Mercedes-Benz SLK prices announced
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Pricing* (MLP*)
SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY: $82,900*
SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY: $118,900*
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New Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster
here in Q3
17th January, 2011
Mercedes-Benz SLK for 2011
19th November, 2010
7th July, 2011
The Mercedes-Benz SLK, one of the most exciting and successful sports
cars ever built is entering a new phase. The new roadster uncompromisingly takes driving pleasure and open-air
enjoyment to a new level. It blends light-footed sportiness with stylish comfort, a striking sports-car design with
total suitability for everyday use, top performance with exemplary ecology. What’s more, the SLK presents the world
premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button.
Exemplary efficiency and sporty flair come courtesy of powerful new 4 and 6 cylinder engines. With a unique set of
safety equipment and a wealth of technical innovations, the SLK is once again the benchmark in its class.
“The new SLK embodies the role of the trend-setter like no other car”, says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of
the Board of Management of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “I am convinced that with its passionate
design, its high quality interior and its modesty at the 'filling station' it will continue to provide an enormous
amount of fun on the road in future, too, consolidating its status as a cult roadster.”
Innovations are part of the successful history of the Mercedes-Benz SLK:
- In 1996 the first generation caused a sensation with the vario-roof, which transformed the wide-open roadster
into a coupé with a fixed roof at the touch of a button in just a few seconds;
- the second generation placed the warm AIRSCARF around the neck and shoulders of the occupants as needed, ensuring
pleasurable open-top motoring even in cooler temperatures;
- now the third generation is presenting one of its unique highlights – the world premiere of the panoramic
vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL. It can be quickly switched to light or dark at the touch of a button
But the new Mercedes-Benz SLK offers more than merely individual highlights. It assumes a leading position in every
discipline and offers fun at the wheel in every respect, with no half-hearted compromises. It impresses with
characteristics which are generally deemed to be irreconcilable: it succeeds in uniting excellent comfort and
high-quality equipment and appointments with a decidedly sporty flair, for instance. At the same time the new roadster
is the most economical and thus the most environmentally friendly in its class, also setting new safety standards. And
all-weather driving enjoyment – open and closed, in leisure-time and everyday use – is firmly anchored in the SLK’s
'genes'.
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A distinctive design creates a sporty presence
The designers have tailor-made an outfit for the new Mercedes-Benz SLK which emphasises its classic roadster
proportions and puts them in the spotlight to thrilling effect. Behind the long bonnet is a compact passenger
compartment positioned far back, and a short tail end. The SLK will tempt potential customers with the key attributes
that characterise all the classic roadsters from Mercedes-Benz and that have also made many of them automotive
icons.
The first feature to catch the eye is an upright radiator grille that stands proud and confident in the wind. It
facilitates the long and well-proportioned bonnet and with its rearward light-catching contours it already hints at
the roadster’s dynamic qualities. The wide radiator grille bears the Mercedes-Benz star in a prominent central
position and displays a powerfully contoured fin, chromed at the front. The clearly defined headlamps complete the
look for the new SLK’s front end, which resembles that of the legendary 190 SL from the 1950s. But it was certainly
not just the past that the designers were focusing on; with the new SLK’s front end they also intentionally made a
close visual link with the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG “gull-wing model” and the new CLS.
The amazing and measurable proof of the meticulously detailed work that has been carried out is that in spite of
the more striking, steeper front and the larger frontal area, the Cd value has been cut to just 0.30 – a brilliant
achievement (the preceding model’s Cd value was 0.32).
The closed, elegant shape of the side view with the classic roadster proportions quickens the pulse and is a visual
promise of the sportiness and driving pleasure in store. Fine details show the care that has been taken by the
Mercedes-Benz designers. For example, a fillet conceals the boot joint, so that it does not disturb the side aspect as
with similar roof designs. The ventilation grilles in the front mudguards with a chromed fin are reminiscent of the
famous Mercedes-Benz roadsters of the 1950s. In the new SLK they form the perfect starting point for a feature line
which flows to the 'muscular' rear mudguard, using light and shadow to add style and elegance to the sides.
Interior with style and a feel-good atmosphere
With the most compact dimensions in its class, the new SLK has an interior whose generous size is exemplary. To
achieve this, the designers have developed interior appointments which offer the driver and passenger a real feel-good
ambience. The interior is characterised by sporty refinement, well-thought-out ergonomics and high-quality, authentic
materials which have been processed with painstaking attention to detail and skilled craftsmanship. Even in the base
version the centre console and other trim parts gleam in brushed aluminium. Wood can be selected as an option in
high-gloss dark brown walnut or high-gloss black ash. Four round, galvanised air outlets integrated in the dashboard
emphasise that this model well and truly belongs to the Mercedes-Benz sports car family, their shape being derived
from those in the SLS.
The SLK’s generous dial instruments are flanked by a display for the information generated by the on-line computer.
The colour display for the communications and entertainment functions is housed in the centre of the dashboard, and
can be easily read by both the driver and passenger.
