Driven: Sleek new Merc SLC roadster

Published May 6, 2016

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By: Stuart Johnston

Cap-Ferrat, France - It’s been 20 years since Mercedes-Benz introduced its SLK Roadster, with the unique cachet at the time of a steel retractable roof.

Since then some 700 000 SLKs have been sold worldwide and, while the car has evolved with various upgrades, mainly in the power department, the basic short-wheel-base two-seater concept is fully intact, as is the basic arrow-head front-end profile.

While it may seem harsh to reward such a success story - last year it was still the market leader in the United States - with a name change, there are good reasons for this. Following a slew of new model launches over the past two years and resulting customer confusion, Mercedes made the decision to rationalise its nomenclature into platform groups. As the SLK has been largely C-Class derived from its inception back in 1996, it thus becomes the SLC!

To mark the name change there have been various appearance changes and a re-jigging of the model line-up as far as engine packages are concerned. While the range kicks off in Europe with a modestly-powered 180 model and includes a diesel, we will be getting just three models when the car debuts in South Africa in June.

The first is the SLC 200, with a mildly-boosted two-litre, turbopetrol four, which will sell for R684 088.

Next up is the model I spent most time with at the recent media launch in the south of France, the SLC 300. This also has a two-litre four, but increased turbo-boost and other changes hike power to 180kW. As standard, this car is fitted with Dynamic Select, the excellent ride-handling-performance fine-tuning device that adjusts steering, power and gearbox response. The SLC 300 will accelerate to 100km/h in an impressive 5.8 seconds (claimed) and will sell here for R755 862.

Also read: Merc's classy new C Coupé

Top-of-the-range in Europe and in our market will be the new Mercedes-AMG SLC 43. This car uses one of the most exciting new engines in the current Mercedes global line-up, the three-litre twin-turbo V6. In AMG form it has been boosted to produce 270kW and 520 Nm and will accelerate to 100km/h in a rated 4.7 seconds. Various AMG tweaks have been made to the suspension and transmission response time.

The most notable visual change is the new diamond grille, which is now fitted to all models, together with a reshaped bonnet and new headlights, as well as more dramatic air-intakes in the bumper section. There have also been trim refinements to the interior, including a new infotainment display.

Practically, a handy development is that the tray to accept the steel folding roof, when you want to go topless, now lowers automatically whereas before you had to slot it in place. If there is too much luggage in the boot (a 350-litre max with the top raised), the top simply won’t lower when you press the button.

Driving the car through some incredible switch-back roads in the mountains above Nice, its best feature was perhaps the 9G-Tronic gearbox which exhibited its incredible range of appropriate gear ratios from tight first-gear corners through to faster sweeps.

In Sports mode the steering is tighter and weightier, and the whole car has that commendable solid feel that made it so popular two decades ago, although chassis response remains a bit muted. And if it’s engine charisma you want, you will have to opt for the AMG 43 model. That V6 has one of the most delightful engine notes of any car around, while even in the tweaked 300 model, the four-cylinder engine note is a little too guttural, especially in Sports setting, to be truly companionable.

Star Motoring

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