If we are talking about the 350 then MB quotes the auto as .1 faster than the manual - 5.5 to 5.6

gary - When you geting old and grey
auto can make your day

 

That depends on where you get your figures...... MB UK used to quote the manual as 5.5 and the auto as 5.6 but now they have reversed the stats .

MB USA still quote the manual as faster to 60mph 5.4 Vs 5.5 for the auto.

Shame they can't even agree internally however as many people have said you need skill to get a fast time from the manual, ANYONE can get a good time from the auto as it does all the hard work (and fun) for you

 

no it is not. I dont think you grasp this concept. Yes a granny is slower. But I'd love to see your testing and time slips proving the 350 AUTO is faster than a similiarly driven manual. Or is this your BUTT_dyno talking?

 

I'd be curious as to what fraction of drivers--even stick drivers--can really do better with the manual than the automatic--and not just in a drag race.
My bet is that very few can do better.

I think people get a stick either to save money or as a toy. Mostly this car is a toy, so that is cool, but the idea that it is really any faster is a bit of bluster.

P.S. I think automatic transmissions were first invented by the Germans for their tanks becuase the drivers weren't good enough to use a manual transmission.

 

MB have always quoted the Auto as being slightly quicker it was part of the 7G logic selling hype, but how you can something is .1 of a second quicker, how can you prove it, and what difference does it make people are either for or against auto, speed or gas consumption does not play any part in the matter. The figures I used are from the SLK handbook.

 

Gary its makes no difference at all but MB in the UK did quote the manual as slightly quicker than the auto when the car was first released (I have brochures with their figures for both)...... more recently they have changed to showing the auto as quicker (wanting to sell more autos perhaps?).

In the real world the auto will be quicker than the manual for the majority of drivers as it takes no skill to get the best from it.

 

why don't you take one out for a drive (i have an slk55) and then comment. check out what some of the latest articles say and what mb says. soooo, until you have driven one, you know what they say.....

 

Shame you can't compare a manual 55 to the auto...... but anyway show me an auto SLK350 that can match or better this time slip for a manual 350:

http://www.dragtimes.com/Mercedes-Be...slip-4289.html

The challenge is on!

 

It would be interesting to see the auto 350 times, have they got them?

gary

 

There is one other 350 listed but it doesn't say whether its a manual or auto..... but its slightly slower than the other one.

 

I personally have achieved 5.3 second 0-60 times a few months ago with winter wheels. I'll be trying again soon with summer tires.

 

On a drag strip or with your trusty stopwatch?

 

Actually I had a friend in the car time me.
Thats as accurate as you need most of the time but a drag strip can always be arranged. You do know they are closed for the winter right?
Besides an attitude is not required here, I am just stating what I have experienced.

 

I think some of you are really missing the point here. Who really cares which one is a tenth quicker? I have the manual because this is a fun weekend car and I personally think it's a blast rowing the gears myself. Makes me feel like a kid again. Hense, the mid-life crisis car. If I was expecting to be in a lot of traffic, I probably would have gotten the auto (maybe not though). Different strokes for different folks. I think a stick in a car like this makes it more fun to drive. For others, maybe not. But I definitely didn't choose it over a tenth of a second.

 

Sorry mate you misunderstood the tone of my comment (if I was taking the **** I would have ended the question with a )...... I use a friend with a stopwatch as well we only have two drag strips (that I know of) in the UK so its not even an option for me!

 

like i said i own a '55...check out the specs on the auto tranny in my car. check out the different articles which have been written on the '55 and how fast and efficient the auto tranny is.

 

There is no disputing that the SLK55 auto is very good but thats not really whats being discussed here..... there is no manual SLK55 to compare to. The SLK350 does have both options...... and it appears that everyone is happy with what they went for as nobody has come along so far saying "I've got a manual but i wish I'd bought the auto" or visa versa.

The manual is probably better for anyone that really enjoys their driving and wants to be in total control...... the auto will suit everyone else!

 

I REALLY enjoy driving my SLK55.

And yes, I've owned and driven my share of sticks.

 

Yes but would you not agree that MB would sell more SLK55s if they had a manual option?...... I cancelled mine because the auto didn't suit me, if the manual was available I'd be driving one now.

 

 

Not my point... you said manual is for anyone that really enjoys driving and auto for everyone else.

Specifically on your question, I don't know. I do know (as I'm in a design, manufacture and sales business, but not autos), that companies design and build what they believe will sell and at a price that returns the development investment. Of course this NOT a forumula for satisifying 100% of the demand.

 

i am going to chime in here and agree with your point in light of the fact that a rodaster like this should have been offered in manual.
however, with regards to the point about mb selling more '55's if manual were avail, i doubt that, as they have in effect sold every single car they are producing, in fact from what i understand, they are keeping the '55 very limited. mb does not have any selling issues on the slk's with regards to overall, worldwide sales, in this catagory.

 

Lets face it. Fo 99.9% of us, the automatic is going to do just as good or more likely better than the stick 99.9% of the time. The stick shift is a toy for those who like it. A robot can solve a puzzle faster than we can, but we do puzzles for fun.

There is nothing wrong with the stick shift being a toy. Most of us bought the SLK for fun, not for basic transportation. Some may choose the manual because of the cost differential--and that may be the best reason.

My personal preference is that to have a great point-and-shoot luxury roadster. That is, I want the German engineering to figure out how to "make it so" I just want to decide where, when, what and let the machine do the how. I still want to be able to go fast and have it handle well.

The 7-speed truly makes this possible; so it was a natural pick for me. If you like to micromanage the details, I don't mind.
In short, there is no right and wrong; the choice is the buyer's. Given how well the two transmission actuall work, anyone who gets upset with another's choice is wound a bit too tight.