds roughly six kilograms of weight, and it does look pretty trick when in operation. If you're an attention seeker, you won't be disappointed.

Prospective buyers can choose the standard metal roof, a tinted panoramic glass roof ($1750) or the all-new Magic Sky Control glass roof ($4550). The latter is a first for Mercedes and allows occupants to change the tinting of the roof at a touch of a button from completely transparent to heavily-tinted.

Engine wise, the direct injection, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine in the SLK 200 outputs 135kW at 5250rpm and 270Nm at 1800rpm, which is enough poke to push the car from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds. Like all modern Mercedes, top speed is electronically limited to 210km/h.

If driven smoothly, Benz claims the SLK 200 can return average figures of 6.9L/100km while discharging 161 grams of CO2 per kilometre - both impressive figures for what is ostensibly a sport car. Ultimately, the new SLK 200 is faster and more fuel efficient than the car it replaces.

Step over to the SLK 350 and you won't see such good economy -- 8.3L/100km and CO2 of 194g/km -- but you will have more fun thanks to the extra pepper under the bonnet. Peak power is 225kW which arrives much higher in the rev range due to a lack of forced induction (6500rpm), but on the road this makes it a more involving engine to exploit. Peak torque is up by 10Nm to 370Nm at 3500rpm -- which results in a rapid 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.6 seconds.

As is increasingly the trend for 'Benz, both rear-wheel drive drop-tops come equipped with its 7G Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Both models also share the same independent suspension - multi-link struts fore and aft with solid springs, gas pressure shock absorbers and stabiliser bars. The steering is hydraulic rack and pinion and both models also come equipped with disc brakes at each corner.

The entry-level SLK 200 tips the scales at 1470kg while the 350's extra equipment and larger engine add 70kg, taking its kerb mass to 1540kg.

For those with bigger bank balances, the SLK 55 AMG will be available in the first half of 2012 with a 5.5-litre V8 naturally-aspirated engine pumping out 310kW and 540Nm of torque.

PACKAGING

>> More room in the boot

Mercedes-Benz calls this SLK-Class an all-new model. That is to say it sits on a newer platform than its predecessor, has new sheet metal, gets more tech, and is bigger too. Measuring 33mm wider, 31mm longer and 5mm higher than its forerunner, the new SLK roadster is roomier and arguably more comfortable as a result.

Ergonomics have been improved too, particularly with the removal of the foot operated park brake. The cabin is an altogether neater proposition than the R171 model, and it looks prettier too. The seats have been improved with slightly better lateral bolstering, which together with a flat-bottom steering wheel lends the cabin a subtle sportiness.

Getting in and out of the car was really easy for a car that sits so low to the ground; however I did notice shorter occupants having trouble due to the recessed nature of the seats (they don't slide very far forward).

The instrument dials, finished in silver and black carbon, are angled inward towards one's line of sight and there's a real sense of exclusivity when you hunker down into the low sports seat too. There's a subtle retro charm in the quartet of galvanized air vents with their crosshair motifs, borrowed from the SLS AMG supercar. Aluminium trim comes standard, while woodgrain trim is optional.

SLK 350 models come standard with red ambient lighting strips on the console and door inserts as well. Apart from a lack of storage space behind the seats, the only real issue with the interior was the cheap plastic surrounding the centre console.

Dashboard controls for heating/cooling, stereo and multimedia functions are neither too numerous nor too minimal, creating an intuitive user interface that is navigated via a central control knob and detailed in the colour LCD screen situated in the centre of dashpad.

The boot has also grown in capacity by 35 litres, to 335 litres, which is enough room for a couple of medium sized suitcases and a few other odds and sods. With the roof retracted the boot space loses 110 litres, down to 225 litres.

SAFETY

>> Most bases covered

When you buy a German prestige car the assumption is that your safety will be well looked after, and that seems to be the case here. Six airbags are standard, including door window bags, as is an electronic stability program, acceleration skid control and antilock brakes which are designed to keep the car from sliding off the road.

There's even a system in place to dry the brakes when it rains, and the new electric park brake is listed as a safety function.

Neck-Pro crash-responsive head restraints are standard, as is the Pre-Safe pre-collision safety system, which primes the brakes and tensions the seat belts if it detects a crash is imminent.

