   2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350. Click image to enlarge |
This all works a treat, giving the SLK a wonderful dynamic cohesiveness. But I must take issue with the variable rate steering that significantly quickens the ratio at low speeds. This is great for mall parking lots, but not so good when booking it on a back road and negotiating low speed tight corners. What you think will be the right amount of steering lock (based on the rest of your drive) will have you pointing the SLK’s lovely snout towards the inside ditch before you know it. Unnatural, and, here we go again, un-Porsche-like.
My other gripe is with the 7G-tronic. Granted, it does shift very smoothly, and in E (economy) mode the car starts off in second gear, keeping things relaxed when in cruise mode. It’s when you’re calling for shifts from the wheel-mounted paddles in S (sport) and M (manual) that the tranny is a little tardy with the goods. It operates best in M, where the shifts seem more authoritative, but the delay is just enough to throw a slight damper on the party. We’re all getting used to the twin-clutch experience with auto rev-matching et al, and Merc’s traditional torque converter tranny is not quite there. Dare I mention Porsche’s exceptional seven-speed PDK twin-clutch?
That said, the SLK 350 is a very enjoyable car to hustle down a country road, especially with the top down; all the better to hear that nasty exhaust snarl broadcasting from the twin tail pipes.
From its inception, the SLK’s party trick has been its folding hardtop. A U-shaped lever between the seats will have the fully powered lid (dubbed vario-roof) up or down within seconds, although unlike many soft top competitors, operation at moderate rolling speeds in not an option.
With the roof in place, the cabin feels tight as a drum (although the droning exhaust is your constant companion) and with the roof retracted and side windows up, buffeting is effectively managed by a pair of clear deflectors that rotate out from behind the roll hoops – part of the $3,400 Premium Package.
  2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350. Click image to enlarge |
This package also adds an analogue clock, aluminum inlay for roll-over bars, Harmon/Kardon surround sound, Sirius satellite radio, park assist, a tinted polycarbonate roof panel (Panoramic vario-roof) and Airscarf, which blows warm air on your neck for those cool evening drives.
Although not on this tester, the $2,600 Distronic Plus Package includes Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control and Pre-Safe advance crash safety system. Also available is the gee-whiz Magic Sky Control ($1,900), wherein the roof panel goes from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button.
As with most cars of this ilk, the top eats into trunk space. With the roof up, the trunk is quite commodious (335 litres), but if your weekend getaway includes topless driving, your overnight bags must fit beneath a partition that clips into place before the roof is stowed. Capacity shrinks to 225 litres.
In the limited pantheon of compact rear-drive German roadsters, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 sits right between the sporty $66,900, 310-hp Porsche Boxster S and the GT-leaning, $63,900, 300-hp BMW Z4 sDrive 35i, delivering a highly satisfying blend of both worlds in a very stylin’ package.
