The Mercedes-Benz SLK
The Mercedes-Benz SLK
The Mercedes-Benz SLK’s cockpit is austere yet attractive and combines hard-edged sportiness with comfort. The fully adjustable sports seats are firm and feature magnesium backrests, and there’s extra interior space than the outgoing model, made possible by the increase in exterior body dimensions.
The dash is serious-looking and features an uncluttered instrument display with two large dial instruments that are slanted towards the driver.
. Side airbags and two-stage belt force limiters are standard fit, and are activated by a sensor if the car rolls. Mercedes-Benz says it has spent considerable effort on the roadster’s roll-over protection, such as building high-strength steel plates into the structure of the A-pillars to aid the roll-bars withstand high loads.
. The car is wider (72mm) and its wheelbase longer (30mm), and Mercedes-Benz has made the most of the extra room by allowing for a large crumple zone and underside cross-member for protection against collisions from the rear.
The SLK 350 gets a lightweight braking system that incorporates perforated front discs designed to disperse dirt and water for driving in wet weather conditions. The version of ESP with the second-generation SLK is offered with a tyre pressure loss warning system.
. The2-litre, 4-cylinder supercharged engine in the SLK 200 is rated at 120kW and 240Nm and features variable valve timing, affording better torque, economy and emissions results.
. Intake ports have been optimised, incorporating pivoting ‘tumble flaps’ to create turbulence, increasing the speed and evenness of airflow into the combustion chambers. It’s clever and helps create a free-breathing, willing response.
It also features variably adjusted camshafts and newly-developed twin-pipe intake system, and gets sports suspension and chassis treatment involving firmer settings and lower ride.
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Various sizes of disc brakes are offered, depending on model, ranging from 288 and 340mm in size. They are internally ventilated and Mercedes-Benz says that the cooling of discs and bearings has been enhanced.