SLK55 Review by Automobile Magazine
11-26-2004 | 11:24 AM
#1
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From: N.Virginia
BMW 323i
SLK55 Review by Automobile Magazine
Short and sweet...
Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG
By Mark Gillies
The AMG version of the previous SLK always seemed an odd mismatch, mainly because Mercedes-Benz's in-house tuner was working from a mediocre starting point. The second time around, however, the merging of an overachieving AMG powerplant-this time, a 5.4-liter V-8 making a stout 355 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque-and M-B's smallest sports car is very compelling indeed.
For a start, the AMG SLK looks meaner than the stock car, thanks to a nicely integrated body kit and gorgeous eighteen-inch wheels that are shod with 225/40 front and 245/35 rear Z-rated tires. The interior is almost identical to the base car's well-executed cabin. The AMG gets unique sport seats in Nappa leather with Alcantara inserts, a unique gauge cluster and steering wheel, and stainless-steel doorsills and trim. The real reasons you will pay a premium of about $14,000 are under the shapely bodywork, however. The 5.4-liter, SOHC, 24-valve V-8 is the same as the CLK55's and the C55's but is mated to the new Mercedes seven-speed automatic transmission.
The damper-strut front and multilink rear suspensions have stiffer springs, gas-filled dampers, and bigger antiroll bars. The brakes have been uprated, too, with 13.4-inch-diameter front discs and six-piston calipers and 13.0-inch rear rotors and four-pot calipers. The compound front discs have an aluminum center and steel outer to help reduce heat and unsprung weight. On the twisty mountain roads around the ultra-swank Paul Ricard racetrack in southern France, the SLK was a honey. The V-8 makes a wonderful gruff growl when you are on the throttle hard and provides lots of thrust. In fact, you wonder why an engine with so much torque needs seven forward gear ratios. In manual mode, shifts aren't quite quick enough, and the shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel are annoying when you're looking for a gear. The suspension is supple, with moderate body roll during high-speed cornering. The car tends to understeer, but that's easy to dial out with all the torque. With ESP stability control switched off, you can still get some sideways action out of tight second-gear corners, but then the electronics step in to save you. The brakes are superb. The only dynamic letdown on the street is steering that doesn't totally connect.
On the track, the car was more entertaining. The stock SLK has a really well-balanced chassis, and the AMG's fatter tires, stiffer suspension, and extra power make it even more fun. Even though ESP will always cut in, it gives you enough leeway to drift with quite a bit of slip angle. The steering livens up with the extra g you can pull on a track, especially a place like Ricard, where the runoff areas seemingly extend into Spain and Italy. Mercedes limits the SLK to 155 mph, but it gets up there rapidly, with 0 to 62 mph taking just 4.9 seconds. The new AMG SLK has lots of appeal, even at nearly $60,000. Sometimes things just work out better the second time around.
Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG
By Mark Gillies
The AMG version of the previous SLK always seemed an odd mismatch, mainly because Mercedes-Benz's in-house tuner was working from a mediocre starting point. The second time around, however, the merging of an overachieving AMG powerplant-this time, a 5.4-liter V-8 making a stout 355 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque-and M-B's smallest sports car is very compelling indeed.
For a start, the AMG SLK looks meaner than the stock car, thanks to a nicely integrated body kit and gorgeous eighteen-inch wheels that are shod with 225/40 front and 245/35 rear Z-rated tires. The interior is almost identical to the base car's well-executed cabin. The AMG gets unique sport seats in Nappa leather with Alcantara inserts, a unique gauge cluster and steering wheel, and stainless-steel doorsills and trim. The real reasons you will pay a premium of about $14,000 are under the shapely bodywork, however. The 5.4-liter, SOHC, 24-valve V-8 is the same as the CLK55's and the C55's but is mated to the new Mercedes seven-speed automatic transmission.
The damper-strut front and multilink rear suspensions have stiffer springs, gas-filled dampers, and bigger antiroll bars. The brakes have been uprated, too, with 13.4-inch-diameter front discs and six-piston calipers and 13.0-inch rear rotors and four-pot calipers. The compound front discs have an aluminum center and steel outer to help reduce heat and unsprung weight. On the twisty mountain roads around the ultra-swank Paul Ricard racetrack in southern France, the SLK was a honey. The V-8 makes a wonderful gruff growl when you are on the throttle hard and provides lots of thrust. In fact, you wonder why an engine with so much torque needs seven forward gear ratios. In manual mode, shifts aren't quite quick enough, and the shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel are annoying when you're looking for a gear. The suspension is supple, with moderate body roll during high-speed cornering. The car tends to understeer, but that's easy to dial out with all the torque. With ESP stability control switched off, you can still get some sideways action out of tight second-gear corners, but then the electronics step in to save you. The brakes are superb. The only dynamic letdown on the street is steering that doesn't totally connect.
