DRIVEN: 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

By Russ Bond
My first ‘look’ at the new Mercedes SLK 350 came when I nearly got run down by one. Inside Track Editor Mark Atkinson was at the wheel of a shiny black example at Shannonville Motorsports Park, taking the stunning new ‘Merc’ out for a test drive at the annual AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) Testfest.

Maybe the reason he nearly tagged me was that I was like a deer in headlights: I saw it coming but didn’t move. It was my first look at the latest offering from Mercedes, and I couldn’t move.

The new design is leaps and bounds over the original SLK that debuted in 1997. The original SLK was obviously a good idea for Mercedes as there are over 300,000 in service – 3,467 of them in Canada.



Mercedes says the new SLK is, “Stronger, sportier and more aggressive, the new SLK features bold, athletic styling and is powered by a new-generation 268-horsepower, 3.5-litre V6 engine with four valves per cylinder, double-overhead camshafts and variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust valves.”

I say Mercedes must have listened to its customers and product development people as this is exactly what the SLK needed.

Additional improvements on the 2005 SLK-Class include an all-new, more precise six-speed manual transmission, 17-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels, and an available lowered
sport suspension.

My week with the SLK could have been at a better time of year – convertibles and Ontario winters don’t seem like a match made in heaven, but it did prove an important point. The new SLK can be an ‘all-rounder’ mainly due to the perfectly sealed hardtop, which retracts into the ‘boot’ when turned down.



There were some nice days and – in short – the new SLK is just a joy to drive. The light, nimble little coupe is aided by the most powerful engine in its class, the 3.5-litre all-aluminum V6 produces 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, with maximum torque available from 2,400 rpm all the way up to 5,000 rpm. The new V6 already develops 87 percent of its maximum torque at only 1,500 rpm. While the variable valve timing system should be credited for the engine’s unusually broad torque curve, a two-stage intake manifold plays a key role as well.

The short version is that there is power whenever you need it.

The six-speed transmission is crisp and precise, heel and toe operations are simple, with a clear approving sound from the engine when done properly.

Inside the SLK, the interior is nicely laid out with easy to read and use switches. I like the way the sculpted dash blends into the door panels, it makes the interior flow.



Because I had the car in the dead of winter, I was still tempted – on the sunny days – to put the roof down. I figured with the AIRSCARF neck-level heating system activated, which blows warm air from the head restraints of the driver and passenger seats and even compensates automatically for changes in air temperature and vehicle speed, I’d be okay for a while.

The new, faster operating top let me put the top down at a stop light with getting drivers behind me upset at the delay, because there wasn’t one. The roof of the new SLK goes up and down even more quickly, now 22 seconds, and the folded roof takes up less trunk space – thanks to its pivoting rear window.



Like the retractable hardtop of the larger SL model, the rear window of the new SLK pivots to match the curvature of the top, providing nearly 85 litres of trunk room.
Safety is always a big concern when you are in a small convertible, and the new SLK has plenty of technology to ‘miss things’, but just in case, the new SLK follows in the steps of the original, which was deemed one of the safest roadsters in the world.

In addition to its two-stage front air bags for both the driver and passenger, the new SLK is now also equipped with knee bags and head-thorax air bags which are located in the back of the seats and deploy in the event of a side impact that exceeds the deployment threshold. The top edge of the fully-inflated head-thorax air bags reaches above the top edge of the seat back to help provide better head and neck protection.

Safety orientated electronic systems abound on the new SLK, and they include Electronic Stability Program (ESP), straight line traction control, Brake Assist and ABS.

As luck would have it, two of the days I had the new SLK, it was typical Canadian winter weather, and the SLK performed flawlessly, thanks in part to all the electronic aids. For the masses – most of which seem to chuck their cars off the road in these conditions – the SLK should give them the piece of mind that it can handle these tough conditions, which it can.



So, as you can see, the new SLK is a huge leap forward for Mercedes-Benz. Combining a great new look, good drivable power, neutral handling and all the safety you could ask for, the new SLK is definitely an ‘all rounder’.

If you’re looking for a state of the art coupe/convertible, your next stop should be at your local Mercedes dealer.

For the pure performance minded buyers, the SLK55 AMG is the next step, and Inside Track is hoping to give you a review of that model in the future – when the weather is better...