SLK 200 Kompressor

It may not be an everyday sight here in the Philippines but no less than 308,000 delighted customers worldwide are getting their skin bronzed in one of the sleekest tanning salons on earth, the Mercedes-Benz SLK-class.

Introduced in 1996 the 1st-generation SLK wowed the world with its compact dimensions (for a Mercedes), spritely supercharged performance and its piece de resistance, a collapsible steel roof that transforms the sporty two-seater from a hardtop to an open-air roadster at the touch of a button.

But eight years is a long time in the life cycle of a car (even for a modern Benz sports car) so the folks from Sindelfingen, Germany saw fit to introduce the 2nd-generation SLK last March — the same car we finally got our hands on when CATS Motors held a press preview at its gleaming new showroom inside Ford Bonifacio Global City last week.

At first glance the new car, which commands a retail price of P3,950,000, bears a striking resemblance to the 600-plus-hp Mercedes SLR supercar. Unlike the first SLK which looked like a scaled-down SL luxury convertible, the new SLK borrows the mighty SLR’s Formula One-inspired visage highlighted by a prominent "power" bulge that sweeps down from the hood across the grille, where it frames the Mercedes star logo, all the way down to the bumper. Large cat’s eye headlamps give it a contemporary look.

From the side the car looks powerfully compact and purposeful. Overhangs are short, particularly at the rear, giving it an almost hotrod look. Aggressive-looking alloy wheels are wrapped by wide high-performance tires that are barely covered by muscularly flared fenders. The rear is unmistakably Mercedes although you’d see the current Camry’s tail lamps if you squint hard enough. Dual tailpipes add to the overall air of sportiness.

Under the hood lies a new — but still supercharged — engine displacing 1.8 liters for a 163-hp output and a healthy 240 Nm (at 3000rpm) of torque. One-hundred-sixty-three horses might be nothing to write home about in an age when a high-revving Civic SiR engine can develop 160 hp from 1.6 liters — and without a supercharger. Still, the car’s performance comes mostly from the plentiful torque (the Civic SiR puts out roughly 160 Nm, to put it in perspective) — enough to give the 3000-pound roadster spirited, if not blazing, acceleration.

Tech-wise, the TWINPULSE engine is not wanting. TWINPULSE boasts variably adjustable camshafts and four valves per cylinders for better breathing, balancer shafts for smoothness, an intercooler for a denser air/fuel intake charge and the aforementioned supercharger which lends the car its Kompressor name.

Mercedes quotes performance figures of an autobahn-bred 226-kph top speed and an 8.3-second run for the SLK 200 Kompressor with the 5-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted controls. We drove the car along the roads of Fort Bonifacio and were impressed by the car’s ability to deliver responsive handling (courtesy of a sport-tuned 3-link MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension and 205/55R16 tires) without the usual downside of a harsh or stiff ride (I purposely ran over potholes and other road imperfections to get a feel of riding comfort).

Inside the leather-lined cabin, space for the two lucky occupants are definitely on the cozy side. Six-footers can still fit although those with long torsos might have to drive with the top down all the time. Fore-and-aft seat travel is not as extensive as in most cars although it is still possible to achieve the perfect driving position thanks to a steering wheel that can be electrically adjusted for both height and reach.

Ergonomics, materials and build quality (at least for first impressions) are first rate. Design-wise, the cockpit is a bit, to borrow a Mercedes term, avant garde. The hooded instrument panel houses two circular binnacles for the speedometer and tachometer. The middle of the dashboard flows down onto the center console and, like most recent Benzes, is peppered by an array of circular and square silver buttons for the climate control and audio systems. Matte silver accents on some interior trim lend a high-tech feel to the otherwise serious-looking cockpit.

Of course, one cannot fully experience an SLK without activating and witnessing the spectacular traffic-stopping orchestration of the fully automatic roof-folding mechanism. Press a button and the trunklid opens from the opposite end, the backlight glides down, the roof raises and then separates into two as it lowers itself into the trunk after which the trunklid closes again — all in 22 seconds. And safety-oriented that Mercedes is, pop-up rollbars emerge when the car senses that a rollover is imminent. Needless to say, all manner of electronic passive and active safety features are standard even on this little Benz.

With equally heaping servings of style, technology, luxury, safety and performance, it’s easy to understand why a car like the SLK is an absolute necessity in a household that has four million bucks to spare for one of the most fascinating, enjoyable and desirable cars on the road. It’s a rolling testament of why countless people all over the world buy lottery tickets.