My-Dream-Cars reviews : Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Roadster 2009
The 2009 SLK-Class is a 2-door, 2-passenger convertible sports car, available in 3 trims, ranging from the SLK300 Roadster to the SLK55 AMG Roadster. The very model of engineered exhilaration, the SLK350 is equipped with a 300-horsepower V-6 engine and lays down 265-lb ft of torque where you´ll need it the most right in the heart of the rev range, Leather upholstery, silver trim and 7-speed automatic transmission.

EXTERIOR

Lighting PAckage

• Bi-Xenon headlamps : deliver superior visibility over halogen headlamps because their brighter, whiter light is much closer to natural sunlight.

• Corner-illuminating foglamps : To help you see better in the dark when making tight turns at low speeds, the corner-illuminating foglamps shine toward the area on the inside of the turn. Turning the steering wheel or using the turn-signal indicators at low speeds will trigger this function, which is particularly useful in parking structures, residential areas, or when turning into driveways.

• Headlamp Washing System : High-pressure headlamp washers heighten your on-road safety.

Sport Package

18-inch AMG multi-spoke wheels, sport front air dam, side skirts, rear apron, and trunk lid spoiler. All that plus sport suspension and steering-wheel-mounted gearshift paddles with Manual mode.

• Sport Suspension : The firmer, sport-tuned suspension lowers the ride height for pinpoint handling.

• Sport Bodystyling : A daunting sport front air dam, side skirts, a restyled rear apron, and a trunk-lid spoiler don’t just look ferocious – they boost the vehicle’s aerodynamics.

• 18″ AMG multispoke aluminum alloy wheels : staggered for a better grip when accelerating.

Retractable hardtop
With the touch of a button, the SLK goes from coupe to roadster in just 22 seconds. When raised, this innovative top makes the SLK-Class as beautiful a coupe as it is a roadster. In other words, a joy to drive all year round.

F1-Inspired styling
The SLK body is designed to sharpen agility through refined air management. The Formula 1-inspired nose and wide front valance help direct air along the sides of the roadster, while the strongly tapered rear end makes a clean break.

Chrome Door Handle Inserts
Help protect your finish from scratches and add yet another touch of style with a set of two chrome door-handle inserts.

UVS-100 Sunshade
Think of it as SPF 100 for your dashboard. Helps prevent sun damage to the interior while keeping the inside cooler. Practical and durable. Made of reflective fabric laminated to a foam core.

INTERIOR

Illuminated Door Sills (set of two)
Light up your SLK-Class with radiant style every time you open the door, courtesy of luminous blue “Mercedes-Benz” stainless-steel door sills, available in sets of two.

Hard-drive-based navigation system
The 20-gigabyte hard-drive-based in-dash navigation system uses Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to determine the current location of your car, with a map database for the contiguous U.S., Canada, and Oahu, Hawaii. With enhanced Voice Control, you no longer need to spell out a destination when using the optional navigation system. Just saying “Toledo” or “Tallahassee” is sufficient. Voice Control is so sophisticated, it can even screen out “ums” and “ahs” and understand “yeah” for “yes.”

Bluetooth interface for hands-free phone use
Make calls, receive calls, and even access select phonebooks through the new COMAND system. Once your Bluetooth®-compatible phone is synched up to the system, leave it in your pocket and talk all you like. Hands-free, through a sound system worthy of the multiplex. Visit www.mbusa-mobile.com to learn more about Bluetooth® connectivity and the latest multimedia features.

iPod/MP3 Media Interface
Mercedes-Benz has a long history of incorporating the latest consumer electronics into our automobiles. That tradition continues with the available iPod/MP3 Media Interface, a series of outlets that connects to the new audio system. This option unlocks the key to enjoying a host of devices and functionality, from PDAs to MP3 players. Song title and artist names pop up right on the screen.

Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 DSS system
This digital surround-sound system fills the cabin with 500 watts of beautifully balanced sound. Eleven optimally placed speakers deliver an enthralling surround-sound experience from FM radio, MP3s, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and the 6-disc CD changer. Digital Dynamic Volume Control helps maintain sound balance in varying driving conditions.

In-dash 6-disc CD changer
Load up to six audio CDs discs into the changer and prepare for a total entertainment experience.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio
Enjoy your SIRIUS Satellite Radio system with a complimentary six-month subscription to over 130 channels, including 61 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather, and data. SIRIUS is also home to 100 percent commercial-free music channels, featuring 69 music channels nationwide. Live play-by-play broadcasts of the biggest sports – NFL®, NASCAR, NHL®, NBA, and games from over 150 college sports teams round out what´s sure to be one of your favorite cabin appointments.

Airscarf
Allows you to keep the roof down in cooler temperatures. A soothing stream of heated air to your neck, head, and shoulders helps take the bite out of chilly top-down conditions. With individual 3-stage temperature controls and airflow that automatically adjusts to your driving speed, you’ll never want to put your roof up.

SmartKey roof activation
Part of the optional Premium 1 Package, the SLK´s standard SmartKey adds the convenience of infrared-remote roof operation. Perfect for cooling off a hot cabin or closing the roof after parking, from outside the car.

8-way power seats
Included as part of the optional Premium 1 Package, 8-way power driver and passenger seats each feature 3-position memory and 4-way lumbar support for custom-tailored comfort. The memory system also retains your desired settings for the package´s 4-way power steering column and side mirrors.

Heated seats
Heated seats help take the chill out of even the coldest day. The seats offer three levels of soothing warmth and are available as part of the optional Heating Package.

