Mercedes SLK55 AMG Tested, Great Review

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Mercedes SLK55 AMG Tested By YS Khong

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Hopping on an short flight from Germany, Paul David and I arrived at the Charles De-Gaulle airport in Paris, and were whisked to a smaller field called Orly, where our hosts from DaimlerChrysler met us. At Orly, we boarded a DaimlerChrysler private Airbus, all decked out in business class trim, to be flown to a private landing field located next to the Du Castellet Hotel and the Paul Ricard Test Circuit in the south of France, just north of Marseille.

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The AMG logo on a Mercedes Benz, (if it is a genuine logo), means that this is one that has gone through the hands of a special tuning firm, once independent, but has, since 1999, become a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, and has been up-graded to go faster, handle better, is exclusive, and naturally, more expensive. Basically, they take a production model, put in a larger capacity engine or upgrade the existing one, slam the car down a couple of inches, put on a body kit (one that actually helps the dynamics and performance), and put on larger brakes and larger, wider and lower profile tyres. AMG also works on the electronic controls, the engine control unit, chassis, drive systems, aerodynamics, and even some elements of interior design. Headquartered in Affalterbach near Stuttgart, the AMG division has been upgrading Mercedes cars since 1971. The current portfolio covers 16 Mercedes models, including the SLK 55 AMG and CLS 55 AMG. It also includes specially built one-off models.

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Day 1 was checking into the hotel, having tea by the patio, and relaxing before dinner and an early night to compensate for jet lag; we had journalists from Thailand and USA, and they had all flown for umpteen hours to meet up for the final leg from Paris.

The next day was a beautiful sunny day, typical of the Mediterranean climate in the south of France, and we were allocated one car for every two journalists. I chose to be paired off with Mr. Paul David, and we took turns to drive and navigate.

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We had seen the SLK 55 the previous day on display in the garden of the hotel, but it was quite an awesome sight to see close to thirty of these beautiful cars parked in the driveway. At our prices, we were looking at a large fortune in machinery that was just waiting to be thrashed through the countryside roads of France.

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In terms of looks, the SLK 55 AMG is a stunner; it is a refined lady, one that you would not be ashamed to stand beside, and one that you would not hesitate to get inside. It does not reek of performance, nor is it aggressive looking; it just looks classy, period.

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The SLK 55 AMG is a strict two-seater, and is an expression of art; it is what a dream would be made of, rather than a car designed for practicality, for it will not take a lot of luggage either. The roof is electrically operated, and at the touch of a button, will fold neatly away into the boot area. Although the sun was up, the temperature was quite cool, and we figured that it would be quite cold at speed if we had the roof down, so after playing with the controls for a while, opted to have it up.

Starting the car was ordinary enough; the engine fires up instantly, and what you get is a low purr from the 5.5 litre V8. Rev it up and the tacho flicks up instantaneously, while the body rocks slightly from the inertia created by the engine is transferred though the mountings to the frame. As you rev it up, you get the impression that under the hood is a tiger waiting to spring forth, and you can’t wait to get moving

We had to get out of the hotel grounds, and onto the road before we unleashed the full potential of the 360 horses under the hood. Once on the highway, we let it rip, and I can only describe the feeling as ‘ecstatic’. The roar of a V8 is very distinctive, and the exhaust system has been specially tuned to bring it all out; the higher you rev, the louder it is. I guarantee that every driver worth his salt will want to pull the engine all the way to redline, just to listen to it.

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Acceleration from zero to 100 km/hr is a no-nonsense 4.9 seconds flat. Zero to 200 km/hr is done in 17.5 seconds. In my days of racing, only the most highly tuned thoroughbred race engines could do that, the difference being that those race engines would not idle properly, you could not drive the car slowly because it would stall, and they only lasted something like 50 hours before they had to be rebuilt. With the SLK 55 AMG, you can run for years, and the engine would be as good as new, and you can drive it to market or cruise at walking pace through Bangsar or Hartamas on a Saturday night (so every one can see you) if you so wished.

The engine incorporates several high-tech developments from the world of motor racing. Goodies include lightweight aluminum pistons, oil spray nozzles for cooling the piston crowns, composite camshafts, a twin-pipe exhaust system, and a variable intake manifold. Durability features such as an oil cooler and a cooled rear differential are also standard features.

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Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a 7-speed (yes, 7-speed) automatic gearbox. For the purist, there is an ‘M’ option, a manual mode that shifts only on the driver’s command, no automatic up-shifts or downshifts, even when you hit the rev-limiter. Gear shifting is done either with the gear selector lever, or by using buttons on the steering wheel. In manual mode, the engine is ‘locked’ to the transmission, which means that engine braking is possible, just like it is in a manual gearbox.

If you choose to be more laid back, you can opt for automatic mode; in auto mode, you get an auto-adaptive transmission that ‘adapts’ itself to your individual driving style. A clutch ‘lock-up’ system that operates even in 1st gear prevents unnecessary transmission slip.

The SLK 55 AMG takes to the road as a duck to water. The up-rated suspension leans to the ‘sporty’ side of comfort, firm, but not harsh. You do feel all the undulations, and a good driver would even feel the pebbles as he rolls over them, but this is what control is all about. With positive feel and the right amount of feedback, it becomes a driver’s car. If you are looking for a ‘limousine’ type of comfort level, buy another car; this one is not for you. The inclusion of traction control, in addition to ABS, EBD, and all that stuff makes the SLK 55 AMG almost idiot-proof.

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Stopping? No issue at all, with the composite brakes and the electronics. The brake feel is positive, and the servo assistance is just about right; pedal pressure is light enough to say it has a servo system, but it requires you to really put your foot down; this system is designed to give the driver enough ‘feel’. The 18-inch alloy wheels and low profile tyres also do their part, both in the handling and braking departments.

Top speed? The SLK 55 AMG will go all the way to 250 km/hr, and more if it was not electronically regulated. We had a few stretches of good highway with 3-lanes each side, and got close to the limit before caution and concern for other cars on the road made us lift off (better to be a live chicken than a dead duck).

In addition to the road section, we also had a 2-hour window at the Paul Ricard Test Circuit. Under the watchful eyes of the DaimlerChrysler DTM driver, Klaus Ludwig, and Bernd Maylander, the official F1 Safety Car Driver, we were led round a portion of the track in convoy, just for the bragging rights to say we had driven around the circuit. We each had a 3 lap run; the ‘regulated’ was not very high, and more often than not, we had to brake to avoid hitting the car in front, for we were not allowed to overtake. Still, it was an experience. Still, one car in the hands of a ‘novice’ driver nearly went off the track.

The overall experience of driving the SLK 55 AMG is not something that I will forget in a long time. Even in southern France, a part of Europe that has many exotic cars, the SLK 55 AMG turned many an eye (including an old couple who laughed at us for starting off on the wrong side of the road).

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The SLK 55 AMG is and will remain a possession that only the very well heeled can afford. It is not very large, being a roadster, but it has plenty of get-up-and-go. Up to this moment, we still do not have the price, so I suppose that if you want to get one, you would have to get it from DaimlerChrysler. Whatever you have to pay for it, I can only assure you that it would be worth every cent you pay.

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[statick]

:thumbsup: , but i personally like the slk 32 amg r170 better.