The SLK 350 adds an Intelligent Light System that has adaptive light distribution and even dynamic headlight range, which adjusts the beam spread based on whether you're driving on highways, back roads or even in dense fog.

COMPETITORS

>> German adversaries abound

Main rivals for the SLK-Class come from Mercedes' neighbours; cars like the BMW Z4, Audi TT Roadster and Porsche Boxster. At a pinch it could be argued that the Nissan 370Z Roadster is a potential rival for the $83K SLK 200, certainly in a dynamic sense.

However the Nissan's interior fit and finish can't match the Merc's.

ON THE ROAD

>> It's all about enjoying the journey

The first thing that grabbed my attention after hopping into the latest SLK was the comfort levels. When cruising around town the two-seater convertible cossets it occupants very nicely and the sun reflecting leather upholstery on the seats is still suitably lavish.

There's a discernibly sporty sensation to the low seating position, enhanced by the view down the long bonnet with its stylised venting system.

Drop the roof and the drive turns into an occasion. The AirScarf gizmo works well, keeping your neck and shoulders warm, and even on a cold and blustery day it wasn't too cold sans roof.

The roof is very quiet - quick too - and I liked the easy to grab seatbelts which reduced the need for awkward twisting. I was also impressed by the stereo system; even with the top down and hacking along at 100km/h the audio was clear and crisp. If you want truly high fidelity acoustics you can opt for the 11-speaker Harman Kardon system ($1760).

Although Benz has reduced the car's aerodynamics from a drag coefficient of 0.32 to 0.30, there was a bit of wind swirl around the top of my head - even with the seat recessed as low as it could go. But it's certainly no worse than its rivals for taller drivers.

The AirGuide wind stoppers that are standard on SLK 350 (an acrylic wind deflector comes with the SLK 200) didn't do a particularly good job of reducing wind swirl, but they look good, which is always a bonus on a car such as this, folding away neatly when not in use.

The gearbox and engine combinations of the SLK 200 and SLK 350 work well in day-to-day running. But there are better matched engine/gearbox combinations within the Benz lineup. We found that in E mode the response bordered on sluggish. Things improve in S (sport) mode, which begs the question why a sportscar doesn't use this mode as a default setting.

Ride quality is average. You feel more bumps and hear more road noise than a C-Class sedan, but you won't need a spinal readjustment after every drive. If you order the dynamic handling package ($3000) an even sportier suspension mode is a button push away.

The dynamic handling package also adds a torque vectoring brake system, borrowed from the S and CL classes, which brakes the rear wheels independently to reduce understeer when braking.

When driven in anger, the SLK responds well for the most part, though at times it feels a little skittish. The SLK 350 in particular struggled for rear end grip when pushed hard.

But it's a lot of fun firing the SLK into and out of corners. The aluminium front quarter panels and bonnet reduce the car’s weight slightly and along with the magnesium roof help make this a nimble roadster.

The steering is a touch light and masks a lot of feedback though the steering column, but this does suits tight city driving and parking manoeuvres. The brakes held up very well, providing plenty of stopping power after repeated punishment around the Otway region of the Great Ocean Road, although we didn't get to test the standard brakes on the SLK 200 (they were upgraded to SLK 350 spec).

For mine the SLK 200 was the more impressive vehicle in that it could be driven with the stability control off at a very brisk pace without feeling too frisky. It still had a sporty character and rewarded the driver for hustling it along, but wouldn't bite you if you misread a corner or was late on the brakes.

The SLK 350 was less predictable when hoofing it and tended to step out and sometimes shimmy and momentarily slide through corners. It was almost as if it ran out of rear end grip at times, but you can't take anything away from the V6's luscious engine note. Who needs a stereo when the powerplant sounds this good!

It's fair to say the new SLK-Class has more aggression than its predecessors. It accelerates harder, feels more collected when cornering and looks a lot better when doing it. That it's more affordable and better equipped is a nice cherry on top.

Rivals like the mid-engined Porsche Boxster might remain a more accomplished steer, but there's no denying the SLK's entertaining nature. Meanwhile the convertible roadster retains its cruiser DNA, with a good handle on comfort and luxury.

The SLK has taken an evolutionary leap in mechanical and aesthetic terms, and the results are pleasing.

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Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster 2011 Review

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