The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class is all set to woo customers with its impressive range of new features for this year. With a formula 1 inspired styling facelift and a slight resemblance to the SLR Mclaren, the car sounds good but will it ever beat the likes of Porsche and others? The SLK-Class has gained mixed responses from all sides. However, many critic reviews, like the one in Automobile declares that “The SLK is composed and comfortable-a GT car cleverly cut down to a personal size.” The Mercedes Benz SLK-Class is a 2 door sports convertible that seats two.
The Mercedes-Benz certainly scores above 7 on 10 in terms of comfort, performance, interiors, exteriors, fuel economy, sporty feel, reliability and build. The three available trims for the year 2009 include the SLK300 Roadster, SLK350 Roadster and the SLK55 AMG Roadster. Though most features are a carryover, the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class never runs out of surprises to offer. The delicate styling has been replaced by a sportier feeling exterior that builds a lot of appeal for this convertible sports car. Small changes like the side grille and the new front end styling, and the sturdy chassis are welcome. The convertible hard top is an irresistible feature. Interiors are very good this time because of the quality upgrade in materials. Right from the steering wheel design to the 17 inch wheels, Bluetooth, controls and the Airscarf system, this car charms in more ways than one.
Performance is never a problem in all trims, right from the 3.0L V6 228 HP version to the 5.4L V8 355 HP trim. In the words of Motor Trend, “The car’s 3.5 V-6, stout chassis, and well-balanced suspension make the SLK an ideal sports car for mountain road drives.” Stability is very impressive. Seven-speed automatic transmission is standard. Engineers at Mercedes are confident that the 350 Roadster will reach 60 mph from start well within 5.5 seconds. Steering and handling are excellent in the 2009 SLK-Class. But the tires could be designed better next time to get rid of the rumbling sound on coarse surfaces.
Safety features include 6 airbags and Tele Aid emergency communication system, along with ABS aided by Brake Assist, stability and traction control. Options include lowered sports suspension, AMG appearance package and a 6-speed manual gearbox. The car is certainly not too affordable at $45,950 to $65,700, but it is still better priced compared to most other convertibles of similar kind.
2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Specs & Safety
Vehicle Dimensions
Specification Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class 2-door convertible
Wheelbase, in. 95.7
Overall Length, in. 161.5
Overall Width, in. 70.4
Overall Height, in. 51.1
Curb Weight, lbs. 3208
Cargo Volume, cu. ft. 9.8
Standard Payload, lbs. –
Fuel Capacity, gals. 18.5
Seating Capacity 2
Front Head Room, in. 37.9
Max. Front Leg Room, in. 42.5
Rear Head Room, in. –
Max. Rear Leg Room, in. –
Engines dohc V6 dohc V6 sohc V8
Size, liters/cu. in. 3.0 /183 3.5 /214 5.4 /332
Horsepower @ rpm. 228 @ 6100 300 @ 6500 355 @ 5750
Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm. 221 @ 2700 265 @ 4900 376 @ 4000
Availability Standard Standard Standard
EPA City / highway mpg
6-speed manual 17/26 18/26 –/–
7-speed automatic 19/26 18/26 NA/NA
Model Prices
Trim Name Retail Price Dealer Invoice Destination Charge
SLK300 2-door convertible $44,950 $41,804 $825
SLK350 2-door convertible $49,950 $46,454 $825
SLK55 2-door convertible $64,300 $59,799 $825
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment