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| 2006 Mercedes-benz Slk-class Review | |||
| Whether you're about to spend $40K on a brand new car, or half that on a used car, it is always important to learn as much as you can about the used car. Read these car reviews to learn about all aspects of the vehicle. Each of the usedcar reviews cover interior and exterior features, options, road tests, and more. | |||
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Introduction
| Road Test
| Inside & Out
| Other Thoughts
| Last Word
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| Road Test | |||
No matter whose faces end up behind the windshield of these SLKs, expect to see a lot more pearly whites. This roadster's revamping offers much more to grin about this time around.First, the SLK represents a birth worth cheering. Namely, an entirely new family of engines - now with six cylinders, thanks - that finally has four valves in every cylinder (specifically, an extra exhaust valve), two camshafts above every head, and a balance shaft in the middle of its 90-degree V. The first in the series to break cover was the 3.5-liter edition in the initial model, the 2005 SLK350, whose class-leading 268 horsepower gave the Boxster and Bimmer something to think about. The SLK also represents a death, worth even more cheering. The outgoing SLK marks the long-awaited passing of recirculating-ball steering technology at the house of Mercedes-Benz, for the new model has switched to a rack-and-pinion setup, thereby thrusting the SLK into 1985 at a furious pace. So as you'd expect of a wounded veteran blessed with a new heart and the ability to feel again, these two changes have renewed the SLK's lease on life. Steering that was formerly heavy, overly quick, and numb all at once has been replaced by an all-natural solution that's much more warm to the touch. And long before you learn how the new SLK blows away the old one speed-wise, the new engine casually informs you of its superiority through a luxuriously sporty soundtrack that makes it a much greater pleasure to wind out. That's just as true of our sampled SLK, which happens to be the new-for-2006 SLK280. As on a few recent Mercedes, the name undercuts its true engine size by two deciliters - that's a 3.0 under there, not a 2.8 - but it hardly gets undercut for power. A good supply of 228 ponies and only 7 fewer pounds-feet of torque give the entry-level SLK plenty of get-up-and-go for the average driver - more than even the previous SLK320. We're still talking 0-60 in a tick over six seconds here - pretty swift stuff. The rush of power is a little higher on the top end than the bottom, thanks to the variable timing on all valves and to the dual-stage intake manifold that opens a second set of [shorter] pipes above 3,500 RPM to let air rush in more rapidly. Taking the SLK to the twisties is similarly pleasing. It bends into corners willingly now, and even the 280 model's handling limits are decent (if not great), with tires that squeal in moderately aggressive cornering but seldom in daily driving. The staggered front-to-rear wheel/tire sizes - size 205/55WR16s on 16x7s paired to size 225/50R16s on 16x8s (plus a wider rear track and smaller, non-vented rear brake rotors) - spell a bias for understeer, and indeed, the front end slips first. (The SLK350 and SLK55 upgrade to 17- and 18-inch diameter wheels, respectively, but maintain the width discrepancy.) Also, the SLK won't let you completely turn off the ESP stability control despite the switch on the dash. You'll just have to AutoCross in something else. Well, the SLK's personality still isn't quite Type A anyway. The ride, which jiggles and jumps a tad on rough surfaces (maybe due to the front suspension's demotion from double-wishbones to struts), has been tuned for comfort. The steering still has a little syrup in its motions and feels slower than its 14.5:1 ratio implies. The gas pedal was set up for a gradual response, and the automatic transmission - endowed with seven gears, more than any car on Earth - makes gradual shifts. Honestly, they're a bit too gradual. Mercedes claims its 7-speeder can "skip up to three gear ratios if necessary when it downshifts, shifting directly from seventh to fifth, for example, or even sixth to second" (anyone care to proofread that sentence?), but when you need big acceleration, it pauses for one whole eternal second before kicking down (to what gear, I don't know, since there's no readout), and it can also linger on upshifts. The shifts are smooth when they arrive, but here's your proof that there can be such a thing as too much choice. The hesitation could also be the fault of the torque converter, whose lock-up clutch engages in all gears (instead of just top gear like most cars) for greater efficiency. And with a ratio spread of 6 (4.38 1st gear divided by 0.73 7th gear), its range is good but hardly special. What a waste of gears. There are a couple more flaws. The SLK may not share the Sensotronic electronic braking of the E and CLS-class cars, but its response can get almost as grabby, forcing your foot to lift off. And when the foot's off both pedals, there's that oversupply of natural engine braking dragging you down all the time. Yet unlike in the other Benzes, the bad habits don't emerge to the forefront of the driving experience. The SLK simply puts on a good show, starting with the dual ability to cruise topless like a roadster should and charge 80 MPH down the highway in coupe-like silence, thanks to its hard roof. It also darts easily around town on its tidy 95.7-inch wheelbase, has enough talent to handle a winding road, and now transmits the right feedback and noises needed to make it somewhat fun. For a car whose name always meant "Sport, Light, Kompact," it's good to see SLK now three for three. |
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