Mercedesfan

Looks like the SLK will show up in six months with the new nose look that the SL may have to wait to get for another few years. Worse than that the new SLK gets an upper level heat feature with heat coming from the headrests to allow extended open top driving, a feature that probably will also have to wait a redesign of the SL to get added. Both only seat two people, the interior trim on the SLK is stunning , luggage capacity has been increased- heck maybe current SL owners will even be trading in their SL's for SLK's?????

internet_mafia

Are you kidding me? Even if the new SLK has added features, it doesn't offset the fact that you will see a ton of them, and that they are nowhere near as plush/comfortable/roomy as an SL. Even though the new SLK is an improvement over the old one, the new one will still be a "chick" car because of its cuteness factor. If someone does swap an SL for an SLK, then they obviously only want to be the "first" on the block and never was interested in the SL in the first place. That is a shallow and nonsensical way of looking at cars.

blueSL

I for one am pleased the SL will not be getting the new nose look, at least for a while. I don't like it at all, and all this linking to Formula 1 is just crass. "Buy an SLK and buy into the Formula 1 Dream!". What dream? Mercedes are hardly excelling in that arena.

As for the gimics, I'll pass thank you; the car still has that forward lean which makes it look like the driver is panic braking.

I have a deposit down on an R231 but that car faces the challenge of the new European pedestrian safety regulations which will change markedly the front end styling of cars. One dog's breakfast coming up.

It's said the Mercedes GLS is being rushed through into production this year to beat the new regulations...

Mercedesfan

Doesn't it irk you though when the lower level cars have features that you can't get in the more expensive ones? That warming feature from the headrests to enhance open air driving in the new SLK goes way beyond gimmick in a region such as I live in where the summers are short and cool days are in the majority. I would also like to see 4Matic make it to both the SL and SLK.

I hear that the new SLK will also have the cornering lights, at least the non AMG versions of it. Curious if the increased cabin room on the new SLK gets it much closer to that of the SL?

blueSL

You can sit on the fence forever and wait for the next must-have feature to come along or else you can buy a car and enjoy it.

Keep in mind that many people (myself included) think the ventilated seats are a waste of money in the SL - the volume of air is not great and who is going to pay for the numerous fans to be replaced when they seize up through dust and dirt, assuming of course you've realised they've stopped working in the first place. I can easily see the air scarf being similarly hopeless.

My solution to keeping my neck warm when driving with the roof down is to wear a real scarf...

4-Matic presents huge packaging difficulties in both cars (look under the hood of the SL and see where the front axle line would meet the engine, and the SLK will be similar). The extra weight will also exacerbate the SL's Achilles Heel. I don't think you'll ever see it. If you want 4WD in a convertible, get a 911 Carrera 4 or Turbo.

hellcat

Personally I like the new styling of the R171 SLK but I don't think it could ever compete with the SL. There is too great a difference between the level of luxury in the two.

BlueSL- How can you say Mercedes is "hardly excelling" in Formula 1 when Kimi Raikkonen got second place last season losing by only 2 points to Schumacher? And the team took 3rd in the constructor's championship only 2 points behind William's-BMW? That seems like a pretty good dream to be marketing.

blueSL

Yes, Kimi might well be World Champion soon, but Mercedes are way behind the Ferrari in the constructors championship. If Mercedes were World Constructors champions, I'd allow them their self-indulgent nose.

That said, the SLK takes its styling cues from the SLR - especially the trunk lid as well as the nose. Fortunately the SL has escaped them, though I do concede the quest for retro in the SL has made some of the styling a little over-fussy. It's fine to relate back to your heritage but you can overdo it. If we could still post pictures, I'd show you a comparison between the vents of the current SL and the original 300SL Gullwing. Cheap imitation.

Right now, the most exciting sports car design in my book is the Aston Martin DB9 and, goodness, it's a Ford. Certainly showing Ferrari the way, they have lost the styling plot with the Enzo and 612 Scaglietti. The DB9 Volante is just gorgeous, at least with the roof down. Saw one of the coupes on the road this week near their new plant in Gaydon, Warwickshire and it looked superb. Only downside with the Volante is the cloth roof. But the guy behind the car, Ulrich Bez, certainly knows his onions, he cut his teeth in Zuffenhausen.

WhiteTrash

it's kind of like comparing the BMW Z4 to the Z8.
the SL and SLK are in totally different leagues.

benzosl

The SL is in a completely different league from the SLK. The new SLK will look nice with the redesign and will offer a vast amount in new features and styling as is the case with the 2003 E-Class and the 2000 S-Class....even though the E appears more stylish and up to date with technology, it doesnt stop anyone from getting the S. This new look with the SLK will be to spark sales again with a freshness......the SL does just fine on its own with the current design...they are two completely different cars that drive completely different and have different features.........they will not be a point of competition for one another.

milkpowder

The SL has more stance, more being, better looks, more luxurious, etc.

It is aimed at people who buy 100K cars.

The SLK is cute, fast, and a cheaper alternative to the SL. I probably shouldn't use the word "alternative" as it isn't, really. I feel that those who can afford an SL will go and buy an SL. You loose a lot of prestige and stance when you go to the SLK. I'm not saying the SLK is cheap and girlish (no offense), but it is like comparing the z4 to the z8 (as mentioned previously).

Gunther

Hey Blue SL....

Understand your frustration with the ventilated seats...my brother-in-law has them in his E and says the same thing. But I did order them in my SL....here in Ga we have many 100% humidity days in the summer. I don't want a/c I just wanted to be able to get out without a big wet spot on my back. Actual intent of the a/v seats is to cool and remove the wet, not a/c.

blueSL

Yes I can see the point of that and it may well work in high humidty, we don't get the same thing here, but anyone expecting an icy blast to come out of the seat is going to be disappointed. It's neither icy nor is it a blast.

I quite like the denser pattern of perforation in the seats you get with it. Saw an SL without it and noticed the difference; had no perforation at all which I was surprised at. I thought all seats were slightly perforated to allow air to get to the back of the leather but maybe I'm wrong.

Mustard has pointed out that leather cleaner can get in the holes and it would be a problem if you let it dry without working it in to the leather.