Mercedes-Benz adds touch of glass to SLK

Mercedes-Benz' new SLK has manned up with a more aggressive stance and style. Photo / Supplied

When you hear the word "magic" applied to any new product, it's fair to be expecting the exact opposite.

But the Mercedes-Benz "Magic Sky Control" roof defies that - although it still manages to sound a bit full of itself. The glass roof on the new SLK roadster is electro-chromatic - it starts off clear, and when you push the button particles are charged and the glass goes instantly opaque. Push it again, and it gradually clears. Hit another button and the vario hard top puts the whole roof in the boot in under 20 seconds - as long as you're stationary.

The optional magic roof was just one of a number of new features that Mercedes-Benz revealed as it launched two new versions of its compact SLK roadster in a more manly direction.

The little SLK has been a good seller in recent years, although it has occasionally been derided for its appeal to female motorists.

But the company says its more masculine take on the car will have far broader appeal.

It sports sharper lines, a far more aggressive stance and appears to be a much bigger car - despite being only 31mm longer - but still manages to feel small and sporty.

This visual trickery comes courtesy of a rejigged single-bar grille and a headlight-to-grille ratio that echoes the gorgeous old 190SL - credited as the SLK's spiritual predecessor.

There are two engine options - a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder in the SLK 200, and a stroppy 3.6-litre six in the SLK 350. Both are mated to the very able 7G Tronic seven-speed transmission, with steering wheel-mounted shifters.

During a rigorous test session around rural Victoria this week, with both cars fitted with the AMG sports suspension option rather than the standard dynamic system, the SLK gave a very settled ride on all but the nastiest rutted roads.

Of the two, the $88,500 SLK 200 BlueEfficiency was obviously the calmer option - although having the turbo spooled to release all 135kW on corner exits did make it an exciting drive, however it did need to be jumped on in sport mode to fully exploit its potential. It would prove reasonably popular in the Coromandel, though, with a mere 161g of C02 per kilometre, and a combined consumption of just 6.9L/100km.

The $130,900 pricetag on the SLK 350 is sharper than expected, and allows for some upgrades from the higher potential tech spec, including the Comand sat nav and easy-to-use Bluetooth audio streaming. Its six-cylinder engine offered a larger sweet spot when driving fast, but again the car felt more responsive and sharper in "manual mode", with its 370Nm of torque more than willing to push it to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.

Both are sharp, well equipped and have brilliant interiors. The only real criticism would be the plasticky feel of some trim parts, including the sweet-looking air vents.

Eight is enough

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its most powerful SLK roadster. The next-generation SLK 55 AMG packs a 5.5-litre V8 putting out 310kW and 540Nm - adding up to a 4.6 second sprint to 100km/h. It tops at 250km/h, electronically limited. Yes please.