Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt

That's what SLK stands for, as in Mercedes SLK. Sporty, light, and compact. This small roadster mostly lives up to its abbreviation.

Also abbreviated is the SLK's rear deck, giving it a pistol-taut look. On the road, it's as billet-hewn solid as any Mercedes.  The SLK may not strain at the leash to go back-roading, as its Porsche and BMW competitors do; it's more stately, more Rodeo Drive than Mulholland Drive. But that doesn't mean the SLK doesn't know what to do with a curve.

Indeed, there's new excitement in the SLK, now that a smooth new 3.2-liter six can be had in place of the supercharged 4-cylinder.

So sporty? Yes. Compact? Sure. Light? It doesn't feel that way on the road-or in the wallet. But that's not why you wanted a Mercedes, is it?

Tomorrow: What tops a Mercedes roadster?



A Hard Top That's Hard to Top

Mercedes' SLK is a convertible with a full metal jacket, or a coupe with a built-in chop shop.

Press one button, and an intricate mechanical ballet begins. Windows drop, access panels open, the rear deck rises, and the roof disappears, all in glorious synchronicity.

That's not a new trick; Ford's Skyliner did the same in the 50s, and Lexus has since followed suit with its Sport Coupe. But it's done seamlessly, even in the literal sense: During recent monsoons, not one drop of water entered the Benz.

The roof, by the way, is moved so smoothly that water on top stays put through the entire lowering/raising cycle.

Which proves that you can't spell slick without SLK.