Thursday 4th January 2018

Mercedes SLK55 AMG: Spotted

The junior muscle car that kicked off the Black Series, now on offer for £15K

---

Small convertible cars suffer from the usual stereotypes, and owners have to battle them every time they choose to drive. But fit a V8 and those stereotypes start to melt away. The original SLK AMG, fitted with the supercharged V6, was said to be a little soft and lacking athleticism. The menacing second generation SLK looked to solve all those problems. With McLaren SLR styling, vents on the bonnet and bumpers, a subtle boot spoiler and not so subtle quad exhausts, it let drivers know that this pocket rocket meant business. The SLK55 AMG was also the blueprint for AMG's madder creations: the Black Series cars, a treatment which has so far only been further extended to the CLK, SL, C63 and SLS.

The SLK and similar AMG models around the turn of the century were the first to be given the 55 moniker with the M113 5,439cc V8, and don't forget that supercharged iterations of that engine were used in the CLK DTM AMG and SLR McLarens. In the SLK55, it only had 6hp and 54 lb ft more than the 32 it replaced (plus more weight), but managed to claw back an advantage using AMG's first seven-speed automatic transmission. That meant a sub-five-second 0-60 dash, with the torque to ensure the ESP triangle will flash well beyond that. Using it on long drives up and down the motorway needn't mean frequent stops to fuel a huge V8 either, the engine barely spinning over 2,500rpm at 85mph in its long seventh gear.

On a more spirited B-road drive, that innovative automatic 'box didn't change up at the limiter, a move many manufacturers could still do with copying today. However it was known at the time for being a bit sluggish on downshifts, a particular problem when you need the engine braking to help shed all that accrued speed...

One thing that can be deemed a negative for PHey types is AMG's phase during the 2000s where the ESP could never be fully turned off; it will correct the slip angle even when you don't want it to. Still, the SLK makes a strong case for itself as a winter drop top, the hardtop providing refinement and the AirScarf offering some warmth if you do want to embrace the elements (plus that glorious V8).

Thinking about competitors in this sector, the BMW Z4M (both Coupe and Roadster) as well as the Porsche Boxster (or Cayman) seem like the obvious choices for any prospective buyer, but none have the ability to transform from a relaxing motorway cruiser to a brutal open-topped V8 hot rod like the SLK. And if anyone tries to stop you by throwing a stereotype, remember the SLK55 AMG was the start of AMG's Black Series line we know and love today. It may not have been a fantastic Black Series, but we all have to start somewhere...

---

SPECIFICATION - MERCEDES SLK55 AMG

Engine: 5,439cc, V8
Transmission: 7-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 360@5,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 375@4,000rpm
MPG: 23.5
CO2: 288g/km
First registered: 2005
Mileage: 59,000
Price new: £51,975
Price now: £15,950

See the advert here

[Eviltad]

I'd have been more interested if it WAS a Black Series SLK.

[TurboHatchback]

I love these though this particular example is a rather miserable colour for a small V8 roadster.

[Krikkit]

Have a big soft spot for these, fabulously silly cars.



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Gandahar]

Forgetting costs for a moment

This version is the best looking version. AMG tried to wangle a bit of F1 in there at the front. Later cars looked like photoshoping Frank Bruno and Tyson fury into a picture after being pummeled by my mother with a stick of rhubarb.

Also although the chassis is middling too poor, having to cope with a big lump up front compared to a BMW convertible of the era, you do get a rumbling V8. I think after all these years that would actually make it distinctive as a 2nd hand dinosaur good old days purchase.

The V8 in this is well judged, both for figures of bhp and lb ft for what it is whilst making a good sound. For a cruiser that is more important than how it drives at the limit.

[MattyB_]

I loved my SLK55 - it wasn't the sharpest tool, and the gearbox didn't lend itself to enthusiastic driving.

But it made a went like stink, and hearing that glorious V8 with the roof down is something else. It also averaged a good 25mpg with mix A/B/Town driving, which surprised me, much better than the 18mpg my VXR8 averaged on the same roads.

They're also surprisingly cheap to run if you avoid Mercedes. I had to rebuild my gearbox (£2500) but I was unlucky, it's not common. I also had a manifold issue, Merc wanted £1200+Fitting, fixed by a local exhaust place for £40+ fitting

They seem to have bottomed out price wise, they've hovvered around the £15k mark for the last 3 years at least, so depreciation is minimal as well.

[s m]

".......a powerful midget on 4 wheels encased in a bespoke suit of sheet metal........"


".........it's like hanging a 60 inch plasma TV in a 10square metre student bedsit........"




Best narration ever on a car video

https://youtu.be/Gxkjwwd5cH0

[s m]

Eviltad said:

I'd have been more interested if it WAS a Black Series SLK.

There used to be a great vid doing the rounds of a Black vs GT3 vs E36 M3 at somewhere like the Osterreichring. Tried to find it to watch when I got a lnkeable telly but it seems to have been taken down now

[WCZ]

had one of these from new, beautiful engine and the switching hard top gave you the best of both worlds!

