Advantages: A super stylish motor car Disadvantages: Expensive
Once again, a review of a discontinued model (!), but here are my thoughts on my 1999 MercedesCLK230 (W208) Kompressor Coupe, in Elegance trim.
Bought in 2001, with one previous owner (originally registered in 1999 so its an "S" reg) and 25,000 miles, my CLK has now done 72,000 miles and is soon to be sold as the baby seat doesn't fit in the back !
Mine is the 230K (4 cylinder, 2,295cc), and turns out 197 bhp with a 0-62mph time of 9.5 seconds (the manual is a claimed 9.1 seconds, as opposed to my 5 speed automatic) on its way to a top speed of 136mph - although I clearly couldn't claim to have ever gone that fast, officer.... Also available is a 3.2 V6, a 4.3 V8, and the ultimate, the CLK55 AMG high-performance model.
The "Elegance" trim means walnut wood inlays in the doors and centre console, plus a chrome strip around ...
Advantages: Very stylish, nice to own and drive. Disadvantages: Very little luggage space with the roof down.
We purchased our first SLK in March 1998. The first sports car we had owned. It was sitting there in the local Mercedes dealer's showroom and following a test drive we decided to buy it.
At the time, this Mercedes dealership afforded a first class service and was a pleasure to deal with, but more about that in another opinion.
What a brilliant piece of engineering this car was with it's folding roof, watching the whole thing disappear into the boot at the touch of a button.
The bodywork was finished in silver with a black leather interior, the best combination, in my opinion. It had the standard 7 spoke polished alloys fitted and again, these 16" wheels suited the car really well. Later styles of 16" wheels fitted to the facelift SLK 230 are not so appealing in my view.
Out on the road the super-charged 4 cylinder engine ...
