Just as most of us were beginning to shop for last Christmas, the new Mercedes-Benz SLC came along, providing a much-needed update to the aging SLK roadster and giving it a new name at the same time.
As facelifts go, the one suffered by the SLK can be considered a major one, with the front end suffering most of the changes while the rear and the interior were trailing closely behind. Yet what hurt the most was the across-the-range engine downsizing, starting with the SLC180 that uses a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and culminating with the AMG version.
The new sports version wears the somewhat confusing nomenclature of SLC43, with the numeric part of that name seemingly chosen at random as it can’t really be linked to anything. The A-Class has less power and a smaller engine, and yet it’s called AMG A45, while the rest of the Affalterbach models get the classic 63 or 65 callsigns.
But if that were the only problem, we’d be over it in no time. No, the real issue lies with what’s actually under the hood. Mercedes-AMG can make all the glitzy presentation clips it wants, we’re still not ready to get over the fact that its new smallest roadster only uses a 3.0-liter V6 engine with 367 hp.
We’re not saying that’s not plenty of power or that it’s not worthy of an AMG model - even though the rest of the cars that use this engine aren’t full-blown AMG models but members of the newly formed AMG Sport sub-brand (which is about to get canned, apparently - more on that here). It’s the idea.
When you opt for a Mercedes-AMG SLC, you don’t just buy an AMG car, you buy a small roadster with a ridiculous V8 engine. The whole car is preposterous, and that’s the point. You don’t want one that makes more sense, that’s more affordable or more economical, you want the V8 one.
But that’s where we’re headed. Mercedes-AMG needs to cut down on emissions and fuel consumption, and the SLC drew the short stick and was the first to suffer the consequences. Oh, well, they could have used a dumbed-down version of the new 4.0-liter V8 engine, but they probably know better. And since the two-liter four-cylinder unit in the AMG A45 sounds so damn good, here’s to hoping the V6 will be at least just as obnoxious.
One thing is certain: the new Mercedes-AMG SLC43 is definitely helped by the design changes, and that’s plain to see in the clip below. What we’re still waiting for is to hear the sound the V6 makes on the SLC, and that’s something this clip, unfortunately, doesn’t clarify for us.
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