New Car Review of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK Compact Luxury Convertible Roadster Sports Car

Description: Compact Luxury Convertible Roadster Sports Car
Base MSRP Range: $45,500 - $60,500
Invoice Price Range: $42,315 - $56,265
Where built: Germany

New SLK Class of two-seat roadsters arrive on an expanded platform with keen body sculpting, a pop-top lid that stows in the trunk and two sophisticated powertrain options.

SLK 350 gets a new 272-hp 3.5-liter V6 with variable camshaft control and a sporty 6-speed manual shifter or high-tech seven-speed 7G-tronic Mercedes automatic. SLK 55 AMG is the top performer fitted with a massive AMG 5.5-liter V8 and the 7G-tronic automatic plus alloy AMG wheels up to 18 inches in diameter.

Body size of SLK expands in length and width to carve more space for the two-seat cockpit. Chassis is stiffer than previously with redesigned suspension components producing more responsive handling traits.

And the substantial list of standard safety equipment includes adaptive frontal air bags and side air bags plus solid steel roll bars tucked behind the seats. Options extend to a deluxe surround-sound audio system with 380-watt amp and 11 speakers. SLK earns a nifty new feature focused on a rider's neck: The Airscarf neck-level heat vent concealed in the headrest is the first of its kind.