Mercedes SLK280
A small car that lives large |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: Premium fuel required. Yeah, you have to pamper a beauty. But still, ouch.
G-forces: The 228-horsepower V-6 isn't the fastest engine you can get for $45,000, but it is tuned to respond instantaneously to demanding drivers, and powers the car from zero to 60 in a flashy 6.1 seconds. The 268-horsepower engine on the SLK350 lowers that to 5.4 seconds. The SLK's handling is world-class. Matchbox cars don't turn as tightly.
Gizmology: The dash is busy but intuitive, with well-labeled buttons and Mercedes's usual 10-digit keypad in lieu of the conventional six radio station presets. Special features include a knob that lets you select from two different driving settings, comfort or sport. Steering-wheel controls for the radio and a few other functions are a handy shortcut. Retractable cupholders are in a funny place, at the top of the center stack—where a 20-ounce soda bottle tends to bump into the rearview mirror—but I credit Mercedes with getting them into such a compressed package at all.
Kidmarks: Huh? Kids? Well, there's no back seat, but sensors can detect when a small person is sitting in the passenger seat, and turn the airbag off, for safety.
Hot or not: Hot. Foxy and elegant.
Pain at the pump: Moderate. EPA mileage ratings range from 19 mpg/city to 27 mpg/highway. The SLK280 ranks 182 out of 477 on U.S. News's muscle-per-gallon index. (Higher is better.) Details can be found at www.fueleconomy.gov.
Crash course: Not crash-tested by the government or by private testing organizations.
Standard safety gear: Side-impact air bags, antilock brakes, stability control, traction control. More info: www.nhtsa.gov
Price points: Base price for the SLK280 is $43,675; for the SLK350, $47,725. Price as tested: $47,505. (All prices include delivery fees.)
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Model year tested: 2006
I've had a ball this year enjoying Everyman roadsters like the Pontiac Solstice, the Mazda Miata, and the Nissan 350Z. Then I ascended for a week into a more rarified ride: Mercedes's entry-level two-seater, the SLK280. Like Mel Brooks said, it's good to be king. Or at least feel like you are.
Most convertibles, especially the tiny ones, impose tradeoffs for the pleasure of scooting about like a teenager on happy pills. Space, obviously. And other features we take for granted in most cars—quiet, comfort, cupholders—tend to be suspect in sports cars. The Mercedes magic is that the SLK asks you to give up very little in exchange for exhilaration. The space equation, of course, is nonnegotiable, but the German automaker has packed just about everything else into the SLK that discerning drivers would expect in a bigger car. The seats are soothing. Interior materials are soft and forgiving, easing the wee harshness that comes from the sporty ride. Storage pockets and cupholders are cleverly engineered into the cabin, when it seems like there should be no room. The electric roof stores at the touch of a button, saving the strain of fiddling with latches or getting out of the car. And the interior is so artful and handsome that you could move in for a few days and not even grow restless.
None of this comes at the expense of performance. The SLK is Mercedes's baby sports car, but it still packs a feisty 228-horsepower V-6 engine that responds as if it's being held at gunpoint. (Upgrade to the 268-horsepower SLK350 and you'll crack the six-second mark when racing from 0 to 60.) The optional seven-speed automatic transmission on the model I tested is one of the few automatics I've actually liked. It seemed to know intuitively when I wanted to up- or downshift—and accomplish the job in a nanosecond. And with rear-wheel drive, a wide, low stance, and a suspension packed with performance technology, the SLK turns more tightly than those narrow scooters my kids do stunts on. One can argue whether it's worth close to $50,000 to indulge in a machine like this. But once you've taken the plunge, it's an awesome indulgence.
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