2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG Images Surface

2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG

By Atanas Markov
December 25, 2007 11:05 PM
Filed Under: German, Leaks, Mercedes-Benz

First official pictures of the slightly facelifted 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG leaked on web just days after the German company published the official data on 2008 SLK. The AMG version exterior design remains almost unchanged, as well as on a technical level. The power is provided by the well known 5.5-litre V8 engine that develops 360 hp and a peak torque of 510 Nm. The data was released with facelifted 2008 SLK, but without official pictures.

A few cosmetic changes have been applied on the outgoing 2007 model such as the new front apron with a black-painted cross strut and side air outlets, darkened headlamps, and different rear bumper.

SLK 55 AMG gets 7G-TRONIC Sport seven-speed automatic transmission fitted as standard, as well as a newly developed direct steering system with variable steering assistance. The direct-steer system is based on the previously installed speed-sensitive power steering system. It has a new rack with slick gearing, which ensures that the steering gear ratio changes in tune with the steering angle. At a steering angle of just 5 degrees, the ratio starts to increase extremely rapidly and the steering feels much more direct. As a result, the number of steering wheel revolutions from lock to lock is reduced by around 25 percent if the new direct steering is fitted.

The price of 2008 SLK 55 AMG is expected to be around € 69,049.75 or approximately $ 99,170.

Source: CarScoop

Comments

radmeister
December 25, 2007 11:28 PM
I always loved this car, but i always hoped they would wake up and put the 5.5L supercharged engine mated to a 6spd manual.

NitrousOxide
December 26, 2007 12:21 AM
Haha.. The car is like a shoe in size and you want them to install a "supercharged" 5.5?!?!?! Any mercedes car has to have a specific power-to-weight-ratio that allows it to run from 0-100 kph between 4.4 and 4.8 (except for the ML).. If this car will have a supercharged power then it will run to 100 in about 4 secs and may be less.. This will destroy the marketing plan of the company, or will force them to make a new "bigger" engine for the rest of the cars in order to catch up with this car(700hp+), which will lead into an increase in the price for not less than 30% of the normal cost.. Which will also destroy the sales as well ('_').. So they just cant..

Joe_Limon
December 26, 2007 12:51 AM
wow finally someone on this site that understands business decisions.

GeeDougg
December 26, 2007 2:01 AM
Well said. And in fact, the (and typically underrated) 5.4L V8 which produces 360HP is probably powerful enough for a car like this anyway. The Germans might be obsessed with their horsepower (or PS, or KW...) war, but they're also sensible enough to know that there's a time and place for everything. The most amount of power that they can put into this car without ruining things for themselves from a marketing standpoint and cannibalizing their own sales would be to take the improved 5.4L V8 from the new SL550 and put it into this car without detuning it (that engine is good for about 390 to 400BHP).... Even the 6.3L AMG V8 is probably too much in this case - I don't know if there's a 2008 or 2009 SLK63 still in the works, but anything over 450BHP for a car this small doesn't make a whole lotta sense. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised to see the detuned 6.2 V8 from the C63 find its way into the SLK if rumours of the 700+BHP SL/CL are true....

GeeDougg
December 26, 2007 2:02 AM
Oh and sorry, that should say 6.2L, not 6.3....

radmeister
December 26, 2007 7:37 AM
Well then they should make a new car that is in the same class as a porsche and i think your theory is flawed every car maker has some cars faster and some slower. Not all models have to be equally fast. Because then what is the point if they are all equally fast? Why buy this over the SL or a CL, or even an S63? if they are all equally fast all that differs is the size and price. And they already have a 700hp engine the 6.2 Bi-Turbo. They also have the 7.3L V12 in the zonda that is up to 750hp naturally aspirated. This car is a let down the new Z4M once fitted with the V8 will eat this thing alive.

GeeDougg
December 27, 2007 5:40 AM
Not necessarily, Radmeister - most German car makers try to make equally fast top of the line performance versions throughout their line-up, and while some end up being faster than others, their 0-62 performance and top speeds (and I don't mean the limited ~155MPH) are almost always more or less equal. I think the reason for this is that Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW and the likes want one customer who needs a wagon, for example, to be able to get the kind of performance that another person buying a convertible would get. The Germans aren't exactly big on compromises, at least (and especially) not when it comes to performance. They just seem to like making cars that serve different purposes and can all go like stink. Of course you're absolutely right in that they're not all exactly equal in performance. It wouldn't make much sense, for example, to apply that same marketing strategy when they have a 700+HP SL, for example, because the next step up for the R-Class to be able to match the performance of that car would be to adopt a Twin-Turbo V12, which would cause all kinds of issues. I also agree about the next Z4M - if/when they put the E92's M3's V8 under the hood of that car it'll probably waste even an SLK-63....

moyusuf
December 26, 2007 12:34 AM
Looks like a baby SLR. Lol, the devils child!

benzboy
December 26, 2007 1:45 AM
I dont understand the cost has jumped like 25 to 30k for what? your thoughts please!! could be cause the SL55 has jumpe to SL63 or I could just be nuts. Folks really want to understand the new pricing

moyusuf
December 26, 2007 7:15 AM
For the same price, I'd rather get the CL550.

unknown
December 26, 2007 7:59 AM
there's a 30k usd price difference

thamzn
December 26, 2007 10:21 AM
This car could use a real gearbox. Otherwise power is fine. Of course it won't be enough for them, seeing as though the next M Coupe wil use the 4 litre M3 engine, while Audi could be preparing a TT RS in the same vein...

benzboy
December 26, 2007 11:08 AM
they say 2008,but its most likely 08/09 and wont be till aug or sept of 08 as an 09 which sucks

benzboy
December 26, 2007 11:48 AM
i wonder, the 07 SLK55 states it gets betweem 14 and 19 mpg and has a five speed trans, wonder if the seven speed will significantly improve fuel economy?

djcocum
December 26, 2007 12:47 PM
Well if someone doesn't have enough, there's always a Brabus version with lots and lots of horses and bigger displacement

benzboy
December 26, 2007 11:07 PM
I want to see the official AMG SL63 photo's not grainy, out of focus or photo shopped. Thats what Iam really waiting for.

MB6.3
December 28, 2007 8:14 AM
I would've expected them to replace the kompresser with the naturally aspirated 6.3 for this facelift. Wonder why they didn't.

benzboy
December 28, 2007 10:59 AM
The SLK that is out now, is normally aspirated V8 no kopressor, it is not supercharged .

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