Tele Aid
Three buttons put a multitude of services at system subscribers’ fingertips:

• SOS button: Push in an emergency for a Tele Aid Response Specialist who can notify police or other emergency personnel of your vehicle’s location. The system also automatically activates when an air bag or seat-belt Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD) deploys
• Wrench button: For connection to Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance. Service personnel can help you identify the trouble and will dispatch Roadside Assistance as needed
• i-button: Contact the Customer Assistance Center or your Mercedes-Benz Dealer, receive Route Assistance, and access available services such as Tele Aid Concierge and Voice-Delivered Traffic information

Digital dual-zone climate control
Both the driver and front passenger can select his or her own level of heating or cooling, thanks to left and right controls on the dashboard. In addition to a sun sensor for mitigating hot temperatures, the system comes equipped with a charcoal filter that, when activated, automatically recirculates interior air upon detecting a significant increase in smog.

4-Way Lumbar Support
Included as part of the optional Premium 1 Package, 8-way power driver and passenger seats each feature 3-position memory and 4-way lumbar support for custom-tailored comfort. The memory system also retains your desired settings for the package’s 4-way power steering column and side mirrors.

Leather upholstery
Enjoy the luxury of supple leather upholstery on seats and head restraints and – if you choose the Natural Beige premium leather option – the door-trim inserts.

SAFETY & PROTECTION

Body Structure
Beneath the SLK´s sleek appearance is a robust yet lightweight structure engineered to help protect you when things get serious. Its front and rear crumple zones include full-width side members designed specifically for offset collisions. Reinforcements of the bulkhead and a floor crossmember near the pedals help strengthen the cabin. The body structure behind the seats includes a convex aluminum bulkhead with a steel crossmember running underneath and an innovative magnesium fuel tank partition.

Integrated Restraint System
The SLK employs a combination of the latest technologies for outstanding protection should a collision occur which exceeds the system’s deployment threshold. The Integrated Restraint System includes front air bags with dual deployment thresholds, which are adaptive on the passenger’s side. The system also features head/thorax side-impact air bags and knee bags for both driver and passenger.

Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
Front-seat belt force limiters are adaptiveEquipped with Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and belt force limiters, seat belts are arguably our most important passive safety feature. If a collision exceeds a preset threshold, the ETDs instantly remove slack from the seat belts. Belt force limiters allow a slight amount of give in the seat belts and reduce the peak seat-belt forces on the occupants.

Micro-alloy-steel heat-treated roll bars
The retractable steel roof adds to the SLK´s exceptional rigidity when raised. To help preserve occupant space in the event of a rollover, oval steel tubes are welded into the A pillars and dual steel roll bars are bolted directly to the body structure.

Antitheft alarm with remote panic feature
The antitheft alarm with remote panic feature provides extra peace of mind. If it is set off, Automatic Anti-Theft Alarm Notification is triggered, which will alert the Tele Aid Response Center to notify you.

Tele Aid GPS & Anti-Theft Alarm Notification
Tele Aid uses GPS satellites plus a cellular link to offer emergency aid (SOS button), information (i-button), or Roadside Assistance (Wrench button). Automatic Collision Notification engages the SOS function when an air bag or Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD) deploys. Automatic Anti-Theft Alarm Notification alerts the Tele Aid Response Center to contact you if the antitheft alarm is set off. Tele Aid also includes Stolen Vehicle Recovery and Remote Door Unlock service (requires an active Tele Aid subscription).

Antilock Braking System
ABS senses impending wheel lockup under heavy braking and pumps the front brakes individually or the rear brakes together. This intelligent system can pump the brakes as need up to 30 times per second to prevent lockup and preserve steering ability.

Brake Assist
BAS senses emergency braking via the speed at which the driver presses the brake pedal and immediately applies maximum available power boost, potentially reducing the overall stopping distance by eliminating the delay caused by a common human tendency not to brake hard enough, soon enough.

Direct-Steer System
Provides quicker steering response, lighter effort while parking, fewer turns lock-to-lock, and improved directional stability at higher speeds.

Multilink suspension
It’s the key to the exceptional poise and control of the SLK-Class. The 5-arm rear multilink design  a Mercedes-Benz innovation  controls rear-wheel movement with outstanding precision. For more dynamic handling, the front axle assembly, front suspension and steering gear are all preassembled along with the engine and transmission on an extraordinarily rigid steel subframe.

Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
This advance continually monitors your vehicle´s motion to help keep you going in your intended direction. If it detects wheelspin, severe understeer (plowing), or oversteer (fishtailing), ESP can brake individual wheels and reduce engine power to correct those problems and help bring the vehicle under control. Mercedes-Benz pioneered this safety landmark in 1995 and has continued to refine its exacting performance ever since.

Vehicle-speed-sensitive steering
At lower speeds, the vehicle-speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering delivers more power assist for easy handling. At higher speeds, the amount of power is adjusted for improved road feel and control.

PERFORMANCE

3.5 liter V-6 engine
The retuned DOHC V-6 in the SLK350 is efficient and exhilarating. A new red-accented engine cover announces its enhanced power. It commands 300 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of peak torque to keep your adrenaline flowing. Continually variable timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, coupled with a dual-stage intake manifold, helps provide 100 percent of its peak torque at 4,900 rpm, ensuring immediate response to every throttle input.

7-speed automatic
A wide range of closely spaced gears delivers the ideal gear ratio for virtually every driving condition, which means smoother cruising and immediate response for acceleration and passing, and even improved fuel efficiency on the highway.

My-Dream-Cars reviews : Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Roadster 2009