You may remember not that long ago I was defending the SLK - specifically the V6 350 version - as a bit of
a guilty pleasure
. I like to think this one rather vindicates my point of view.
Something special lurking under the bonnet
Those who'd dismiss anything other than a V8-powered AMG version should look closely too. Because the person who spent an astonishing £40,000 on their new SLK350 - more than its initial purchase cost - created a really rather enticing car. One that could now be yours for less than a quarter of that.
In its favour? Firstly it's a pre-facelift SLK350, so doesn't bear the fat lip gifted by the typically heavy-handed Mercedes mid-life facelift. Silver on cream won't exactly reassure those wanting to tell others they've not just bought a nice runaround for the wife, ditto the expensive Brabus wheels that were ripped off by Mercedes and look very like those used on Sport spec SLK200s. But under the bonnet is something rather special.
OK, in the Brabus league a 4.0-litre V6 with 332hp doesn't sound especially impressive. But the standard Mercedes unit is a lovely engine in standard form, with a wonderfully zingy nature and broad, linear power band. Makes a good noise too. The owner then sent it to Brabus for a very old-school - read, expensive - tuning package boring and stroking it from 3,498cc to 3,908cc with a new crank, pistons, cams, reflowed head and longer, titanium sprung valves. An ECU reflash this was not. As you'd hope for 17,900 euros, plus installation.
Silver on cream not exactly subtle
Power has increased from the stock 272hp to 332hp and torque from 258lb ft to 310lb ft, chopping six tenths out of the 0-62 time to 4.9 seconds. The latter, for what it's worth, is identical to the contemporary SLK55, this car weighing around 75kg less like for like.
By the numbers stat bores will remain unimpressed. But knowing how much I like the standard SLK350, and the quality of the engineering that's gone into the conversion work, I'd venture this is one of those cars that transcends stat sheet bragging and is just a lovely thing to drive. The mismatch between the relative anonymity of its looks and the sheer outrageousness of the money spent on it is rather appealing too. I like the fact its specialness would be lost on most people. That there are people willing to say sod the money, I'll have the car I want and not what people tell me I should have. And then take a huge depreciation hit on it and gift it to the market at a bargain price. I just hope whoever buys it appreciates what they're getting.
MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 BRABUS 4.0
Engine: 3,908cc V6
Transmission: 7-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 332@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 310@4,200rpm
MPG: 28 (NEDC combined, standard SLK350)
CO2: 242g/km (standard SLK350)
First registered: March 2007
Recorded mileage: 53,502
Price new: c. £83,000
Yours for: £17,490