rai

My friend just got one last week 6-speed MT. He had it on order for 8+ weeks, no deals on them (he says) so he paid MSRP. His has heated headrest, nav, 6-disk cd, remote control of roof, auto dims, climate control etc.. He got $6K in options so it was ~$53K

Well, it's a very nice car. Looks classy, interior imo was one of the best, plastic and leather were very nice IMO.

Best part has to be the folding hardtop. OMG Well it takes a good long time (seems like most of a minute) and it eats up most of the trunk. But IMO it beats any rag-top to pieces. when it's down, its totally flat under a hard boot. When it's up it's a tight enclosed cockpit, you know the roof and back glass are close, but not terrible. Also the fit of the top is 100% it's very solid. You have to hold a button down the whole time but you don't have to do anything with latches.

Seating is tight for me, I'd like 1-2" of extra seat movement, but it's no worse than the S2000. Damn it, when are car makes going to realize people are big nowadays? Steering wheel tilts and scopes. A lot of function buttons on the wheel. Wheel is nice and thick but larger diameter than the S2000s.

Engine has a nice rumble but too quiet as if it's under a blanket.

Shifter :drat: it's just OK, not as bad as most, if the S2000 is a 10/10 this shifter is a 7/10. A bit spongy. The clutch pedal was the worst of it, its like too close to my leg (can't move the seat back) and it's travel is twice as long as the S2000s. Maybe after a while I'd get used to it. But it kind of distracted me whereas the S2000 you don't even notice the foot work b/c its close to perfect.

The Drive: Well it's got a few beans alright. It's every bit as fast as the S and it seems as if it's not even trying hard at it. Very relaxed, no spike of power. I'm so used to 9000 rpm, I'm kind of expecting something after 6000 rpm (we're just getting started) but the SLK is just a short rush to the redline which calls off the fun at 7000 rpm (or so). I like the way you can be in 3rd at 30mph and still pull away. Doesn't matter so much what gear you're in as long as you're close enough it'll get the job done.

Handling: Well I didn't do much, but it's def a lot more towards comfort with too much body roll for my ideal, but it's very relaxed and wind/sound at 70mph aren't bad.

Sum up: Def a very nice car, one of the best I've driven. But I say hey, it's $47K or as tested $53K that's not chicken feed. It's a full $15K-$20K more than the S2000. It'd be a give and take in some areas the SLK def put together well with nice quality materials and nice sound system, and nice TQ-ey motor and killer hardtop. But the S2000 takes the gearshift award, steering feel, and connected to the car and road feel.

In the end I'd love to have a SLK def not only a looker, it can move as well. And it's sticker price includes a lot of doo-dads we can't even imagine on the S2000 and it's hardtop .

For me it'd be hard as I already have a S2000 so it'd be $30K-$32K trade up, and prolly I'd want the designo interior that's another $9K (on second thought prolly not, the standard interior is already very nice) but prolly I'd need some type of sports suspension. So as much as I'd like one, it's not $30K better than my 2.5 year old S2000.

If it had a better shifter and more leg room and stiffer suspension then I'd seriously think about it. But it's got a few flaws for the not inconsequential asking price.

pbm317

That new engine Mercedes has is really nice. MB has some nice designs out now. I was looking at the new M-Class for my parents and was really surprised by the jump past the old model.

Shinigami

He shouldn't have bothered. The NAV plays mp3 music off DVD's (yes, even dual layer), which means that he could have saved several hundred bucks by leaving the cd changer off his order.
Actually it's 22 seconds. Less then 20 seconds if the windows are already down.
It only uses up about 35% of the trunk when folded in. 'Most' of the trunk would be over 50%. The old SLK used about 60% of the trunk when the roof was folded down.
Once the remote roof option is delivered to a few dealers, it will be possible to open it with a flick of a button. No need to keep it down. But nobody knows exactly when this will come out (similar to the Bipes vario roof module for the older SLK).
Like all MB's, there's a lot of cushioning material in the engine bay and hood...

lyndon_h

I drove the 350 but I'm just spoiled by the handling of the S. There is NO comparison in the handling department. But the ride is smoother (of course) and the torque is a better. It is definitely a better GT car, but better sports car it is not. I'd rather have a BS if I was trying to spend more money 50k+ on a roadster.

rai

I wasn't able to get a good look at the trunk b/c the divider blocked my view. No big deal I don't put more than a gym bag in my trunk most of the time.

The engine has a lot of good TQ, but I'd like a bit more peaky power. I'd like to see something like the 300hp engine from the RL in a sports car, I guess the VQ from the 350Z is sweet also. I still have not driven a Z yet

cdelena

My son and I test drove C6 Vettes and SLK350 on the same day.. MSRP on both was almost identical. The MB was certainly the winner when it comes to status and comfort, and the top is just cool.. it did not really feel like a performance car compared to the Vette. Very nice, not exciting.

QUIKAG

That new 3.5L six that MB has is a sweet engine. I drove the SLK350 on a MB driving event, though it had the automatic, but it was still a sweet ride. Not my cup of tea, but very nice. If I had to have an SLK, I'd pony up for the V8.

Palmateer

Hope that C6 Vette was a convertible, otherwise not a fair comparison!

cdelena

We were comparing $50K cars so the C6 was not a convertible.. but the MB was not a V8... it was as fair as it got that day... we were seeing what we liked, not performing objective roadtests.

JSR_AP2

I really like the look of the new SLK and am glad it comes in a manual (at least for the 350). If the AMG came in manual, I'd like it, but otherwise, I just like the engine. MB changed the steering design to rack and pinion on the SLK, so I'm curious to see how steering feel is now (I hate driving other MBs w/ the recirc ball). I really like the retractable hardtops from MB also. I wish other brands would do that to their roadster/verts...just cleaner looking when up. There must be a way to not require much more weight than a rag top. If I had the money tho, I likely wouldn't get one. Reliability would be one of my biggest concerns as everyone I've known that had an MB is often at the dealer for service. As for fit, I like a tight fit...and keep in mind, most otherse outside of the US is quite a bit smaller...we Americans eat too damn much. Maybe the upcoming Solstice/Sky roadsters will be more accomodating to us fat americans.