2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Review (video)

As of writing, the Mercedes SLK had undergone a recent face-lift while a key competitor, the BMW Z4, had reached the end of its life-cycle. Talk about a good month.

Those with a keen eye will recognize subtle updates to the front and rear of the car.

Sporting its glamorous new body, the 2009 SLK was free to gallivant around and enjoy a temporarily enlarged share of the German premium roadster market.

A rolling sniper's round
Those with a keen eye will recognize subtle updates to the front and rear of the car. It's a real beauty- with a unified, flowing and dynamic poise that was captured, in this case, in silver metallic sheet-metal.

Top up, or folded down after a 22-second display of panel gymnastics, SLK is blessed with unmatched stare-collecting power. The AMG sport package helps enhance the look, positioning it more solidly as a performance offering from a visual standpoint.

Unlimited thumbs up from passers by come free of charge.

A howling V6
The tester employed SLK's mid-range engine: a 3.5 litre, 300 horsepower V6 which revs eagerly to well past 7000 RPM. The engine seems deliberately involving. It's silky smooth, and you'll get to hear it's every breath with minimal compromise to the requisite refinement dictated by the badge.

It's loud, yes- but always gorgeous sounding. Every press on the pedal is met with an instant increase in forward momentum and an associated spike in the gentle howl gushing from the pipes.

This new 'sports engine' is willing to hum along at a snail's pace- though SLK absolutely leaps ahead when it's opened up. There's a peaky, velvety wave of increasing speed until drivers let off, and the high-revving character combines with a high-pitched, high-rpm wail in the process. It's a magnificent mechanical show.

The tester employed SLK's mid-range engine: a 3.5 litre, 300 horsepower V6 which revs eagerly to well past 7000 RPM.