New MB SLK-Class Unveiled

Press Release

New MB SLK-Class

• World premiere in March 2004
• More performance, more safety, more roadster motoring pleasure

More attractive, more powerful and sportier than its predecessor, this appealing two-seater will be celebrating its European market launch in March 2004. The new model offers a choice of three new engines with a performance range extending from 120 kW/163 hp to 265 kW/360 hp. This includes - for the first time in this vehicle class - an eight-cylinder supplied by Mercedes-AMG. The SLK 350 is powered by a new 200 kW/272 hp V6 engine delivering dynamic driving pleasure. The second generation of this two-seater again captivates the eye with its sophisticated design featuring details reminiscent of Formula motor racing. This quality enables the SLK to uphold its reputation as a trendsetter and a technology leader among the sports cars in this class. A further development of its vario-roof transforms this roadster into a coupé in just 22 seconds. The range of standard equipment also includes head-thorax sidebags, adaptive front airbags and two-stage belt force limiters. Mercedes engineers have added even more sports refinement to the suspension, steering and manual transmission. As a global first, Mercedes-Benz is offering the AIRSCARF neck-level heating system. This delivers a flow of warm air from the headrests at the touch of a button, thereby enabling SLK occupants to keep the roof down even when there is a chill in the air. This extends the top-down driving season to the full calendar year. Automatic climate control, bi-xenon headlamps with cornering light, COMAND and the unique 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission add to the technological innovations which can now be supplied as options to the SLK-Class for the first time. The new Mercedes roadster is now taking the place of its predecessor, a car which has delighted more than 308,000 owners since it first appeared in the autumn of 1996. Worldwide, this model holds the number one position in this market segment and has already established itself as a symbol for the new, dynamic brand image of Mercedes-Benz. The design and technology employed in this second generation of the SLK-Class place even greater emphasis on sports performance. With more powerful engines, redesigned suspension, direct steering feel and a responsive six-speed manual shift system, the new model offers an even more athletic driving experience than ever before. The body size has grown by 72 mm in length and 65 mm in width, affording driver and passenger more space and even higher standards of comfort than the previous model.

Design: sports dynamics with designer features from Formula motor racing

From an initial glance, the design of this car reflects the sporty and altogether more powerful character of the new SLK-Class. A long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen, wide doors and short boot are the typical characteristics of a roadster and the new SLK underlines these even more emphatically than its predecessor. The extra 30 millimetres on the wheelbase, the distinctive arrow-like tapering at the front and rear and the wedge-shaped silhouette all contribute to this impression. With attractive geometry details like the strikingly sharp nose section, special fins on the radiator grille and the twin exhaust system reminiscent of a racing car, the design of the new SLK recalls the fact that this two-seater is the child of a company with a long and illustrious tradition of sports car production. The interior has also been completely redesigned and substantially upgraded with a careful choice of materials. The design concept is characterised by switches, pushbuttons and decorative elements with silver-coloured surfaces, creating a sharp contrast with the black surfaces of the instrument panel. Customers who opt for a leather interior can select from a range of six colours to create their personal choice of interior look.

Body: best in its class for aerodynamics and luggage compartment volume

The beautifully shaped body of the new SLK also stands out for its technical merits: no other roadster in this class matches its superb Cd value (0.32), its exceptional standards of body strength, an equivalent fuel tank capacity (70 litres) or a comparable size of luggage compartment (300 litres when vario-roof is closed). The innovative vario-roof with which the Mercedes sports car set new trends back in 1996 has been further improved by the engineers at the Sindelfingen plant and its technology has been honed. It opens and closes faster than ever before and thanks to a pivoting rear window it now takes up even less space in the luggage compartment. When the vario-roof is open, the luggage compartment capacity is 208 litres (applying the VDA measurement method) - this is 63 litres more than that of the predecessor model. For the first time ever, as an optional feature available on request, the vario-roof can also be actuated using the remote control on the vehicle key.

Safety: newly developed protection system with adaptive airbags

An ultramodern design procedure, a 40 % increase in the use of high-tensile steel alloys and many other additional measures allow the new SLK-Class to surpass the high safety standards set by its predecessor. The occupant protection systems respond to the prevailing situation: for the first time, Mercedes-Benz is using adaptive airbags in this model range, which deploy in two stages depending on the severity of the accident. The belt force limiters, now standard equipment, also function in two stages and adjust to the severity of the accident. In instances of side impact, recently developed head-thorax airbags spring into action and protect the passenger's head and upper body. A special sensor also triggers the side airbags and both belt tensioners in the event of the vehicle rolling over. Robust steel tubes in the A-pillars and solid roll-over bars behind the seats offer additional protection in accidents of this kind.