Price: RMB 620,000-814,000 Dimensions (length/width/height): 4082/1777/1297mm

Displacement: 1796-3498 cc Origin: Europe

Theoretical fuel consumption: 7.0-20.0 liters/100 kilometers

Advantages: very cool appearance, heated headrests can be convertible in winter

Disadvantages: appearance is a bit bluff

In 1996, Mercedes-Benz launched the SLK convertible sports car. The world's first convertible sports car with a hard top was born. The SLK is less than 10 years old and can only be regarded as the "little brother" in the Mercedes-Benz family. However, it Its performance shows the mature style of Mercedes-Benz: sales exceed 300,000 units, easily occupying the top spot in the same class market.

The name of slk indicates its identity: "s" for sport; "l" for lightweight; "k" for small size.

Compared with the SL-class’s 4535mm and 1735kg, the slk’s 4082mm length and 1385kg curb weight are “thinner”, fully interpreting the meaning of “k”.

The appearance of the 2004 SLK has been greatly improved compared to the old model. The biggest feature is the use of the front nose shape from the SLR. This look is inspired by F1 racing cars. The thick and muscular front nose is inlaid with a huge three-pointed star logo in the middle. Together with the newly designed triangular headlights, it forms an aggressive front face. The improvement in appearance compared to the old model can be said to be very successful, not only highlighting the compact and flexible characteristics of a small sports car, but also being more aggressive.

After seeing the SLK, it is no exaggeration to say that its appearance is definitely more attractive than any Mercedes-Benz model currently seen in the country. Even the SL-class, which is much more expensive, will be shocked by the new model. slk compare.

The performance improvement and the use of a number of new equipment demonstrate Mercedes-Benz's expectations for it. But what is questionable is whether Mercedes-Benz's motivation for launching the first-generation SLK in 1996 was just because of the wonderful folding hardtop designed by engineers. In my memory of the first generation SLK, apart from the folding hard top, I really can’t find any other unique selling point. The 4-cylinder engine, mediocre chassis, and bland interior are all average. Even the steering column is non-adjustable. It really doesn't look like something Mercedes-Benz did. Thinking about it, Mercedes-Benz must have been very hasty when it launched the SLK. The purpose was probably just to make the folding hard top available as soon as possible and become the first in the industry, and there was no time to make thorough preparations in other aspects.

So we see that Mercedes-Benz has put more thought into the development of the new SLK. In other words, these thoughts are what Mercedes-Benz has always spent on developing a new car. It was just that the SLK was in a hurry back then, so the I have put off my homework until today. The new SLK is a large-scale production of Mercedes-Benz in 2004. The engine, frame, electronic technology, appearance and interior, and even the folding hard-top mechanism are all brand-new designs and changes. Some of them are not only brand-new for Mercedes-Benz, but have once again become the industry's best. Brand new, this new SLK has more selling points and topics than the previous generation, and I believe it will stand the test of time better.

The new SLK has three power configurations, a 120kW inline 4-cylinder engine, a 200kW V6 engine and a 265kW V8 engine. The top-of-the-line slk55amg is matched with Mercedes-Benz's original 7-speed automatic transmission, and its 0-100 km/h acceleration takes only 4.9 seconds! Even the smallest 4-cylinder engine cannot be underestimated. Due to the use of supercharging, the maximum torque is astonishing, reaching 240nm (the maximum torque of non-supercharged gasoline engines of the same displacement is generally only about 170nm). Therefore, even when driven by this small-displacement (less than 1.8 liters) engine, the SLK can still make people feel the thrill of pushing back. With the 5-speed touchshift automatic transmission, the maximum speed can reach 230km/h.

The 4-cylinder engine equipped with slk200 kompressor improves fuel economy by about 8 while maintaining the same power performance.

The maximum power of the 3.5-liter V6 engine is increased by about 25% and the torque is increased by 13% compared with the previous generation. However, due to the use of technologies such as variable camshaft and adjustable intake manifold length, fuel consumption has dropped by about 5%.

Factory data shows that the 0-100km/h acceleration of the slk350 with a 7-speed automatic transmission only takes 5.5 seconds, which is 0.1 second faster than the model with a 6-speed manual transmission; and if it is a 60 To accelerate to 120km/h, the 6-speed manual transmission takes 8.7 seconds, while the 7-speed automatic transmission only takes 5.1 seconds! This shows how outstanding this Mercedes-Benz's newly developed 7-speed automatic transmission is.

2. The suspension emphasizes the sporty style without sacrificing comfort. The front suspension of the new generation SLK has been changed from a double wishbone type to a MacPherson strut type with a 3-link structure. It is believed to be to free up more space in the engine compartment. In addition, the steering performance of SLK is also very sporty, mainly because it uses a rack-and-pinion design instead of the previous recirculating ball design. In addition, the manufacturer stated that the new 3-link MacPherson strut type can more effectively eliminate road vibrations due to several additional links, and on the other hand, it can provide direct control response. It can be seen that when designing the new generation of SLK, it is still necessary to improve the sportiness of SLK while maintaining consistent comfort. Because the designers believe that SLK buyers, while demanding control fun, are more interested in the consistent comfort of Mercedes-Benz.

