The SLK Is Dead: Say Hello To The New Mercedes SLC
A little while ago, I put together a guide to help people understand the bafflingly convoluted Mercedes range. The thing is, though, half of it now needs re-doing thanks to Stuttgart’s far-reaching renaming strategy. Remember the GLK? That’s now the GLC. The ML-Class? I think you mean the GLE. The full-fat GL hasn’t escaped either - it’s been re-christened as GLS. And now it’s the turn of the SLK, which you should now call SLC.
It’s not a new car, rather a facelift and a new name. So, what’s changed other than the expected exterior and interior fettle, and a different letter adorning the boot? Well, the engines are all either new or updated - there’s a 1.6-litre four-pot with 154bhp/184lb ft in the SLC180 and a 242bhp/273lb ft 2.0-litre in the SLC300, to name just a couple - while the old V8-powered SLK55 has been ditched.
Yep, the boisterous old 5.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8 model is gone, with the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 SLC43 in its place. With 362bhp and 384lb ft of torque on offer, it’s down on poke compared to its predecessor, but should be superior in terms of handling - and not just because it doesn’t have a bloody great V8 nailed to the front.
The front and rear axles are new, the mountings for the engine and rear-axle gear unit stiffer, and the brakes larger. Sounds promising, and it’s quick, too: 0-62mph takes 4.7 seconds, only 0.1sec down on the old 55.
The new SLC range will be available to order in January, and will make its public debut at the Detroit Motor Show in the same month.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
so let me get something straight…. the SLC43 has a 3,0liter V6 pushing 362bhp and the A45AMG has a 2.0 liter L4 pushing 381bhp…. interesting… doesnt make sense but interesting…
I’m doubtful of what 43 and 45 represent. Displacement? Cylinder?
A45AMG - the 45 is because it was AMG’s 45th anniversary
The V8 is gone…and so is the last eff i gave about the SLK(now SLC)
Pretty good looking front end and interior but not my kind of car.
Would someone awfully mind explaining the clusterf* that is current German car naming systems?
BMW I’m looking at you too
I got this. Okay so…
Mercedes seems to be using a size naming strategy on their models, we’ll break it down into its basic components:
C represents smaller compact vehicles (Think Mercedes C Class)
E represents mid-size vehicles (Think Mercedes E Class)
S represents full size vehicles. (Think Mercedes S Class)
Now with those in mind, you can just apply that to their larger/ smaller vehicle fleets:
GLK was a small SUV and was given the name GLC to reflect the size.
ML was a midsize SUV so it was given the name GLE
And the GL was a full size so it was given the name GLS.
The SLK started its development as a modified C-Class chassis way back when it was made originally so it’s only proper that they relate it back to size and call it an SLC
CLA’s are a bit odd, but all you need to know is that the C in the name implies small.
It’s actually a bit simple to follow and it lets you picture the size of the vehicle prior to purchase.
Hope this helps!
I really do believe Mazda started this hype of all the new topless cars.
This is the best model with Mercedes’ current design language…
So the SL will became the SLE then?
No, the SL will keep its name like the G-class
I give up on their range, to hard to try and learn..
The SL and G-wagen remains because those are iconic nameplates according to Mercedes
looks similar to a Porsche interior