The body is 72-mm longer and 65-mm wider, which translates into more room for the occupants.
Mercedes likes to brag that the new body gets a drag-coefficient of 0.32, which is pretty good for a roadster, and that they've managed to speed up the vario-roof can fold in 22 seconds and now can be controlled from the keyfob as well as from inside the car.
The front airbags and the seatbelt tensioners are now two-stage, which means they can better deploy to match the severity of the crash.
In a side impact, head-thorax airbags spring into action and protect the passenger's head and upper body.
In the event of a rollover, a special sensor triggers the side airbags and both belt tensioners, and there are steel tubes in the A-pillars and rollover bars behind the seats.
There are three new engines for the SLK, starting with the 163-hp 200 Kompressor. This is one of the new generation of four-cylinder engines from Mercedes-Benz featuring the Twinpulse system offering ''further advances in terms of performance, torque, smoothness and fuel economy.''
The SLK 350 gets a new 32-valve V6 with around 25 percent more power (272 hp) and 13 percent more torque (about 260 lb.ft. of torque), the latter being available from 2400 to 5000 rpm. This four-valve engine is one of the most powerful V6 units in its displacement class and its sporting character can be clearly distinguished by its powerful, vibrant engine note.
While providing a ''powerful and vibrant engine note,'' this torque moves the SLK 350 from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds with the standard six-speed manual, or in 5.5 seconds with the optional seven-speed automatic.
Mercedes points out that this is the first time that it's ever produced a V6 with variable camshaft control on intake and exhaust sides, a move that provided ''enhanced performance and torque combined with improved fuel economy.''
With the SLK 55 AMG, Mercedes believes it's set a new benchmark in terms of horsepower (360), torque (375 lb.-ft) and acceleration (0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds).
The V8 is twinned with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, which is controlled by the driver using gearshift buttons on the steering wheel.
Mercedes likes to brag that the new body gets a drag-coefficient of 0.32, which is pretty good for a roadster, and that they've managed to speed up the vario-roof can fold in 22 seconds and now can be controlled from the keyfob as well as from inside the car.
The front airbags and the seatbelt tensioners are now two-stage, which means they can better deploy to match the severity of the crash.
In a side impact, head-thorax airbags spring into action and protect the passenger's head and upper body.
In the event of a rollover, a special sensor triggers the side airbags and both belt tensioners, and there are steel tubes in the A-pillars and rollover bars behind the seats.
There are three new engines for the SLK, starting with the 163-hp 200 Kompressor. This is one of the new generation of four-cylinder engines from Mercedes-Benz featuring the Twinpulse system offering ''further advances in terms of performance, torque, smoothness and fuel economy.''
The SLK 350 gets a new 32-valve V6 with around 25 percent more power (272 hp) and 13 percent more torque (about 260 lb.ft. of torque), the latter being available from 2400 to 5000 rpm. This four-valve engine is one of the most powerful V6 units in its displacement class and its sporting character can be clearly distinguished by its powerful, vibrant engine note.
While providing a ''powerful and vibrant engine note,'' this torque moves the SLK 350 from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds with the standard six-speed manual, or in 5.5 seconds with the optional seven-speed automatic.
Mercedes points out that this is the first time that it's ever produced a V6 with variable camshaft control on intake and exhaust sides, a move that provided ''enhanced performance and torque combined with improved fuel economy.''
With the SLK 55 AMG, Mercedes believes it's set a new benchmark in terms of horsepower (360), torque (375 lb.-ft) and acceleration (0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds).
The V8 is twinned with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, which is controlled by the driver using gearshift buttons on the steering wheel.