Review of the new Mercedes-Benz SLK 2Look

Before now, you might have shot an envious glance or two toward convertible owners as they bask in the glorious sunshine and you sit shaded by your own car's fixed roof, listening to the air-con's asthmatic whirr. A little jealousy is nothing to be ashamed of. Cars without roofs have something special about them. Almost any amount of impracticality can be instantly massaged away by a few seconds with the wind rushing past, the sun beating down and nothing above but the bright blue sky. Convinced? If not, Mercedes thinks it can tip you over the edge by also appealing on a cold, hard financial level with its SLK 2Look special edition.

Although monstrously successful, the first generation Mercedes-Benz SLK, launched in 1997, never really hit the spot. It looked great and the folding hard top roof was pioneering and brilliantly integrated, but it was just too self-congratulatory and not enough of a driver's car. Put one back to back with a Porsche Boxster and you had to wonder how Mercedes got away with it for so long. Then in 2004 it launched an all-new SLK and things changed. A lot. Retaining the looks and the party piece roof, the SLK can now live with the leading roadsters in terms of handling and driver enjoyment too.

The most popular engine in the SLK range is also the cheapest, no great surprise there then. It's the 1.8-litre supercharged unit found in the SLK 200 Kompressor model and it's the only engine available in 2Look special edition form. With 184bhp, it's a good way down on the six and eight cylinder engines that are offered further up the SLK ladder but the 0-60mph sprint will detain you for just 7.6 seconds and there's a 144mph top speed so this is no sluggard. The comparatively small engine is a good fit in the SLK, reducing the weight at the front end and contributing to a more nimble and alert feel in the handling. The gearbox choice at this entry level is six-speed manual or five-speed automatic: the clever 7-speed auto is only offered with the lustier engines.

"Mercedes is aiming to make the path to premium convertible ownership appealing for financial as well as emotional reasons"

All models in the SLK range feature the direct steering system with variable assistance that was originally restricted to the 55 AMG range-topper. This system means that both city traffic and fast, sweeping bends can be negotiated with relatively small steering movements. It takes a little time to get used to, but the benefits are clear to see and feel when performing an emergency lane change.

The 2Look package follows familiar special edition themes with a range of extras fitted at an attractive discount. The car comes in black or white with 18" twin-spoke alloy wheels fitted as standard. The wheels can be ordered in titanium or silver finishes and the final touches to the 2Look exterior take the form of black surrounds for the headlamps and discreet 2Look badges on the wings. Inside the car, the sports seats, steering wheel, centre armrest and door panels are finished in Nappa leather. There's also black roof lining which customers shouldn't see too much of if they use this convertible as intended and black floor mats with 2Look branding.

Mercedes worked hard on the look and feel of this SLK. The front end features an even more defined arrow shape while the back end gets an F1-style diffuser to help plant the car to the tarmac. Trapezoid exhaust tailpipes and AMG-style darkened rear lights also feature as well as arrow-shaped LED indicators in the door mirror housings. The SLK always has been probably the neatest shape of any folding hard top car and the latest modifications just sharpen the look a touch further. Of all the premium roadster models, the SLK feels the best built and the easiest to operate. Space in the boot is at a premium when the vario roof is folded but interior room is fine for two.

The 2Look models hinge on their price and the equipment customers get for their money but it's also worth knowing that only 150 2Look models will be sold in the UK giving this particular edition an added degreee of exclusivity. Priced at around £1,800 more than the standard SLK 200K model, the 2Look has £2,395 worth of extra equipment so there's reasonable saving there to tempt waverers away from their Porsche Boxsters and BMW Z4s.

Standard equipment levels are strong across the board and an enhanced audio and telematics system on every car features Bluetooth hands free integration, an iPod connection in the glove box and even the option of LINGUATRONIC voice operation. Other options include a harmon kardon sound system and the Airscarf neck heating system which is a must if you want to get the most out of your SLK's open top.

One of the key aims with the latest SLK has been to reduce fuel consumption and the SLK 200K is the strongest models in this regard. The car now returns 36.7mpg and emits just 182g/km. A three-year unlimited mileage warranty should inspire confidence as should Mercedes experience when it comes to the manufacture of folding hard-top roofs.

With its SLK 2Look special edition models Mercedes is aiming to make the path to premium convertible ownership appealing for financial as well as emotional reasons. Basically, a package of extras is thrown in at a discount on the entry-level SLK 200K model. It might not be the most powerful SLK going but it displays all the key attributes that makes the car one of the UK's favourite prestige roadsters and does so at a relatively accessible price.

The Mercedes SLK has established itself as probably the most desirable of the premium roadsters in terms of an ownership proposition. It may lose out to the Porsche Boxster in ultimate handling, to the BMW Z4 when it comes to styling edginess and to the Audi TT in terms of surprise and delight design but none of these cars blend such a rich range of talents as the baby Mercedes.

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