Formerly known as the SLK, the little roadster ups its game to keep up with the likes of the Audi TT and Porsche 718 Boxster.
JUST AS SOFT ROADERS paved the way for today’s crossover boom by being watered-down emulations of 4x4 off-roaders, the Mercedes-Benz SLK along with the Audi TT, BMW Z3 and Porsche Boxster were responsible for the roadster boom of the late 1990s. For the most part, those cars were more about the show than the go.
In the case of the SLK, its folding metal roof was a novelty act that caught on well enough to see countless other manufacturers following suit while the two-seat roadster was not available with a manual transmission.
Twenty years and three generations on, Mercedes has renamed it two-seat baby sportscar the SLC in the interest of the brand’s new naming structure. As ever, the ‘SL’ bit of its moniker aligns it with the other roadster, the SL, while the ‘C’ suffix indicates that it is positioned as a ‘C-Class’ version of the Mercedes sports car range.
The name might have changed but the formula remains the same; the folding hard top not only continues to be the SLC’s party trick, it makes the transition to al fresco motoring easier for those who may have not owned a convertible before and may be sceptical about the durability of a fabric roof.
Denne historien er fra January 2017-utgaven av evo Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra January 2017-utgaven av evo Singapore.
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The Next Small Thing?
The diminutive Citroën C1 looks set to replace the ageing 2CV as the budget racer of choice. But first it has to prove itself, as does evo’s racing debutant Will Beaumont, in a 24-hour endurance event
P1 GTR
The fastest car we’ve timed at Anglesey Circuit is the Radical RXC Turbo 500 with a lap of 1:10.5. Can the P1 GTR go faster?
BMW M5 (F90)
The covers don’t come off BMW’s latest supersaloon until September, but we’ve already sampled its power – and its new drivetrain.
Barely Legal
The new Porsche 911 GT3 is the closest thing to a racing car that can be driven on public roads. Be careful what you wish for.
Red Alert
Scottish mountain roads, alive with the sound of an F355’s flat-plane-crank V8… If you like your red cars compact, lithe and gorgeous, it doesn’t get much better than this.
24 Heaven
No ferries, said Ferrari, or racetracks, and no more than 480 kilometres. And 24 hours maximum. So, what to do with a 780hp F12tdf for the day?
Honda Civic Type R
Honda dragged its feet with the previous-generation Civic Type R. This time we’re getting one almost from the get-go, but how much has changed?
Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
The topless 911 may not be as focused as the more hard-core fixed roof variants but it offers an altogether different driving experience that can be just as enjoyable.
Driving the future of safety
Rear-view mirrors and safety helmets have been the staples of driving and riding safety respectively. BMW reckons it can improve on this technology which has been in place for the past 100 years or so.
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
The new 911 GTs is the best 991-series carrera that you can currently buy – provided you choose the correct variant and the right options.
