First Look: Mercedes Benz SLK 2011

With the completely new developed SLK, one of the most exciting and successful sports cars ever built is entering its third generation. The new roadster takes driving pleasure and open-air enjoyment to a new level. It blends light-footed sportiness with stylish comfort, a striking sports-car design with total suitability for everyday use and top performance with exemplary ecology. What’s more, the SLK is proud to present the world premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button. Exemplary efficiency and sporty flair come courtesy of powerful new 4- and 6-cylinder engines featuring the standard-specification ECO start/stop function. With their superb levels of performance they are up to 25 per cent more economical than their predecessors. A unique set of safety equipment bestows role-model status on the SLK in this segment. With its wealth of technical innovations the SLK is once again the benchmark in its class.

“The new SLK embodies the role of the trend-setter like no other car,” says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “I am convinced that with its passionate design, its high-quality interior and its modesty at the filling station it will continue to provide an enormous amount of fun on the road in future, too, consolidating its status as a cult roadster.”

Innovations are part of the successful history of the Mercedes-Benz SLK:

* In 1996 the first generation caused a furore with the vario-roof, which transformed the wide-open roadster into a coupé with a fixed roof at the touch of a button in just a few seconds
* The second generation placed the warm Airscarf around the neck and shoulders of the occupants as needed, ensuring pleasurable open-top motoring even in cooler temperatures
* Now the third generation is presenting a unique highlight – the world premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control. It can be quickly switched to light or dark at the press of a button

But the new Mercedes-Benz SLK offers more than merely individual highlights. It assumes a leading position in every discipline and offers fun at the wheel in every respect, with no half-hearted compromises. It impresses with characteristics which are generally deemed to be irreconcilable: it succeeds in uniting excellent comfort and high-quality equipment and appointments with a decidedly sporty flair. At the same time the new roadster is one of the most economical and environmentally friendly in its class and sets new safety standards. All-weather driving enjoyment – with the roof open and closed, in leisure-time and everyday use – is firmly anchored in the SLK’s genes.

Credits: wilswong