First Drive: 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG
AMG sport suspension underpins the SLK55 with the usual stiffer anti-roll bars, springs, and front struts. The tuning keeps roll, pitch, and dive in check for aggressive driving, but short sidewalls of the low-profile 225/40-18 front and 245/35-18 rear tires compromise ride quality somewhat. Hit a stretch of rough pavement, and you'll get quite a jostling. Compared with the 150-pound-lighter SLK350, you can feel the weight of the V-8 on the nose, but tap that big 5.4-liter on the shoulder, and the power surges nicely to the rear-drive wheels. To deal with the higher limits of the SLK55, brakes get bigger, too. Up front are AMG cast-iron/aluminum-composite front discs, upsized to 13.4 inches with six-pot calipers. Rear brakes go from 11.4-inch solid discs and two-piston calipers to 13.0 inches with four pistons. All AMG rotors are cross-drilled and vented. Variable-boost rack-and-pinion steering replaces the old recirculating-ball setup across the SLK line, improving precision and feel.
Highly bolstered AMG sport seats replace the not-too-shabby standard Mercedes chairs and are covered in Nappa leather with Alcantara inserts. Mercedes threw conservatism to the wind and went with a modern, techno-looking interior design with lots of metallic accents. A nonorganic-pattern vinyl with a rubbery look and feel covers the dash top and upper door panels. It seems out of character with the rich textures elsewhere in the car.
AMG largely left the SLK bodywork alone. What changes there are were inspired by the Formula 1 safety car Mercedes runs at all Grand Prix events. The SLR McLaren-derived snout in the center of the front end, itself reminiscent of F1 cars', is flanked by a front fascia with mesh grillework that integrates an engine oil cooler. At the rear, a small lip spoiler reduces rear lift by a claimed 36 percent.
Mercedes plans to import 1000 SLK55s in the 2005 model year. We're beginning to wonder as Mercedes-Benz models proliferate into more market segments if there isn't some overlap and even a hint of redundancy. Not that anyone should be complaining. The new SLK Class can hold its head up high against established sports cars in the class such as the BMW Z4 and the Porsche Boxster. Put an AMG-built V-8 under the hood, and it'll run with Maserati Spyders and SVT Mustang Cobras, making the much more expensive ($90,620) SL500 kind of moot.