On the track, the car was more entertaining. The stock SLK has a really well-balanced chassis, and the AMG's fatter tires, stiffer suspension, and extra power make it even more fun. Even though ESP will always cut in, it gives you enough leeway to drift with quite a bit of slip angle. The steering livens up with the extra g you can pull on a track, especially a place like Ricard, where the runoff areas seemingly extend into Spain and Italy. Mercedes limits the SLK to 155 mph, but it gets up there rapidly, with 0 to 62 mph taking just 4.9 seconds. The new AMG SLK has lots of appeal, even at nearly $60,000. Sometimes things just work out better the second time around.
12-02-2004 | 12:51 PM
#5
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Joined: Oct 2004
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SLK55
Steering
Originally Posted by SLK55_AMG
does it mean it doesn't handle well (steering feedback) ? fredfromny tell us about this!
12-02-2004 | 02:14 PM
#6
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 214
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From: Los Angeles, CA / Berlin, Germany
2005 MB SLK 55 AMG
well.....
Well, from my point of view, I have to be honest - as much as I love the car, I DO think the steering is it's weak point, if there is such a thing.
First of all, the 55 handles beautifully. It's not as stiff as my 911 with the Sport Suspension, yet more rigid than a 2003 Boxster S.
THe steering (with parameter steering on the 55 !) is good - really good. But it doesn't quite have the 'totally connected', stiff feel of Porsches (post 2001 MY). The Porsche steering, which I'd consider best-of-market, is just beyong reproach. THe 55 is a bit 'loose' for my taste when standing still or at low speed. Really, it's the Mercedes philosophy versus Porsche. If you know that, it's perfectly fine - and again, it's miles and miles ahead of the old SLK. By and in itself, the sterring is accurate, well balanced and immediate. Compared to Porsche, I do think it has a bit more play and less accuracy.
Should that be a reason not to buy it? Not really - it's far from being bad. It's as good or better as the older model year Porsches (pre-2002, where they changed the momentum and, in 2003, the column slightly).
My two cents, based on the cars I drive, anyway!
Cheers,
Dan.
First of all, the 55 handles beautifully. It's not as stiff as my 911 with the Sport Suspension, yet more rigid than a 2003 Boxster S.
THe steering (with parameter steering on the 55 !) is good - really good. But it doesn't quite have the 'totally connected', stiff feel of Porsches (post 2001 MY). The Porsche steering, which I'd consider best-of-market, is just beyong reproach. THe 55 is a bit 'loose' for my taste when standing still or at low speed. Really, it's the Mercedes philosophy versus Porsche. If you know that, it's perfectly fine - and again, it's miles and miles ahead of the old SLK. By and in itself, the sterring is accurate, well balanced and immediate. Compared to Porsche, I do think it has a bit more play and less accuracy.
Should that be a reason not to buy it? Not really - it's far from being bad. It's as good or better as the older model year Porsches (pre-2002, where they changed the momentum and, in 2003, the column slightly).
My two cents, based on the cars I drive, anyway!
Cheers,
Dan.
12-02-2004 | 08:34 PM
#7
Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 235
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From: Vancouver, Canada
2005 SLK55 2003 Acura MDX
I agree the car handles better than ANY MB I have driven too. But I would not call it "great steering"! I don't mind it being soft at all but I think it is not very well connected to the road and there's not enough feed back from the road (dull).
Overall, I love my SLK55. It is the perfect car for me right now. I just hate the antenna and the cruise control arm in my sight (just like my old C36)!
Overall, I love my SLK55. It is the perfect car for me right now. I just hate the antenna and the cruise control arm in my sight (just like my old C36)!
Originally Posted by dinko
The car handles better than ANY benz I've compared this to. Great steering!
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12-05-2004 | 08:33 PM
#8
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 318
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From: Boston, MA
2004 C32 AMG
The actual article (with pics)
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...enz_slk55_amg/
Obtained from http://amgpower.com/amgpress.php
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...enz_slk55_amg/
Obtained from http://amgpower.com/amgpress.php
