Facelifted Mercedes SLK

What is it?

An SLK, pure and simple. If you're familiar with the 'old' car you'll have no trouble recognising this one. It's almost identical to its predecessor, the minor changes including a bigger, more prominent three-pointed star, a diffuser under the rear bumper and a cut-out on the front one that's a styling nod towards the Mercedes-Benz McLaren F1 cars and SLR. The SLK is largely responsible for reviving the premium roadster market, it re-introducing the folding hardtop to the drop-top market. It's been a big seller since, though it didn't have its own way for long, with rivals such as the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4, Audi TT Roadster and, more recently, the Alfa Romeo Spider fighting for market share.

While the changes outside have been modest, the interior has benefited from a more extensive overhaul, the materials better and more equipment coming as standard.

Is it any good?

That depends on what you want from your premium roadster. The SLK feels softer than its BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster rivals, even with its new improved - and sharper - optional Direct Steering. It's not far off though, meaning it can be enjoyed when the road gets a bit more challenging. What it's particularly good at is high speed cruising, the SLK perfectly suited to fast-paced travel, particularly with the larger V6 engines. Of them the SLK 350 is perhaps the most enjoyable, its 227bhp and 221lb.ft of torque giving it all the pace you could ever need. With it 62mph arrives in 5.4 seconds and the rich exhaust note and over-run cackle are rousing enough to make even the SLK 55's gloriously vocal 5.4-litre V8 seem unnecessary.

All the engines, excluding that 5.4-litre AMG V8, benefit from improvements in economy and emissions. The changes mean all four- and six-cylinder units fall beneath 225g/km, the economy and emissions improvements possible despite increased performance from the engines. The interior feels better than before - and arguably better than its SL big brother's - while additional equipment like Bluetooth and iPod and MP3 connectivity is now standard across the range. The manual transmissions are good, but that's of little relevance; as little as one in ten SLKs will be bought with a manual transmission. The new SLK rides decently (being more comfortable on smaller wheel and tyre combinations), is refined and buffeting free with the roof down and that folding hardtop remains unique in the class - and a real selling point.

Should I call the bank manager?

You'll need to add a few pounds to your loan if you do. The changes on the SLK add up to a price increase, the biggest selling SLK 200 Kompressor increasing by 3.3%, or around £1,000. The increases for the V6 280 and 350 choices are slightly more modest, while the SLK 55 AMG has only gone up by around £300. Start adding some of the fancy options like the Direct Steering and neck-warming Airscarf and must haves like satellite navigation and an automatic transmission and you can add a few thousand to that.

Summary

The SLK might only look to have had a minor refresh, but Mercedes has done enough to ensure it remains appealing against its competition. The small changes to the exterior styling give the SLK a broader appeal, while the improvements in economy and emissions are also welcome in these more environmentally conscious times. All that and increased performance and more comprehensive equipment as standard means the SLK remains a very desirable premium drop-top roadster.

Kyle Fortune