Silver Streak: Mercedes Benz SLK200 Kompressor (2004)

October 14,2004

The current roadster renaissance began in the 1990s, when the Mazda MX-5 pried open the floodgates, and soon a deluge of models emerged from manufacturers up and down the price scale. Mercedes-Benz had an ace up its sleeve with its entry: a metal roof that collapses into the trunk for dual-mode motoring. It’s a trump card that Mercedes alone still holds in this segment, even as it introduces the second-generation SLK.

The term silver arrows may be overused when it comes to sporting Mercedes-Benzes, but that’s the most succinct way to describe this car’s poised-to-strike stance. We have not seen a Merc road car that looked so deserving of it since the original 1934 W25 Formula racer. The SLK long-hood, short-tail profile is retained, with flared haunches hinting of the performance potential. Wheels and rubber, already upgraded to 17s, properly fill out the wheel wells.

That angry nose with the huge Mercedes Tri-star is thrust menacingly forward, complete with a pair of F1 “wings”. The hood bulge seen in the McLaren-Mercedes racecars, and subsequently the SLR McLaren, translates well when shrunk to compact proportions. Roof up or down, the car doesn’t have a bad angle to it.

The heavy doors slam shut with a reassuring thunk, as one settles into the low-mounted seat. The high door panels and central console make for a snug cabin. Everything seems shrink wrapped around the driving position, with the windshield, rear view mirror, and rear bulkhead all seemingly inches away. Headroom is at a premium; six-footers will be scraping the headliner. Still, there’s adequate room for legs, arms and elbows, with no banging of body parts.

Cockpit hardware is, appropriately, more adventurous than the typically-sober Benz layout. Two deep silver binnacles house the tach and speedo, with a small clock and fuel gauge inset within. A digital screen is tucked between them, to display mileage, temperature and gear selection.

Various silver buttons control the electricals, and there’s a neat, stubby handbrake behind the roof switch. Electric motors operate nearly everything, including memory seats and a steering wheel that’s adjustable for both tilt and reach. The only nasty bits here are the spring-loaded cupholders that pop out like an afterthought from the dashboard tray, blocking the air vents in the process.

The CATS-spec SLK 200 already includes sports suspension, bi-xenon lamps and active lighting. The latter means foglights nestled in the lower bumper double as cornering lamps, switching on and off as the driver signals or turns the wheel.

Fire it up and there’s a subdued burble from the inline-4 engine. This may only be a 1.8 liter, but 16 valves, twin camshafts and most importantly, a supercharger bumps output up to a decent 163 bhp and a meaty 240 Nm. Power is fed through a five-speed automatic gearbox, with 0-100 km/h time of 8.3 seconds and maximum 226 km/h.

We did feel the torque in there somewhere, but it will take a deliberate prodding of the pedal to bring it to the fore—throttle travel is long and heavy. The five-speed auto changes mode via a button near the gearshift lever. It toggles among normal, sport and manual modes. Manual allows gearchanges using switches behind the steering wheel spokes. We fiddled with the manual for a few minutes, but after that decided, to hell with it. The computer can probably shift it better 99% of the time.

The steering swaps the old recirculating ball for a rack-and-pinion setup. While large Benzes like the E and S-class feel more agile than their dimensions would have you expect, the SLK drives like a big car. Steering, though sharp, is not quite as darty as the swoopy exterior would suggest. The settings seem more suited to a long, cross-country journey than a quick dash to the office. The approach pays off in the ride comfort. Bumps are absorbed softly and quietly, and undulating surfaces are shrugged off to maintain composure.

Front suspension is a modified strut type, while the independent rears use a multi-link setup. Conventional hydraulic disc brakes are at all four corners, with firm, quick stopping power. ESP stability control helps keeps the chassis pointed where intended, with a combination of brake activation and engine-torque suppression. Should you still end up with the SLK with the wrong side up, the reinforced A pillars and roll hoops behind the headrests are capable of supporting the entire weight of the car. Front and extra-large side airbags keep you away from the sharp and hard stuff when needed.

Then there’s the SLK’s reason for being, the folding hardtop. The vario-roof tucks away even quicker now, 22 seconds in either direction. For greater parking lot show-off effect, the roof can be activated by the remote control key.

This chassis is positively begging for a bigger engine, and in a few months, there will be a V6 with almost double the displacement, at 3.5 liters. 272 hp should bring the SLK up several notches, into performance contention with the Z4 and Boxster.

Here and now, the SLK 200 offers stunning looks, all-weather driving, and spirited touring, with a reserve of power strong enough to dispatch most non-sports cars on the road.

By Jason Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang
As published in The Manila Bulletin

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