Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the new SLC roadster. The SLC is essentially a facelift version of the SLK which now gets the company’s new nomenclature.
The facelift model gets new headlamps with integrated DRLs in tune with Mercedes’ new design language, a restyled diamond grille, new rear bumper, LED tail lights and dual exhausts. The LED Intelligent Light System can be ordered as an option. The car also gets an improved retractable hardtop that can be opened or closed at speeds upto 40kph.
On the interior the SLC gets a new three spoke flat bottom steering wheel wrapped in Nappa leather with paddle shifters, large multifunction, colour TFT display with a screen diagonal of 4.5 inches, optional ambient lighting in three colours: solar red, polar blue and polar white, 7 inch screen for the COMMAND infotainment system, 20 CD changer, navigation, Bluetooth, USB, Ipod and Iphone connectivity.
The SLC gets new “sun-reflecting leather upholstery”, where the shoulder area of the seats features a new perforated design, while with “sun-reflecting nappa leather” the seats now feature transverse fluting in the selected colour. The piping and topstitching are in a contrasting colour. Two new colours have also been added – saddle brown (in conjunction with nappa leather and Exclusive nappa leather) and platinum white (in conjunction with nappa leather, Exclusive nappa leather, designo nappa leather and designo Exclusive nappa leather), panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL.
There are a variety of engines offered on the SLC. The entry level SLC 180 gets a 156 horsepower 4 cylinder engine, the SLC 200 makes 184 horses with its 2.0 litre motor, while the SLC 300 makes 245 horsepower. The range topping Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 gets a 3 litre V6 bi turbo engine developing 367 horsepower. It goes from 0 to 100 kph in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kph (electronically limited). The SLC 180 and 200 models are mated to a 6 speed manual gear box as standard, while the SLC 250 d, SLC 300 and SLC 43 get the 9G-TRONIC automatic gearbox. The 9G-TRONIC is optional on the SLC 180 and 200.
DYNAMIC SELECT offers 4 driving modes in the SLC: “Comfort”, “Sport”, “Sport+”, “Eco” and “Individual”. It also comes with Active Brake Assist as standard. In addition to radar-based proximity warning and braking assistance by Adaptive Brake Assist, this Active Brake Assist system carries out autonomous braking to reduce the danger of rear-end collisions. If the driver fails to act when a risk of a collision is detected, despite the warning lamp in the instrument cluster and the intermittent audible alert, the system will initiate automatic braking.
The Mercedes SLC will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show.
