Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

Mercedes Benz SLK Class

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Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

The SLK is a compact roadster

Roadster

A roadster, also known as a spyder or spider, is a two-seater car, traditionally without a roof and no side or rear windows. Modern day two-seaters commonly have windows and feature retractable roofs ....
manufactured by Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coach es, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz....
in two generations, R170 and R171, since 1997.

As one of the first modern retractable hardtop convertibles, the SLK followed the 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder and preceded other retractable hardtops such as the Peugeot 206

Peugeot 206

The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car , manufactured by the France automaker Peugeot since 1998....
cc, Lexus SC

Lexus SC

The Lexus SC series is a personal luxury car coup? sold by Lexus since 1991. The SC features a FR layout design and seating for up to four passengers....
, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a roadster manufactured by Mercedes since 1954. The designation SL derives from the German Sport Leicht, or Sport Light — and was first applied to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' named also after its Gull-wing doors or upward-opening doors....
and the Chrysler Sebring

Chrysler Sebring

Not to be confused with Maserati Sebring. Although Chrysler and Maserati did team up to produce the Chrysler TC before the Sebring came out.The Chrysler Sebring is a line of mid-size cars sold by Chrysler....
.

The designation SLK derives from the company's design mission to create a roadster that was at once sporty, light and short — in German: Sportlich, Leicht und Kurz.

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Encyclopedia

The SLK is a compact roadster
Roadster

A roadster, also known as a spyder or spider, is a two-seater car, traditionally without a roof and no side or rear windows. Modern day two-seaters commonly have windows and feature retractable roofs ....
manufactured by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coach es, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz....
in two generations, R170 and R171, since 1997.

As one of the first modern retractable hardtop convertibles, the SLK followed the 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder and preceded other retractable hardtops such as the Peugeot 206
Peugeot 206

The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car , manufactured by the France automaker Peugeot since 1998....
cc, Lexus SC
Lexus SC

The Lexus SC series is a personal luxury car coup? sold by Lexus since 1991. The SC features a FR layout design and seating for up to four passengers....
, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a roadster manufactured by Mercedes since 1954. The designation SL derives from the German Sport Leicht, or Sport Light — and was first applied to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' named also after its Gull-wing doors or upward-opening doors....
and the Chrysler Sebring
Chrysler Sebring

Not to be confused with Maserati Sebring. Although Chrysler and Maserati did team up to produce the Chrysler TC before the Sebring came out.The Chrysler Sebring is a line of mid-size cars sold by Chrysler....
.

The designation SLK derives from the company's design mission to create a roadster that was at once sporty, light and short — in German: Sportlich, Leicht und Kurz.

The term SLK-Class is a Mercedes marketing term referring to the vehicle in all its engine configurations across both design generations.

Competitors include the Audi TT
Audi TT

The Audi TT is a sports car manufactured by Audi since 1998 in Gyor, Hungary, now in its second generation — and available as a 2+2 coup? or two-seater roadster....
, BMW Z4
BMW Z4

The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the Germany automaker BMW. Replacing the BMW Z3, first-generation production started in 2002 at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, with both roadster and coupe forms produced....
, Lexus SC
Lexus SC

The Lexus SC series is a personal luxury car coup? sold by Lexus since 1991. The SC features a FR layout design and seating for up to four passengers....
, Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is a Mid-engine design roadster built by Porsche. The Boxster is Porsche's first vehicle designed by Harm Lagaay from the beginning as a roadster; all previous Porsche convertibles were based on hardtop coupes....
, and Porsche Cayman
Porsche Cayman

The Porsche Cayman is a RMR layout 2-seat sports car produced by Porsche AG of Germany. First launched in the 2006 model year, the Cayman is a coup? derived from Porsche's second generation Porsche Boxster convertible....
.

R170 (1997- 2004)

The R170-platform SLK 230 Kompressor was introduced in 1997 for model year 1998 to compete with the Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is a Mid-engine design roadster built by Porsche. The Boxster is Porsche's first vehicle designed by Harm Lagaay from the beginning as a roadster; all previous Porsche convertibles were based on hardtop coupes....
and BMW Z3
BMW Z3

The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie, GoldenEye....
. Setting it apart was its folding hardtop, though its additional weight compromised the performance of the 185 hp
Horsepower

Horsepower is the name of several non-International System of Units units of power . It was originally defined to allow the output of steam engines to be measured and compared with the power output of draft horses....
2.3 L
Litér

Lit?r is a village in Veszpr?m , Hungary.External links ...
supercharged I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
engine
Internal combustion engine

The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs in a combustion chamber inside and integral to the engine. In an internal combustion engine it is always the expansion of the high temperature and pressure gases that are produced by the combustion which apply force to the movable component of the engine, such as...
and automatic transmission
Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
. The SLK was on Car and Driver
Car and Driver

Car and Driver is an United States automobile enthusiast magazine. Its total Magazine circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hachette Filipacchi M?dias....
's Ten Best list
Car and Driver Ten Best

Car and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:...
for 1997.

