autoevolution
 

Mercedes SLC 180 Said to Compete With MX-5 RF and Abarth 124 Spider in the UK

Mercedes-Benz is bringing the entry-level SLC 180 roadster to the UK market this year. Powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that's shared with the C-Class, this 154bhp (156 PS) 2-seater also comes with a conventional 6-speed manual.
Mercedes SLC 180 Said to Compete With MX-5 RF and Abarth 124 Spider 1 photo
Photo: original photo edited by autoevolution
The SLC 180 was available in Europe all along, and it's also the entry-level car in the RHD Japanese market. But Autocar magazine reports the UK launch is meant to combat the arrival of the Mazda MX-5 RF.

The UK configurator lists the SLC 180 at £31,125, offering a standard AMG Line body kit. It's mpg numbers and emissions are by far the lowest in the range, but does this still count as a Mercedes?

Sending all of the available 154bhp and 184lb-ft (249Nm) of torque to the rear wheels results in a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 140mph (225km/h). The RF is slightly heavier than the regular MX-5. But the SLC 180 is a 1,435 kg elephant.

That list price is about £8,000 more than the MX-5 RF, but the Mazda can also be embellished with a bigger engine and the range-topping Launch Edition trim level, pushing the price to £30,000 with options. There's also the Abarth 124 Spider available for similar money, but it's not a volume car.

Insider sources told the British publication that because of the SLC's better residual values, it would actually be cheaper to buy than the Mazda using a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) deal.

The part of the article that really opened our eyes were the sales numbers. Britain is the SLC's biggest market, but only 4,000 units are sold each year. About 700 percent of those come in 250d diesel form, which starts at £36,365 and is equipped with a standard 9-speed automatic gearbox.

Rumor has it that due to slow sales, the SLC will be discontinued. Considering the 2016 launch, we doubt it will survive past the end of the decade.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

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.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories