Monday 22nd August 2011

New Mercedes SLK 55 AMG: Official Details

After the diesel comes the V8 petrol. That's more like it, Mercedes...

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This is the new Mercedes SLK55 AMG Roadster, unveiled ahead of its in-the-metal debut at the Frankfurt motor show this September.

It is also proof that the folks at Mercedes must be closet Taoists - it's barely a week since Merc unveiled its super-frugal 59mpg turbodiesel SLK and now the AMG folks in Affalterbach are putting the finishing touches on the 5.5-litre, 416bhp V8 SLK 55 AMG. Yin and yang, anyone?

Essentially a non-turbocharged version of the biturbo 5.5-litre V8 (the M157) that is finding its way into most AMG-badged Mercs, the new 'M152' motor gives 416bhp and 398lb ft of torque.

Coupled to an AMG SpeedShift Plus 7G-TRONIC transmission (snappy title, that) the new V8 is enough to shove the SLK 55 to 62mph from rest in 4.5secs and on to the (inevitably electronically limited) 155mph top speed.

The new engine also carries some green-cred, with a start/stop function and trick cylinder management (cylinders two, three, five and eight are cut off under partial load) pushing the car's combined fuel consumption figure out to around 33mpg.

Coping with the power is a chassis that features AMG sports suspension (stiffer spring/damper rates and beefier anti-roll bars) and a couple of party tricks: torque-vectoring brakes and AMG Direct-Steer.

Torque Vectoring Brakes (and we quote from the press release here) produce a "defined rotational movement of the vehicle about the vertical axis in fractions of seconds, through selective brake actuation at the rear wheel on the inside of the bend. This results in the SLK55 AMG steering into the turn precisely and under full control, without any compromises where performance is concerned."

The Direct-Steer, meanwhile, 'enhances handling and agility' (though we're not entirely sure how).

Inside, the SLK 55 AMG gets a gentler makeover, with AMG sports seats, aluminium trim and a new instrument cluster.

 

 

[BigTom85]

Yes please. I love this generation of SLK.

[GFWilliams]

If he continues at that angle he's going to be doing some offorading

[ZesPak]

Average score: 3,7, you've got to love the people who visit PH, then vote 0 on a 416bhp 5.5L V8 RWD roadster.

[Frimley111R]

It still looks like they stuck some chavvy Merc grill on the front of the previous gen model.

[dlockhart]

Frimley111R said:

It still looks like they stuck some chavvy Merc grill on the front of the previous gen model.

Im not a fan of sucha big grill on such a small car - it works on the bigger merc - Id have to see one in the flesh to be sure - Whats the price point on this? £50k?? to compete with top end boxsters and Z4s?

[Froomee]

prefer the last version to be honest the whole car just doesn't look aggressive enough especially the front.

Although i don't think the colour combination of the exterior and interior are doing it any favours.

[ZesPak]

dlockhart said:

Im not a fan of sucha big grill on such a small car - it works on the bigger merc - Id have to see one in the flesh to be sure - Whats the price point on this? £50k?? to compete with top end boxsters and Z4s?

I've seen one in the flesh and it looks brilliant.

Although I'm not too sure about the overhangs on the new model, the older models (esp first one) have that compact "one wheel on each corner" look, while the new one looks like a small SL.

[Moogle]

It's the only reason I really love Mercedes ->

Mercedes Board Meeting -

Mercedes Toff 1: Okay guys we have a 5.5L V8, what should we put it in?
Other Mercedes Toffs: Er, everything?
Mercedes Toff 1: Excellent, that's all sorted then! Lets go and play golf with balls made of £50 notes.


Thumbs down to BMW and Audi who also have nice V8 units and wimped out on putting them in the Z4 and TT respectively

[IAJO]

I love the interior and the engine looks immense, shame about the tragedy that is the front styling. Hate those tacky led strips too they have dated so fast, manufacturers seriously need to realise that.

[ZesPak]

Moogle said:

It's the only reason I really love Mercedes ->

Mercedes Board Meeting -

Mercedes Toff 1: Okay guys we have a 5.5L V8, what should we put it in?
Other Mercedes Toffs: Er, everything?
Mercedes Toff 1: Excellent, that's all sorted then! Lets go and play golf with balls made of £50 notes.
...

Imagine their rage over the postponed golf match when they worked out the 6.2L didn't fit in the SLK.

[sinbaddio]

That engine is well and truly shoe horned into there - good for you Mercedes!!
BTW, what is a Taoist??

[Cupramax]

Never been an SLK fan but that looks nice...

[Dagnut]

This car will be a weapon, the 350 is a great car for those who haven't driven it..I know these get written off as girls cars but they are fantastic all round roadsters..would love a weekend with the 55.

[Moogle]

ZesPak said:

Moogle said:

It's the only reason I really love Mercedes ->

Mercedes Board Meeting -

Mercedes Toff 1: Okay guys we have a 5.5L V8, what should we put it in?
Other Mercedes Toffs: Er, everything?
Mercedes Toff 1: Excellent, that's all sorted then! Lets go and play golf with balls made of £50 notes.
...

Imagine their rage over the postponed golf match when they worked out the 6.2L didn't fit in the SLK.

Oh christ I imagine they would have had to console themselves by having sex with high class prostitutes whilst she rubbed ground down gold in their hair.

[ZesPak]

Moogle said:

Oh christ I imagine they would have had to console themselves by having sex with high class prostitutes whilst she rubbed ground down gold in their hair.

Actually, maybe that's why they ditched it entirely in favour of the 5.5 V8

[Moogle]

ZesPak said:

Actually, maybe that's why they ditched it entirely in favour of the 5.5 V8

More money for prostitutes and snorting ground gold/platinum? You might have a point

[ZesPak]

Mercedes Engineer toolbox 101.

1)

[George H]

I prefer the previous generation SLK, but it looks nice nonetheless.

[Moogle]

ZesPak said:

Mercedes Engineer toolbox 101.

1)

Whilst listening to this on loop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8QUhZMoIp0

[bobbylondonuk]

ZesPak said:

I've seen one in the flesh and it looks brilliant.

Although I'm not too sure about the overhangs on the new model, the older models (esp first one) have that compact "one wheel on each corner" look, while the new one looks like a small SL.

I saw one too..and you are right..it looks like a mini SL.
The front looks beefy and it doesnt look like a performance car. Looks more like a 'grown up nothing to proove to anyone' Merc roadster.

I quite liked it...