Other high-quality items of equipment include a multifunction sports steering wheel with a flattened lower section
and a thick leather rim, plus optional sunreflecting leather which noticeably reduces the degree to which the surfaces
it covers heat up, impressive ambient lighting which for the first time has a red colour tone, and the innovative
neck-level heating system AIRSCARF familiar from the preceding model.
Unique feature: MAGIC SKY CONTROL
For the first time Mercedes-Benz is offering a choice of three variants of the lightweight-construction vario-roof
for the new SLK. In just a few seconds this feature transforms the roadster into a coupé with a “fixed” roof at the
touch of a button – and vice versa:
- The base version is a roof painted in the vehicle colour
- Alternatively there is the option of a panoramic vario-roof
- The third variant is a world premiere – the panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL. This glass roof switches
to light or dark as you wish at the press of a button. When light it is virtually transparent, offering an open-air
experience even in cold weather. In its dark state the roof provides welcome shade and prevents the interior from
heating up when the sun’s rays are very intense. In other words: a feel-good atmosphere at the touch of a
button
Innovative draught-stop system AIRGUIDE
A comfortable alternative to the conventional draught-stop is a new, pivoting draught-stop for the new SLK which
has been invented by Mercedes-Benz aerodynamics engineers. It consists of pivoting, transparent perspex sections which
are attached to the reverse of the roll-over bars. The driver or passenger can pivot them to the centre of the vehicle
in a flash, thus taming turbulent air flow. When the pivoting draught-stops are not required, they disappear almost
invisibly behind the roll-over bars. There is no awkward disassembly and removal as with other draught-stops.
Spirit and efficiency
There will be three models of the SLK available, all of them powered by new engines with direct injection. The
four-cylinder engines in the SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY develop 135 kW and 150 kW respectively
from a displacement of 1,796 cubic centimetres. The SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY has the lowest CO2 emissions in its
segment. With the enhanced, standard seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-TRONIC PLUS it consumes just 6.9 litres of
petrol (combined) over 100 kilometres, corresponding to 161 g of CO2 per kilometre. This sporty model sprints from 0
to 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds.
The SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY will be equipped with the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission and will be available in
early 2012 from Australian dealers.
The V6 engine in the SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY generates 225 kW from its 3,498 cubic-centimetre displacement, using
this power to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. Its consumption is 8.3 litres (combined) per 100
kilometres (194 g of CO2 per kilometre). The V6 engine has been newly developed. Its most important hallmarks are
3rd-generation direct injection, piezo injectors and multi-spark ignition.
Suspension for the closest connection to the road
There are also two suspension versions to choose from:
- A sports suspension with harder springs and dampers ensures a systematically sporty driving experience
- As an alternative a Dynamic Handling package is available. This includes an electronically controlled, fully
automatic damping system. This means that the vehicle has excellent suspension comfort even on poor road surfaces, but
still offers high driving dynamics
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Self-Catering Holiday
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Denmark, WA
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Also included in the Dynamic Handling package (standard) is a Direct-Steer system and the Torque Vectoring Brake
developed by Mercedes-Benz. The Direct-Steer system offers more handling and agility, whilst also reducing the amount
of physical effort required when parking. In critical conditions the Torque Vectoring Brake produces a defined
rotational movement of the vehicle about the vertical axis in fractions of seconds through selective brake actuation
at the rear wheel on the inside of the bend. This results in the SLK stabilising without any compromises where
dynamism is concerned, and it steers into the bend precisely and under full control.
Ingenious material mix and high levels of safety
The new SLK’s body shell structure has been further refined, with the bonnet and guards now made of aluminium. The
new Mercedes-Benz SLK also sets new benchmarks in terms of safety. The third generation of the powerful trend-setter
will make use of a whole host of the latest assistance systems to support the driver, including the drowsiness
detection system ATTENTION ASSIST, developed by Mercedes-Benz and fitted as standard; the optional anticipatory
occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®, which is unique in the world; and the PRE-SAFE® Brake, which can apply the
brakes autonomously in the event of an impending rear-end collision. This means that with the SLK too, Mercedes-Benz
is consistently and significantly exceeding the requirements imposed by safety standards.
Further assistance systems are available on request:
- DISTRONIC PLUS: this proximity control system automatically maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead,
braking the roadster to a standstill if necessary and accelerating the SLK again.
- The Intelligent Light System provides five lighting functions (cornering light function, country mode, motorway
mode, active light function and enhanced fog lamps), which are activated depending on the driving conditions
The Australian market launch for the new Mercedes-Benz SLK is August 2011. The AMG version, known as SLK 55 AMG,
will be available during Q1 2012.
Pricing* (MLP*)
SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY: $82,900*
SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY: $118,900*
More information regarding the SLK specifications and options will be published by Next Car closer to the
local launch.
NOTE: * Manufacturer's List Price (MLP) excludes dealer delivery fees and the numerous statutory
charges (commonly known as on-road costs). Additionally, please note that all prices, fees and charges are
subject to change without notice, as are the specifications.
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