Mercedes-Benz SLK 250 BlueEfficiency AMG Sport (From York Press)

Mercedes-Benz SLK 250 BlueEfficiency AMG Sport

10:45am Friday 25th May 2012 in Road Test By Steve Nelson

IN the car park of a very plush Cheshire hotel where Premier League footballers like to relax, I was joined by a fellow motoring enthusiast for a spot of “look at that car”.

The parking bays were filled with Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and Bentley offerings, together with a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

But my friend’s eyes were glued to the car I was road-testing that week, the Mercedes-Benz 250 AMG Sport.

With a price tag starting at almost £40,000, it is hardly a cheap car, and optional extras can easily add £10,000 to that bill. But that still makes it within the reach of a lot more people than the supercars.

The SLK turns heads at will. It’s such a stunning looker that it needs no growling soundtrack to grab attention. It’s also what you might term a dream car.

“When the children have moved on, I want one of these. It’s such a gorgeous car,” my friend mused, the idea of cruising through countryside in his latter years firmly planted in his mind.

Inside and out, the SLK is quite beautifully appointed and is a lovely place to sit, though some people might be surprised by how low it feels.

Some of the options available are brilliant, too. The Comand Online system with six-disc changer is a gem, although a pricey one at £2,245. Then there’s the Harman Kardon hi-fi upgrade with 11 high-performance speakers at £645. It’s one of those systems that keeps you listening even after you park up at home. The £395 Air Scarf necklevel heater built into the seats is another must to keep you snug and warm when the roof is down on cooler days.

A seven-speed 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox is standard on the 250, bringing with it cruise control and a variable speed limiter. It’s quite slow to respond to throttle inputs from stationary in ‘E’ mode, while the sports ‘S’ mode and ‘M’, which allows partial manual control, are sometimes a little grabby.

If you want outright shove and grunt, then you will need to move up to the SLK 350, but for most drivers the 250 will suffice.

The 250 reaches 62mph in 6.6 seconds – one second slower than the 350 – and that’s plenty fast enough for most tastes.

When it first launched in 1996, the SLK debuted a folding metal vario-roof, which transformed the wide-open roadster into a coupe with a fixed roof at the touch of a button in just a few seconds. It offered the best of both worlds – refinement and security when you wanted it and open-air thrills when it took your fancy.

By the second generation the car boasted sharper handling to please those seeking a sportier premium compact roadster experience. With this third generation SLK, Mercedes has further refined the driving experience and added a few welcome extra bits of technology.

On the road, the 250 uses its 204bhp to become a keen and willing companion. It demonstrates poise and composure on twisty roads, while the car’s steering is accurate and nicely weighted. Even on the Sport models, there’s no real compromise in ride quality.

The car’s styling strikes the right balance between elegance and a hint of performance, while mechanically it’s economical, enjoyable and refined in equal measure.

Factor in the improved safety and comfort technology – not forgetting the car’s trademark roof – and it’s a compelling package.

fact file

Mercedes-Benz SLK 250 BlueEfficiency AMG Sport

PRICE: £39,720 (tested car £48,090)

ENGINE: 1.8-litre petrol vdeveloping 204bhp

TRANSMISSION: sevenspeed 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox driving the rear wheels

PERFORMANCE: 0 to 62mph in 6.6 seconds; top speed 150mph

ECONOMY: 45.5mpg combined

CO2 RATING: 153g/km