My test car arrived painted in Galenite Silver metallic, which is a blue steel colour that does not suit this sporty AMG… unless your name is Derek Zoolander, maybe. Inside, the SLK is all black and the interior features the premium package that is highlighted by features such as Parktronic, Airguide with an aluminum roll-bar inlay, Airscarf, satellite Radio, a 500W Harman/Kardon sound system, Keyless-Go, and the Panoramic Vario roof. This latter item also included the stand alone Magic Sky Control roof option. The Magic Sky Control roof can transition from dark tint to transparency at the touch of a button. It uses electrochromatic glass technology that uses electric charges to change the state of tint within the glass. When the roof is set to transparent mode, the cabin does feel airy, and the fact it is UV protected is a bonus. It is also great on cold weather days as it somewhat simulates convertible feel without actually lowering the roof. In ‘tinted mode’ it works just like a very dark glass roof.
  2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG. Click image to enlarge |
The interior of the SLK is not that cramped for the size of this roadster. There is lots of storage in the door, centre console, and pocket between the seats. This theme continues to the trunk that can consume 225 L with the top down or an impressive 335 L with the roof raised. The Mercedes Comand system featured the same good and the same bad as the E 300 4Matic I drove recently (review coming shortly); no dedicated audio controls on the steering wheel, but an overall the system is easy to use. The radio is not one of the better Harman/Kardon units I have sampled, but who cares? With the top down the engine is far too addictive to not listen to. One item I found annoying with this car was the AMG logo that sticks out of the upper centre of the seatback and digs into my back.
Minor nitpicks aside, the SLK 55 AMG is a great package. Ringing in at $94,990 as tested, it is priced on par with a similarly equipped automatic Chevrolet Corvette convertible or PDK Porsche Boxster S. Actually, go crazy with the endless custom features, and a Boxster can exceed this price point by a fair bit. Take it easy on the options though with the SLK 55 AMG and one can be had for $79,500; BMW Z4 35is territory. If it were my money, and I wish it were, I would probably stray over to the Corvette or Boxster as my weekend toy solely due to the fact that both offer manual transmissions. But the target market for these $100,000 roadsters seem to prefer automatics, and if that is the case then the SLK makes for a compelling package.
Pricing: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG
Base price: $79,500
Options: $6,600 (AMG Performance Package), $6,990 (Premium Package), $1,900 (Magic Sky Control)
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $2,075
Price as tested: $97,165
Competitors
2012 BMW Z4
2012 Porsche Boxster S
Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