A 5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission

A manual transmission is a type of Transmission used in automotive applications. It generally utilizes a driver-operated clutch operated by a pedal or lever, for regulating torque transfer from the engine to the transmission, and a gear-shift either operated by hand or by foot ....
was added for 1999 along with the 215 hp 3.2 L V6 and 6-speed manual transmission in the 2001 SLK 320.

An AMG
Mercedes-AMG

Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG , is the high performance division of the Mercedes-Benz car company. Mercedes-Benz acquired majority interest in AMG in 1999....
model was added in 2001, with a supercharged
Supercharger

A supercharger is an air Gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be provided and more work to be done per cycle, increasing the power output of the engine...
version of the 3.2 L V6. This SLK 32 AMG was the best-performing R170 SLK, and was a direct rival of the BMW M Roadster
BMW Z3

The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie, GoldenEye....
and Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster is a Mid-engine design roadster built by Porsche. The Boxster is Porsche's first vehicle designed by Harm Lagaay from the beginning as a roadster; all previous Porsche convertibles were based on hardtop coupes....
S. It was only offered with automatic transmission
Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
and was hand built.

Not all Mercedes SLKs were built in Bremen, Germany, the SLK 320 being built in South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
and Mexico. The very first R170 Mercedes SLK was completed on January 29, 1997 and last on April 7, 2004.

Summary of all versions and engine specifications:

SLK 200 Kompressor - 2.0 L (1998 cc) 163 hp I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
supercharged engine, 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds, top speed of 223 km/h (138 mph). NB Not exported to North American markets.
SLK 230 Kompressor - 2.3 L (2295 cc) 197 hp I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
supercharged engine, 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds, top speed of 240 km/h (148 mph).
SLK 320 - 3.2 L (3199 cc) 218 hp V6 engine, 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, top speed of 245 km/h (152 mph).
SLK 32 AMG - 3.2 L (3199 cc) 354 hp V6 engine, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. All engines were hand-built by AMG by an individual engineer. The engine came with an intercooled Lysholm-type "twin-screw" supercharger. Production ran between Aug 2000 and March 2004. Only 4,333 were built in total, of which 979 were retained for Germany, 2,056 exported to the USA and 263 to the UK.

R171 (2004-current)

The SLK was substantially revised in 2004 with a revised body and enhanced performance. For 2005 the new R171-platform SLK was named one of Car and Driver
Car and Driver

Car and Driver is an United States automobile enthusiast magazine. Its total Magazine circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hachette Filipacchi M?dias....
's Car and Driver Ten Best
Car and Driver Ten Best

Car and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:...
and won the Canadian Car of the Year
Canadian Car of the Year

Canadian Car of the Year winners, as chosen by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada:...
's Best New Convertible award. The current SLK's are built in Bremen, Germany and Mexico city, Mexico.

Models of the new SLK include:

SLK 200 Kompressor - 1.8 L 120 kW
WATT

WATT is a radio station broadcasting a News radio-Talk radio-Sports radio format. Licensed to Cadillac, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1945....
(163 hp DIN) I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
supercharged
Supercharger

A supercharger is an air Gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be provided and more work to be done per cycle, increasing the power output of the engine...
engine, 0-100 km/h (62 mph) 7.9 seconds, top speed of 143 mph. (not available in Canada and the United States)
SLK 280 - 3.0 L (2996 cc) 170 kW (231 hp DIN
Din

DIN or Din or din can have several meanings:-* A din is a loud noise.* Deen , an Arabic language term meaning "religion" or "way of life"....
) double overhead cam V6 engine, 0-100 km/h (62 mph) 6.3 seconds, top speed 155 mph. (starting in 2006 model year
Model year

The model year of a product is a number used in North America to describe approximately when a product was produced.The model year and the actual calendar year of production do not always coincide....
)
SLK 350 - new 3.5 L (3498 cc) 200 kW (272 hp DIN) double overhead cam V6 engine, 0-100 km/h (62 mph) 5.4 seconds, top speed 155 mph (electronically limited).
SLK 55 AMG - 5.4 L (5439 cc) 265 kW (360 hp DIN) V8 engine
V8 engine

A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinder s mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 0-100 km/h (62 mph) 4.9 seconds, top speed 155 mph (electronically limited). A tuned version of this was used as the Formula One
Formula One

Formula One, abbreviated to F1, and currently officially referred as the FIA Formula One World Championship is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile ....
safety car
Safety car

In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a automobile which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as a major accident or obstruction on the track....
, replaced by CLK 63 AMG at the beginning of 2006 Season.

A lifting of the R171, with more powerful engines, has been presented at the end of 2007.

SLK 200 Kompressor - 1.8 L 135 kW
WATT

WATT is a radio station broadcasting a News radio-Talk radio-Sports radio format. Licensed to Cadillac, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1945....
(184 hp DIN) I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
supercharged
Supercharger

A supercharger is an air Gas compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine. The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be provided and more work to be done per cycle, increasing the power output of the engine...
engine
SLK 350 - 3.5 L (3498 cc) 224 kW (305 hp DIN) double overhead cam V6 engine

See also

Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GLK is a compact SUV luxury vehicles crossover released as a 2009 model elsewhere and as a 2010 model in North America after its public debut at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show alongside the competing Audi Q5....

External links