 | Mercedes-BenzSLK350 |
Occupying the central spot in the trio of "entry-level" SLK-Class roadsters created by Mercedes-Benz, the rear-drive SLK350 holds a V6 engine. (In contrast, a V8 powers the SLK55 AMG model, and a four-cylinder engine propels the SLK300.) Promising an even blend of sport and luxury, the SLK350 might not be a wholly practical choice. But it’s a sensible and enticing alternative to one of the exotic-brand convertibles that command stratospheric prices, including Mercedes-Benz’s own, larger SL-Class.
The SLK250 is the entry-level offering with a new direct-injection 201-hp turbo four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed automatic. A more powerful SLK350 boasts a 302-hp direct-injection V6 teamed with a paddle-shifted seven-speed automatic. The SLK55 AMG tops the class with a 415-hp hand-built 5.5-liter V8 that uses automatic stop/start and... Read more »
By some estimates, the first U.S. baby boomer turned 50 in February 1996. Coincidentally (or maybe not), a trio of new roadsters was introduced, the BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster, and Mercedes-Benz SLK. The midlife crises of the oldest boomers breathed new life into the roadster, a segment that had long been dead. The Mercedes SLK,... Read more »
