We’ve seen the spy shots, we’ve seen the pictures of the car’s folding hard top, now we get to see the 2012 SLK in all its glory.
The roadster benefits from all-new sheetmetal, which carries a resemblance to many members of the Mercedes family, including the CLS-Class and the SLS AMG. Sharpened lines, a more upright grille with a prominent Mercedes-Benz star logo and wraparound taillights give the SLK a more aggressive look while cheating the wind with a Cd value of 0.30, down from the outgoing model’s Cd of 0.32.
The SLK-Class will offer a choice of three power-folding hard tops. A regular, painted roof will be standard, while a roof with a dark-tinted, panoramic glass panel will also be offered. In addition, the new MagicSky Control roof boasts a glass panel that switches from light to dark at the press of a button.
A 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine powers the SLK200 and SLK250 models, which serve up 184 and 204 horsepower, respectively. North American versions of the car will likely skip the 4-banger in favour of a 302-horsepower, 3.5-litre V6, hence the model’s SLK350 designation. The latter should reach 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and hit an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph (248 km/h).
A start-stop system will also be included in the SLK, and Mercedes claims fuel economy improvements up to 25% compared with the current-generation car.
The 2012 SLK-Class roadster should be on sale this summer.
 |
| Photo: Mercedes-Benz |
The roadster benefits from all-new sheetmetal, which carries a resemblance to many members of the Mercedes family, including the CLS-Class and the SLS AMG. Sharpened lines, a more upright grille with a prominent Mercedes-Benz star logo and wraparound taillights give the SLK a more aggressive look while cheating the wind with a Cd value of 0.30, down from the outgoing model’s Cd of 0.32.
The SLK-Class will offer a choice of three power-folding hard tops. A regular, painted roof will be standard, while a roof with a dark-tinted, panoramic glass panel will also be offered. In addition, the new MagicSky Control roof boasts a glass panel that switches from light to dark at the press of a button.
A 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine powers the SLK200 and SLK250 models, which serve up 184 and 204 horsepower, respectively. North American versions of the car will likely skip the 4-banger in favour of a 302-horsepower, 3.5-litre V6, hence the model’s SLK350 designation. The latter should reach 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and hit an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph (248 km/h).
A start-stop system will also be included in the SLK, and Mercedes claims fuel economy improvements up to 25% compared with the current-generation car.
The 2012 SLK-Class roadster should be on sale this summer.
 |
| Photo: Mercedes-Benz |
Article Gallery