3. The vario-roof folding electric roof and airscarf headrest heating system lead SLK’s innovative design. Mercedes-Benz has put more thought into the development of the new SLK, or in other words, these thoughts are what Mercedes-Benz should spend on developing a new car. It's just that SLK was in a hurry back then, so the work that should be done was postponed until today. The new SLK is a major production of Mercedes-Benz in 2004. The engine, frame, electronic technology, exterior and interior, and even the folding hard-top mechanism are all brand-new designs and changes. Some of them are not only brand-new for Mercedes-Benz, but have once again become the industry's best. Brand new, this new SLK has more selling points and topics than the previous generation, and I believe it will stand the test of time better.

As the symbol of SLK, the new generation of folding hard top has made another breakthrough in structural design. At present, almost all similar designs from car manufacturers use "half-fold" roofs. But on the new SLK, when folding, the rear window glass does not fold in half with the roof, but separates from the pillars on both sides, stacks parallel to the roof, and then slides into the trunk. This design saves the space occupied when the roof is folded, so that the trunk volume of the new SLK is 260L after the roof is folded, which is 20L larger than the BMW Z4 with a soft top. But having said that, since there are three roof components occupying the upper space, it is still inconvenient to access luggage. This is a compromise.

In order to satisfy this level of consumers’ desire for an open-top driving experience, the new SLK has specially designed the airscarf headrest heating system, allowing drivers to enjoy open-top driving even in cold weather. . The airscarf is located on the seat headrest. At the push of a button, dedicated vents in the headrests send out warm air. It can control the air supply temperature according to the driving speed and the prevailing air temperature conditions. At the same time, it ensures optimal hot air distribution by adjusting the fan speed, so that the shoulders, neck and head of the vehicle occupants are always kept warm during open-top driving. It's like wearing an invisible scarf on the occupants.

In addition to the above two innovations, the ergonomic design of the interior is also significantly better than that of the previous generation. There is no longer the disadvantage of the head. The seats can be electrically adjusted to multiple angles, and the steering wheel is also electrically adjustable up and down. And telescopic, it can more easily cater to the needs of people of different sizes. The design of the entire instrument and center console has the feel of a supercar, but the cup holder is located on the top of the control panel, which will definitely affect driving and can only be used when parking.

Another point worth mentioning is that the original audio in the car is also very high-end, with excellent sound effects, and is equipped with a 4×25w output. There are 3 speakers on each door and one in the center of the center console. The center speaker, combined with the two rear speakers, creates a very pleasant surround sound field effect. The volume of the music will also automatically increase when the noise increases (such as driving with the roof open), which is really a considerate design.

In terms of passive safety, although the safety configuration of the new SLK is a level higher than that of the previous generation, according to our requirements for Mercedes-Benz, it is only considered "passing". Although dual-stage explosive airbags and pretension-adjustable seat belts are used in this generation of SLK for the first time, this configuration is no longer considered advanced equipment compared to AirScarf. You know, these safety devices are equipped in almost all Renault models.

In addition to the shocking appearance of the new SLK, the biggest feeling is the improvement in chassis performance. Its cornering limit is high and its thrilling feel is rare in recent Mercedes-Benz models. In my memory, the limit of the SL500 is also very high, but that is the result of a lot of advanced auxiliary systems such as air springs and electronically controlled suspension. It is not like returning to basics like the SLK200, which uses purely mechanical suspension and only relies on rigidity, center of gravity, tires, etc. Physical factors create high control performance. Unexpectedly, this Mercedes-Benz sports car, which is "entry-level" in price and specifications, actually reflects Mercedes-Benz's car-making skills today. In terms of chassis and power excitement, the new SLK is already on the same level as the Audi TT Roadster and BMW Z4.

If you evaluate SLK based on Mercedes-Benz’s high standards, it still has some shortcomings: the manual mode attached to the automatic transmission is not smart and obedient enough. Although the drag response is fast, the upshift speed is slow. The self-protection at high speeds is too strong, and most people can't get used to the up and down shifting operations of the left and right dials; although the SBC brake-by-wire system is powerful, the pedal feedback is insubstantial and the sense of proportion is lacking; although its steering is proportional enough It's fast, and the road feel is much better than that of a Mercedes-Benz sedan, but it's still not clear enough and may not be as good as BMW's works.

However, today's Mercedes-Benz is not a sports car expert after all. Seeing the performance of slk, it at least shows that Mercedes-Benz has recognized that a sports car should look like a sports car and should have sports car tuning. At present, there is only one slk200 kompressor in China. I believe that friends who like slk will look forward to the arrival of slk350 and slk55amg.