Andrew Heasley encounters a driver's car for the caffe latte strip.
The car that re-introduced the folding hard-top to open motoring for a new generation, the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster, has had a nip and tuck to keep it looking glamorous as it passes the halfway mark. We're testing the $123,686 SLK350 Designo, the mid-level car with a restyled interior using premium leathers and wood trims. The test car had options including a $2648 AMG body kit and a $3177 sports package, bringing the price to $136,422.
WHAT YOU GETTwo seats only for starters, fitted with the Airscarf neck warmers. Beyond that, there's the trick folding roof, which opens and closes in 20seconds with Swiss-watch precision at the push of a button. The interior gets light bone-coloured leather and suede on seats and door trims and a matching two-tone dashboard (black over cream) while burr walnut veneer appears as fillets in the dash and on door and handbrake handles. The combination looks better than it sounds. There's graphite grey 17-inch alloys, restyled bi-xenon lights, a premium Harman Kardon stereo and integrated mobile phone set-up.
HOW SAFEGets four stars from NCAP in crash tests. Also has four airbags, anti-lock brakes with traction/stability control. Permanent roll-over hoops sit behind head rests.
WHAT'S INSIDESports seats are thin but firm and give good support. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and height and has paddle gear shifters. An integrated stereo/satnav/phone system gets iPod connectivity. Two cupholders and just a narrow well in the centre console bin. Everything is electrically operated.
UNDER THE BONNETThe 3.5-litre V6 (200kW/350Nm) soldiers on, allied to a magnificent seven-speed intelligent auto that is the star here. The engine sounds raspy over 5000rpm, so you might as well flick the paddle box up and down to keep the engine in happier, lower revs. Torque comes on strong, the gear shifts are as silky as they come. Fuel consumption is a mixed bag: we picked up the car with a reading of 15.9L/100km; after our time we finished at 9.9L, which is reasonably good for a sports car. Mostly the trip computer read around the 10.5L/100km, above the official consumption figure of 9.2L.
ON THE ROADThe previous iteration, except when fed steroids by AMG, tended to look a bit dainty on the road. This makeover gives the car a more commanding presence. The car is docile in traffic but plant the foot and there's a sudden surge in momentum. Push the "sport" button and the throttle response is even sharper. The steering seems more assisted than we recall. It provides a wide degree of road wheel angle for very little steering wheel twirl. So in sharp corners, until you adjust, you tend to steer too far into them. The weighting through the steering wheel is nicely solid, though there's always the feeling there's a big servo motor turning those wheels. The brakes pull up strongly with good initial bite. The ride is firm though it won't upset passengers - which is at least half its raison d'etre: this is a car as much to drive as to be seen in.
VERDICTFor some, the thought of a twisting ribbon of tarmac in the mountains on a sunny morning and a downpour in the afternoon will help make the decision to go for a folding hard top convertible that also happens to be pretty capable through the bends. For others - and I suspect for those wanting the "Designo" pack, it's all about the look - it's cruising slowly past the cafe strip with the roof down and Ministry of Sound drifting from the cabin. For that it will admirably fill the role.
OUR SCORE: 3.5/5
The car that re-introduced the folding hard-top to open motoring for a new generation, the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster, has had a nip and tuck to keep it looking glamorous as it passes the halfway mark. We're testing the $123,686 SLK350 Designo, the mid-level car with a restyled interior using premium leathers and wood trims. The test car had options including a $2648 AMG body kit and a $3177 sports package, bringing the price to $136,422.
WHAT YOU GETTwo seats only for starters, fitted with the Airscarf neck warmers. Beyond that, there's the trick folding roof, which opens and closes in 20seconds with Swiss-watch precision at the push of a button. The interior gets light bone-coloured leather and suede on seats and door trims and a matching two-tone dashboard (black over cream) while burr walnut veneer appears as fillets in the dash and on door and handbrake handles. The combination looks better than it sounds. There's graphite grey 17-inch alloys, restyled bi-xenon lights, a premium Harman Kardon stereo and integrated mobile phone set-up.
HOW SAFEGets four stars from NCAP in crash tests. Also has four airbags, anti-lock brakes with traction/stability control. Permanent roll-over hoops sit behind head rests.
WHAT'S INSIDESports seats are thin but firm and give good support. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and height and has paddle gear shifters. An integrated stereo/satnav/phone system gets iPod connectivity. Two cupholders and just a narrow well in the centre console bin. Everything is electrically operated.
UNDER THE BONNETThe 3.5-litre V6 (200kW/350Nm) soldiers on, allied to a magnificent seven-speed intelligent auto that is the star here. The engine sounds raspy over 5000rpm, so you might as well flick the paddle box up and down to keep the engine in happier, lower revs. Torque comes on strong, the gear shifts are as silky as they come. Fuel consumption is a mixed bag: we picked up the car with a reading of 15.9L/100km; after our time we finished at 9.9L, which is reasonably good for a sports car. Mostly the trip computer read around the 10.5L/100km, above the official consumption figure of 9.2L.
ON THE ROADThe previous iteration, except when fed steroids by AMG, tended to look a bit dainty on the road. This makeover gives the car a more commanding presence. The car is docile in traffic but plant the foot and there's a sudden surge in momentum. Push the "sport" button and the throttle response is even sharper. The steering seems more assisted than we recall. It provides a wide degree of road wheel angle for very little steering wheel twirl. So in sharp corners, until you adjust, you tend to steer too far into them. The weighting through the steering wheel is nicely solid, though there's always the feeling there's a big servo motor turning those wheels. The brakes pull up strongly with good initial bite. The ride is firm though it won't upset passengers - which is at least half its raison d'etre: this is a car as much to drive as to be seen in.
VERDICTFor some, the thought of a twisting ribbon of tarmac in the mountains on a sunny morning and a downpour in the afternoon will help make the decision to go for a folding hard top convertible that also happens to be pretty capable through the bends. For others - and I suspect for those wanting the "Designo" pack, it's all about the look - it's cruising slowly past the cafe strip with the roof down and Ministry of Sound drifting from the cabin. For that it will admirably fill the role.
OUR SCORE: 3.5/5
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