It's like blip, blip, blip in first, second and third gears and you are at highway cruising speed when the exhaust note subsides to a muted, smooth burble. The only problem is that the car is so fast, that the sound doesn't last long enough. This may be the best sounding V-6 on the planet. Mercedes said they actually conducted clinics to get it just right. But the sound emanating from the exhaust was more than sweet. The power delivery is strong at all rpm's with no real sweet spot. The new-to-the-SLK engine develops the exact same power output as in the Mercedes C and CLK class, 215 hp at 5,700 rpm and 229 pounds of torque at 3,000-4,600 rpm. With V-6 power, the SLK performs at new levels. The resulting rewards are a light weight of only 3,051 pounds (that's 1,100 pounds lighter than an SL500), very nimble handling and near super car performance while not giving up anything in comfort. The bottom line is the designers have created a car that looks big without being big. In comparison to its bigger brother, the SL500, the SLK is nearly 20 inches shorter with a wheelbase that is only 5 inches shorter. But the SLK is two inches wider at 67.5 inches and rides on a 94.5 inch wheelbase that's over 5 inches longer inches than the Miata. With an overall length of only 157.9 inches, this MBZ in only about 3 inches longer than a Miata. There are new front and rear aprons and a sculptured rocker panel and the tail lights are huge and all Mercedes. The flanks are perfectly smooth except for some deeply flared wheel wells. The hood has twin power bulges ala classic Mercedes 300SL. A simple high tech looking mesh grille is emblemized by a large three pointed star is flanked by form-flowing head lamp assemblies. The design is smooth and soft with no hard edges or ridges, except across the back of the trunk deck. With only a quick glance and you can easily confuse it with its, double the price bigger brother, the SL500. The new SLK320 now has the smoothness and power to compete in that class and offer features that make it a standout, starting with a delicious design that is unmistakenly MBZ. But Mercedes has a fix for that problem, too. It's not that the 230 was slow (it could muster 0-60 in about 8 seconds), the rest of the class simply out classed it in performance. The marriage is about as perfect as you can get. The answer was simple, simply shoehorn in the silky smooth 3.2L V-6 from the E class. Wait no longer, the perceived power problem has been solved and what a solution it is. The Boxster, the Audi TT, and the Z3 (6 cylinder) were all quicker. It was good, as what Mercedes isn't, but in its class it was lacking in performance. It was powered by a 2.3L inline DOHC 16 valve supercharged four cylinder engine that produced 190 hp and 200 pounds of torque. And there was still room in the trunk after it was retracted. The SLK was smaller, lighter and had a new retractable hardtop that turned the SLK from a hardtop to a convertible in about 25 seconds. SL is short for "sport light", but in the case of the SL500, sport light means over two tons (it weighs 4,125 pounds). Not every one can afford an SL500 (about $84,000). January of 1997 marked the introduction of a new Mercedes lower priced sports car, the SLK230. SEE ALSO: Mercedes Buyer's Guide By Larry Weitzman New Car/Review The Mercedes Benz SLK 320 (2001), A fire builds down below.
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