The R170 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class is the first generation of the

Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class The Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class is a compact executive roadster, produced by Mercedes-Benz. It was released in 1996 and was built at the Mercedes plant in Bremen, Germany, until the end of production in 2020. The former name "SLK" was derived from ' ...

range of compact luxury

roadsters __NOTOC__ Roadster may refer to: Transportation * Roadster (automobile), an open, two-seat, often sporty car ** Roadster utility, an automobile with an open-topped roadster body and a rear cargo bed * Roadster (bicycle), a utilitarian bicycle, typ ...

produced by

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...

between 1996 and 2004. SLK stands for the company’s design mission to create a ''sportlich'' (sporty), ''leicht'' (light) and ''kurz'' (compact) roadster, and is based on a shortened platform of the W202 Mercedes C-Class. It was replaced by the Mercedes R171 SLK in 2004.

Development and launch

The R170 Mercedes SLK is based on the SLK I Concept and SLK II Concept, which is a two-seater roadster concept car that features a folding metal electro-hydraulic roof, dubbed 'vario-roof' by Mercedes, and takes 25 seconds to operate. A German design patent was filed on 30 September 1993, with the final production version of the SLK introduced at the

Turin Motor Show The Turin Motor Show ( it, Salone dell'Automobile di Torino) was an auto show held annually in Turin, Italy. The first official show took place between 21 and 24 April 1900, at the Castle of Valentino, becoming a permanent fixture in Turin from 1 ...

on 22 April 1996. The R170 SLK is based on the W202 C-Class platform, sharing many drivetrain and chassis components, as well as using a shortened version of the floor pan. The wheelbase is also identical to the wheelbase of the 190SL and 300SL, at . The platform of the R170 Mercedes SLK is also used by the

Chrysler Crossfire The Chrysler Crossfire is a rear-wheel drive, two-seat sports car that was sold by Chrysler and built by Karmann of Germany for the 2004 to 2008 model years. Developed during the union of Daimler and Chrysler, the two-seater is based on the ...

, which shares 80% of its components with the car.

Equipment

Standard equipment includes power seats, power windows,

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

, dual-zone

climate control Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...

, dimmable interior mirror, and alloy wheels. Safety features include front and side driver and passenger

airbags An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate extremely quickly, then quickly deflate during a collision. It consists of the airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. T ...

anti-lock brakes An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety anti-skid braking system used on aircraft and on land vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. ABS operates by preventing the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby maintainin ...

, and

electronic stability control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction ( skiddi ...

. Models could also be optioned with the AMG body design package, that features body colour side skirts, chromed tailpipes, and 17-inch AMG alloy wheels. Wider wheels were also available on SLK 230 Kompressor models.

Models

SLK 200, SLK 200 Kompressor

The SLK 200 was exported and sold exclusively to Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, and Greece, and was only available with the

Getrag Getrag (), stylized as GETRAG, was a major supplier of transmission systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the ''Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik ...

five-speed

manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...

in most countries. After the 2000

facelift A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mult ...

, the SLK 200 Kompressor was introduced to the worldwide market, replacing the SLK 200.

Engines

SLK 32 AMG

The SLK 32 AMG was introduced in 2001, designed to rival the BMW M Roadster and Porsche Boxster S. The car featured the same M112 engine as in the SLK 320, but has a helical twin-screw

supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...

and water-to-air intercooler. The SLK 32 AMG introduced Mercedes’ new ‘SpeedShift’ 5G-Tronic (automatic) transmission, that allow for manual shifting of the gears, and faster automatic downshifts before overtaking. There was no manual transmission option available for the SLK 32 AMG. The SLK 32 AMG features a more angular steering wheel, AMG instrument dials, an updated front and rear bumper with larger air intakes, and larger brakes; from , upgraded to in diameter. SLK 32 production started from January 2001, to March 2004. A total of 4,333 were produced; 979 were sold in Germany, 2,056 were imported to the US, and 263 to the UK.

Model year changes

1998

* Passenger airbag will now automatically deactivate if Mercedes-branded child seat is fitted

1999

* Storage net, automatic-dimming rear view mirrors, and vehicle motion sensing alarm added * Introduction of Manual transmission and AMG Sport package options, which included Sport aero body kit, 17" staggered AMG wheels, HD sway bars, and performance exhaust

2000 facelift

Production for facelift models began after February 2000. Major changes include: * Exterior design changes including: redesigned front and rear bumpers, a redesigned silver grille and taillights, body-colour painted side-skirts and door handles, integrated indicators in wing mirrors, and stainless steel trim in the exhaust * Interior design changes including: a restyled steering wheel and transmission shifter, and more supportive sports seats * SLK 230 Kompressor engine updated, SLK 320 introduced, and SLK 200 Kompressor replaces SLK 200 and now introduced for worldwide market *

Electronic stability control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction ( skiddi ...

upgraded * The fuel tank volume was increased from to

2001

* Six-speed manual transmission introduced, replacing the existing five-speed manual transmission * SLK 32 AMG high performance variant introduced

Safety

Production volumes

The following are production figures for the R170 SLK:

Awards

* The R170 Mercedes SLK was on

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was fou ...

's Ten Best list for 1997. * Named ‘

North American Car of the Year The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year are a set of automotive awards announced at a news conference each January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The jury consists of no more than 60 automotive journalis ...

’ for 1997.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{Mercedes-Benz vehicles

R170 R17 or R-17 may refer to: Vessels * , an aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy * , also HMS ''Valentine'' (R17), a destroyer of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Navy * , a submarine of the United States Navy Other uses * R17 (New York ...

2000s cars Cars introduced in 1996 Roadsters