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Mercedes SLK 55 AMG Takes on Jaguar F-Type V6 S in Head 2 Head

Here at autoevolution, we are huge fans of the Jaguar F-Type, not for objective reasons, but purely because it's packed with a sort of… sense of occasion. However, Mercedes has been offering a very competent little speed machine for quite some time now. Maybe it's high time we stopped admiring the Brit and reexamine the R172 SLK 55 AMG.
Mercedes SLK 55 AMG Takes on Jaguar F-Type V6 S in Head 2 Head 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from Youtube
Jaguar has managed to eclipse pretty much everything else on the market right now. But does that mean the SLK is yesterday's news, to be tossed aside like used socks?

No, far from it, in fact. Launched in 2012, the current generation SLK 55 AMG provides lots of thrills though a new, naturally aspirated, direct-injection version of AMG’s 5.5-liter V8, and as we all know, there's no replacement for displacement, not even a supercharger attached to a 3-liter V6.

The F-Type V6 S is a prettier car, thanks in part to the E-Type heritage and to the work of Ian Callum. But as Motor Trend points out in their latest Head 2 Head, it's actually slower to 60 mph (4.4 seconds compared to 4.2 seconds for the AMG) and over the quarter mile. Around the figure-8 course, the two machines are pretty much identical.

As a base model, the Affalterbach-powered roadster is actually cheaper in America than an F-Type V6 S, comparable to the underpowered 335-hp F-Type V6. Being a Mercedes, it will also hold onto its value quite well and thanks to cylinder deactivation tech, it's also economical… for a big V8.

That about sums up what's going on with the SLK 55 AMG: it's a German luxury car that's cheaper than its British rival. It's also got a bigger engine and is a little faster. So what if a couple of corners were cut?

But if you want lots of power in a convertible sportscar, what's wrong with the Chevy Corvette Stingray? Surely, its 6.2-liter V8 is sonorous and exciting enough. That's certainly true, but a Mercedes will always come with a certain level of refinement, a certain quality that's both timeless and contemporary.

Once all the hype around the new C7 and the Jag boils down to a simmer, you'll still be driving a Mercedes car that you can comfortably cruise in and hold onto for many more years, knowing Mercedes build quality.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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