Auto Express renders the New SLK

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01-27-2010, 09:28 AM

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Auto Express renders the New SLK

"Auto Express can bring you the best pictures yet of Mercedes’ all-new drop-top – a sports car which will take the ‘baby SL’ tag to new heights with more powerful engines, sleeker looks and even greater luxury.

Set to make its debut later this year, the SLK will take on Audi’s TT Roadster and BMW’s Z4 when it goes on sale in early 2011. As with the Z4, it will be a two-seater – but whereas the BMW has grown in size, the new third-generation SLK will keep its compact dimensions, helping to retain its agile feel.

With a smart new look that refines the current car’s much loved shape, it will certainly turn heads. The major changes are at the front, where the SLR-style nose has been replaced by a more upright grille, aping that of the SLS. New headlights are joined by LED strips in the lower bumper to add aggression, too. At the rear are fresh tail-lights and classy chrome exhausts.

Borrowing from its SL big brother, the new SLK will also be available with the option of a panoramic glass ‘vario’ roof. Essentially a panel of toughened, tinted glass which replaces the central metal roof section, it is designed specifically to let extra light in – ideal if the weather is cloudy. The option is already popular on the SL, and is expected to be a welcome addition to the SLK’s equipment list.

High-quality insulation will mean that, with the roof up, the SLK will offer the refinement of a coupé. And, thanks to a new version of AIRSCARF – Mercedes’ brilliant neck-warming system – along with a clever AIRCAP automatic wind deflector, it will be more comfortable than ever to travel with the roof down. Inside, the focus will be on even more luxurious materials, including soft leather for the sports seats. Safety kit will incorporate drowsiness detection and adaptive cruise control.

The rear-wheel-drive chassis will be carried over from the current car, but tweaked to give a more comfortable ride and sharper steering. Power is set to come from a range of four and six-cylinder petrol engines, with the flagship AMG model likely to feature a 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo producing in excess of 400bhp. There will also be a diesel for the first time, and a baby version of the SLS Gullwing, too."

Read more: Mercedes SLK out in the open | Auto Express News | News | Auto Express