The triptych of (relatively) affordable German roadsters has now passed the decade mark. All three show plenty of staying power, though the Mercedes Benz SLK has lagged behind the BMW Z4 and the Porsche Boxster in both sales and reviews, most notably because there wasn't enough sport in the sports car. The SLK has been a too-civilized animal.
With the 2009 model, to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the SLK gets more grit under the hood, at least for the 3.5-liter version. A higher compression ratio, modified valve train, redesigned inlet manifold and a higher, 7200-rpm redline bump power to 300 hp and raise torque to 265 lb-ft. The base SLK300 remains the same with a 3.0-liter, 228-hp engine.
The nose gets a redesign as well with a big V-shaped bulge that evokes Mercedes Benz's Formula One racer (see photos after the jump). Inside, there's more clap-trap on the steering wheel and a media interface in the glovebox for iPod connectivity, standard Bluetooth compatibility, and Mercedes'
Linguatronic voice control system. As you might expect, there's no word on pricing yet.
Sources: AutoWeek, Motor Trend, Mercedes Benz
