Hairdressers jokes aside, the Mercedes SLC, formerly known as the SLK, was a fun-to-drive roadster, and a very pretty one, especially towards the end of its life. But its story ended abruptly roughly three years ago, when the last one rolled off the assembly line at the Bremen factory, in Germany.
Its demise left a gap in the three-pointed star brand’s that has yet to be filled. As for the ‘why’ part of the story, well, you can blame the crossover boom, and the fact that when they pulled the plug on it, it was 9 years old, and a successor was deemed unprofitable. That’s despite Audi still having the TT in its lineup, and Porsche the 718 Boxster, which, alongside the Cayman, is going electric.
The last Mercedes SLC was offered with an assortment of gasoline engines, including a tiny 1.6-liter in the base 180, and twin-turbo V6 in the AMG SLC 43. The 55 version used to pack a 5.5-liter V8 (ah, the good old days!), and for daily driving on the right side of the pond, they also gave it a diesel four-banger. Depending on the powertrain, transmission options included a six-speed manual, or an automatic with either five, seven, or nine speeds. The latter was reserved for the final iteration of the roadster.
Now, the bigger SL has withstood the test of time, and for the latest generation, Mercedes handed over the development part to its AMG sub-brand. The bigger model still goes against the likes of the Porsche 911, and it is offered with various powertrains, including a tiny 2.0-liter four-pot, and the ubiquitous bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8. It has a 2+2 seating configuration and a rag top above the passenger compartment that stows away in a special compartment behind the seats at the push of a button.
If Mercedes can keep the SL alive, then why did they fail with the SLC? After all, they did (and still do) possess all the tools to make it happen. But it’s not a crossover, and this is what mostly sells these days. Thus, they decided that one roadster is enough. But while the German auto marque has no intention of expanding its lineup with yet another open-top car, the internet has managed to keep the SLC alive these past few years with all sorts of unofficial takes on it.
Signed by tedoradze.giorgi and shared on Instagram earlier this week, one of the latest imagines it in a modern-looking package. It has the Panamericana grille up front, slender lighting units, flush-mounted door handles, folding metal roof, and large multi-spoke alloys. This is one cute design that we can get behind of, and we think that it might just sell if they manage to keep the price in check. But would you buy one?
The last Mercedes SLC was offered with an assortment of gasoline engines, including a tiny 1.6-liter in the base 180, and twin-turbo V6 in the AMG SLC 43. The 55 version used to pack a 5.5-liter V8 (ah, the good old days!), and for daily driving on the right side of the pond, they also gave it a diesel four-banger. Depending on the powertrain, transmission options included a six-speed manual, or an automatic with either five, seven, or nine speeds. The latter was reserved for the final iteration of the roadster.
Now, the bigger SL has withstood the test of time, and for the latest generation, Mercedes handed over the development part to its AMG sub-brand. The bigger model still goes against the likes of the Porsche 911, and it is offered with various powertrains, including a tiny 2.0-liter four-pot, and the ubiquitous bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8. It has a 2+2 seating configuration and a rag top above the passenger compartment that stows away in a special compartment behind the seats at the push of a button.
If Mercedes can keep the SL alive, then why did they fail with the SLC? After all, they did (and still do) possess all the tools to make it happen. But it’s not a crossover, and this is what mostly sells these days. Thus, they decided that one roadster is enough. But while the German auto marque has no intention of expanding its lineup with yet another open-top car, the internet has managed to keep the SLC alive these past few years with all sorts of unofficial takes on it.
Signed by tedoradze.giorgi and shared on Instagram earlier this week, one of the latest imagines it in a modern-looking package. It has the Panamericana grille up front, slender lighting units, flush-mounted door handles, folding metal roof, and large multi-spoke alloys. This is one cute design that we can get behind of, and we think that it might just sell if they manage to keep the price in check. But would you buy one?