[J4CKO]

One for sale at the little prestige indy dealers near where I live, its been for sale for a year or more.

Too expensive or are they hard to sell being a mental engine with an auto box and a slightly iffy image ? I like them but can see why the normal SLK buyer wouldn't feel the need for a really powerful one and the petrolheads tend to buy other stuff.

Maybe at ten grand or less, cant see 15 grands worth in them, competing with a lot of interesting stuff.

[D200]

I'm trying to work out what type of image these have

The non AMG ones have a sort of retired lady image - no offense to anyone owning one - they are very nice cars, even the non-AMG ones but any I see are driven by ladies over 65

But the SLK55AMG does look a lot beefier - especially in black wheels like this:

http://ag-spots-2015.o.auroraobjects.eu/2015/07/12...

Be nice car to own, rwd, fast, sound great etc

[D200]

s m said:

".......a powerful midget on 4 wheels encased in a bespoke suit of sheet metal........"


".........it's like hanging a 60 inch plasma TV in a 10square metre student bedsit........"




Best narration ever on a car video

https://youtu.be/Gxkjwwd5cH0

I watched that, great wee vid

I note he says the electronics cant be switched off entirely?

That may be a bit annoying if true - as if any car is begging to be fitted with an LSD with no TC its this

Maybe there is hidden option to turn them completely off?

EDIT: Had a quick google search and seems like you can get a quaife lsd for less 1k

Edited by D200 on Thursday 4th January 17:04

[s m]

D200 said:

I'm trying to work out what type of image these have

I'd liken them to "a powerful midget on 4 wheels encased in a bespoke suit of sheet metal, the sound is almost deafening, 6-cylinder rivals like the Z4, Boxster and company sound like a boys choir in comparison..."

[ZX10R NIN]

Gandahar said:

Forgetting costs for a moment

This version is the best looking version. AMG tried to wangle a bit of F1 in there at the front. Later cars looked like photoshoping Frank Bruno and Tyson fury into a picture after being pummeled by my mother with a stick of rhubarb.

Also although the chassis is middling too poor, having to cope with a big lump up front compared to a BMW convertible of the era, you do get a rumbling V8. I think after all these years that would actually make it distinctive as a 2nd hand dinosaur good old days purchase.

The V8 in this is well judged, both for figures of bhp and lb ft for what it is whilst making a good sound. For a cruiser that is more important than how it drives at the limit.

Firstly in terms of maintenance the 5.5 is actually more robust than the 3.2 in the Z4M & the Porsche problems are well documented, there's nothing that really goes wrong with them.

The chassis is good not quite to Porsche levels but it's still a very decent drive, the worst service is the one that involve replacing the 16 spark plugs.

[andy43]

J4CKO said:

One for sale at the little prestige indy dealers near where I live, its been for sale for a year or more.

Too expensive or are they hard to sell being a mental engine with an auto box and a slightly iffy image ? I like them but can see why the normal SLK buyer wouldn't feel the need for a really powerful one and the petrolheads tend to buy other stuff.

Maybe at ten grand or less, cant see 15 grands worth in them, competing with a lot of interesting stuff.

I'm guessing it's doom blue with black wheels. Somebody needs to sneak into that showroom with a tin of silver wheel paint...

When I can't change gears anymore I'd be tempted by one of these. Ace noise

[Vroom101]

I’ve always loved the idea of a stonking big engine in a small car, and this fits that bill perfectly. I know it’s not meant to be as polished chassis-wise as a Boxster, but for 90% of the time when you’re just mooching around, I’d wager this car would feel (and sound!) much better.

But what the hell did Merc do with the facelift?!

[daemon]

This one is for sale a few miles down the road from me here in NI - higher miles @ 77K, but lower price @ £13,928

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The dealer has had it for sale for an easy 6 months now. Maybe much longer.

[daemon]

J4CKO said:

One for sale at the little prestige indy dealers near where I live, its been for sale for a year or more.

Too expensive or are they hard to sell being a mental engine with an auto box and a slightly iffy image ? I like them but can see why the normal SLK buyer wouldn't feel the need for a really powerful one and the petrolheads tend to buy other stuff.

Maybe at ten grand or less, cant see 15 grands worth in them, competing with a lot of interesting stuff.

I think they're just very hard to sell. I'd a Boxster last year and sold it easily (and for a small profit over i paid the previous year). Whilst i'd quite fancy one of these, at £15K i think you'd have to suffer a serious bath if you went to sell it a year on.

[TR4man]

...and only £305 VED too!

[ocrx8]

Real shame about the interior on these, but externally they look so much beefier than the R172 replacement, which looks barely any different from a 250 CDI variant.

[Vocht]

I suspect the SLK55's biggest competition nowadays is the SL55 rather than the Boxster S/Z4M of old.