![]() Although it's a big improvement over the old one, the new box lacks the rifle-bolt precision of the Honda S2000's transmission. The gearbox is a freshly designed unit, but it clearly came from the same family as the old box the shifting still feels artificial and the effort is high. Even more welcome was the V-6 car's quicker throttle response and smoothness. Mercedes says the V-6 adds only about 50 pounds to the SLK, so the extra 25 hp and the new gearbox should quicken 60-mph sprints to about 7.5 seconds, considerably quicker than the 8.2 figure of the last SLK we tested. But now the V-6 emits a muted howl that's much more satisfying though never loud or offensive. The old four-banger's note is the exact opposite of what you want in a sports car. The V-6 is remarkable for the improvement in the exhaust note alone, and the extra ponies won't go unnoticed. The base price for the SLK230 Kompressor will be $39,622, and the SLK320 will start at $44,872. ![]() Both engines come standard with the new six-speed manual transmission, and the carry-over five-speed automatic continues as an option. The base SLK230 Kompressor gets a redesigned cylinder head, a coil-on-plug ignition, and quieter supercharger bearings, all of which conspire to boost power by 5 hp to 190 hp. The V-6 model will be labeled the SLK320. Torque is especially lusty in the V-6: There's 229 pound-feet available at only 3000 rpm, and that output is available all the way to 4600 rpm. Mercedes says the three-valve arrangement produces fewer emissions, especially at engine startup. The engine block is aluminum, with a single overhead camshaft operating two intake valves and a single exhaust valve. The engine is the same V-6 found in the current E320 sedan (it will also appear in the upcoming C-class replacement). So once again, in a 1999 sports-car comparison, the sleek and comfy but bland-performing roadster finished last.įor 2001, the SLK gets two new additions that should help it become more of an enthusiast's car: a 3.2-liter V-6 engine providing 25 more ponies than the supercharged four, and a six-speed manual gearbox. That was a step in the proper direction, but the gearbox was a clunky piece that made quick shifts impossible and didn't contribute significantly to making the SLK a more sporting car. Then, in 1999, a five-speed manual transmission was added, and the five-speed automatic became a $950 option. That may have had something to do with an SLK's finish in a 1997 comparo with a Porsche Boxster and BMW Z3 2.8 - it came in last. So, whereas the SLK came standard with a remarkable retractable hardtop, a stylish interior and exterior, and a roomy passenger compartment, we groused over its lack of a manual transmission, complained about its punk exhaust note, griped over its jerky steering, and declared it short of horsepressure. When it comes to roadsters, we're a bunch that values invigorating driving above all else. There were plenty of reasons to like the Mercedes-Benz SLK230 Kompressor when it debuted in 1997, but hard-driving pleasure was not one of them.
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