SLK Ultimate Experience Asia for the Track, SLK Tracksport for the Road When the second generation Mercedes-Benz SLK hit the market in
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| Not only was the new SLK a huge step forward from the previous model, it's also a proper sports car. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
2005, critics unanimously declared it a true sports car. While the original car, which debuted back in 1997, won hearts with its endearingly cute looks and clever folding hardtop roof, it wasn't exactly the most brilliant thing to drive. It was heavy and underpowered, consistently overshadowed by other two-seat performance convertibles for thrills. It's a much different story with the new SLK, a car that's miles and miles ahead of the previous generation in all areas. Its roof is more clever, its looks are sportier and its interior quality is much improved. It's also a better driving car that's faster in a straight line, as it's now powered by Benz's impressive 268-hp 3.5-litre V6, or even more impressive naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8 in '55 AMG' guise. Add to that precise rack and pinion steering, a front-mid engine layout, plus near 50-50 weight distribution, and the SLK is even faster and more stable around corners.
With
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| After doing its duty of leading Formula One cars 'round the track, it's now time for a bit of role reversal with the SLK 55 AMG Ultimate Experience Asia. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
poise, muscle and true sporting pedigree, Benz decided to promote the new SLK by using the performance 55 AMG model as the official safety car for Formula One racing. After successfully leading hundreds of millions of dollars of leading-edge F1 cars around the world's best racing circuits for two years, the SLK now has a chance to be a participant in racing, thanks to a wealthy Asian investor. In collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and its tuning division AMG, a new one-model racing series in the Far East was created, and will include events in China, Indonesia and Thailand. The vehicle of choice for the racing series is the purpose-engineered SLK 55 AMG Ultimate Experience Asia model.
One of the biggest changes made to the Ultimate Experience is that
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| The big change here is the fixed, carbon-fibre roof which saves weight and reduces the car's centre of gravity. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
its roof is not retractable. Benz has removed the spectacular VarioRoof system, replacing it with fixed one made from unpainted carbon fibre to reduce weight and simultaneously lowered the centre of gravity. In the spirit of Weight Watcher's, extra-thin glass was used for the rear window. The new roof itself saves an impressive 75 kilos (165 lbs) alone by ditching its mechanical components, and if the optional composite-structure passenger's seat isn't fitted, a further 25 kg (55 lbs) is saved. Mind you, with a curb weight of 1,469 kg (3,238 lbs), there is greater difference than 100 kg (220 lbs) between the standard SLK 55 AMG and the Ultimate Experience; further weight was pared by using lightweight reinforced plastics and carbon fibre for the interior, and by yanking out all the unnecessary electronics such as the navigation and stereo systems. It also features a racing seat with safety harness and full roll cage.
While
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| The motor doesn't make any more power, but it'll be sturdier, and better prepared to run in tropical temperatures. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
the engine in the Ultimate Experience is no different than the production SLK 55 AMG in terms of the output, Mercedes-Benz has beefed it up to deal with the stresses of being punted around on a racetrack for dozens of laps at a time. Also, instead of having foglamps, this particular SLK has a reworked lower air dam which features a pair of intakes that supply fresh air to the new transmission oil cooler (left) and an additional oil cooler (right), not to mention better airflow to the power steering fluid reservoir to prevent it from overheating. With all that extra air taken in, Benz made sure it had somewhere to go once it was finished cooling things down; this particular SLK features enlarged vents on the front air dam, outlined in black carbon fibre trim, for those heat dissipating auxiliary devices as well as the hopped-up braking system.
