Photo: Guido ten Brink/SB-Medien
After many years of neglect and the discontinuation of the SLK 55 AMG, the SLC comes to a grinding halt at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The Final Edition is a disappointing sendoff, one that reminds Mercedes-Benz how things could have turned out if more research & development went into the German automaker’s smallest roadster.
First things first, the third generation of the SLK came out in 2011 with four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engine options. Then the mid-cycle refresh dropped the V8, changing the name to SLC-Class to conform with the three-pointed star’s most recent nomenclature. Care to guess which is the range-topping powertrain in the R172? That would be the Mercedes-AMG SLC 43, sporting a twin-turbo V6 displacing 3.0 liters and the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
The Final Edition that Mercedes-Benz brought to Geneva isn’t even the AMG, but the SLC 300. What that’s supposed to mean is four cylinders, a turbocharger, 245 PS, and 370 Nm. As expected, these figures are unimpressive by today’s standards, more so when compared with segment rivals.
More or less a trim package, the Final Edition comes in Sun Yellow as a tribute to the original SLK from 1996. Speaking of which, the first generation’s color was called Yellowstone. As expected of Mercedes-Benz, the Final Edition boasts carbon-fiber trim and lots of badging inside and out.
Features that are otherwise optional on the SLC 300 include the Airscarf, 18-inch AMG wheels, and two-tone leather upholstery. The sports suspension lowers the ride height by 10 millimeters, and if you look closely, the brakes are larger than ever for more stopping power.
Priced at 41,536.95 euros in Germany for the SLC 180, the Final Edition is available even on the SLC 43 for 65,045.40 euros. The order books opened in February 2019, and deliveries start this month.
Being the end of the line for the SLC-Class, we couldn’t end this story without mentioning the rumor mill. Word has it Mercedes-AMG wants a piece of the Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, which is why the successor to the SLC is expected to go mid-engine. Now that the One hybrid hypercar is ready to challenge the best names in the industry, a mid-rear layout isn’t taboo any longer for the three-pointed star.
The Final Edition that Mercedes-Benz brought to Geneva isn’t even the AMG, but the SLC 300. What that’s supposed to mean is four cylinders, a turbocharger, 245 PS, and 370 Nm. As expected, these figures are unimpressive by today’s standards, more so when compared with segment rivals.
More or less a trim package, the Final Edition comes in Sun Yellow as a tribute to the original SLK from 1996. Speaking of which, the first generation’s color was called Yellowstone. As expected of Mercedes-Benz, the Final Edition boasts carbon-fiber trim and lots of badging inside and out.
Features that are otherwise optional on the SLC 300 include the Airscarf, 18-inch AMG wheels, and two-tone leather upholstery. The sports suspension lowers the ride height by 10 millimeters, and if you look closely, the brakes are larger than ever for more stopping power.
Priced at 41,536.95 euros in Germany for the SLC 180, the Final Edition is available even on the SLC 43 for 65,045.40 euros. The order books opened in February 2019, and deliveries start this month.
Being the end of the line for the SLC-Class, we couldn’t end this story without mentioning the rumor mill. Word has it Mercedes-AMG wants a piece of the Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, which is why the successor to the SLC is expected to go mid-engine. Now that the One hybrid hypercar is ready to challenge the best names in the industry, a mid-rear layout isn’t taboo any longer for the three-pointed star.
Google News