Engine

* Catalytic converter

* Digital Motor Electronics (DME)

* Double-VANOS

* EU5 emissions management

* Light alloy engine block and cylinder head

* Six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with four-valve technology

* Twin turbocharge

* VALVETRONIC engine management

Transmission

* Dynamic Performance Control utilising rear axle variable torque distribution system, with display in instrument cluster

* Six-speed automatic transmission with electronic gear selector and Steptronic

* Steering wheel-mounted gearshift paddles in pearl-gloss chrome

* xDrive four-wheel-drive system with fully-variable torque split

Wheels and chassis

* 19″ Light alloy wheels Star-spoke style 232

* Disc brakes – front and rear, inner-vented

* Double-wishbone front axle

* Electro-mechanical parking brake with auto-hold function

* Power-assisted steering, hydraulic

* Sports Suspension

Safety and technology

* Airbags – front and side, driver and front passenger

* Alarm system (Thatcham 1) with remote control and engine immobiliser

* Anti-roll bars, front and rear

* Automatic Differential Brake (ADB -X)

* Automatic Stability Control (ASC-X)

* Brake drying

* Brake fade compensation

* Brake Force Display

* Brake pre-tensioning

* Crash sensor activating central locking release, hazard warning lights, fuel cut-off and interior lighting

* Cruise control with brake function

* Deformation zones – front and rear with door reinforcements and bumpers that regenerate to their original shape in impacts up to 2.5 mph

* Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) comprising: Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Automatic Stability Control (ASC + T), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Electronic Brake-force Distribution

(EBD),Hill-start Assistant

* Dynamic Stability Control Plus (DSC +) comprising: Brake Drying, Brake fade compensation, Brake pre-tensioning,

* Hill-start assistant and Soft stop

* First Aid kit and warning triangle

* Foglights, front and rear

* Follow-me-home headlight function (time adjustable)

* Head restraints front and rear, height adjustable and removable

* High level third brake light

* ITS head airbags, for front & rear passengers

* Park Distance Control (PDC) front and rear

* Passenger airbag de-activation

* Rain sensor with automatic headlight activation

* Run-flat tyres with Tyre Puncture Warning System (TPWS)

* Seat belts – inertia reel at the front with pyrotechnical belt latch tensioner, belt force limiter and belt restrainer

* Seat belts – two with inertia reel, rear

* Side impact protection

* Visible VIN

* Wheel bolts, locking

* Xenon headlights

Seats

* 60:40 split-folding rear seat

* Child seat ISOFIX attachment, rear

* Seat adjustment – front, part-electric

* Two individual rear seats with integrated rear console and folding centre armrest

Exterior equipment

* All round anti-corrosion system with partial hot galvanising, phosphate treatment and cathodic dip paintwork, preservation of hollow cavities, underfloor protection

* Central locking system covering all doors, tailgate and fuel filler flap, with two remote control units including personal profile settings

* Door exit lights located on underside of all four doors

* Door handles, rain channel and roof moulding, body-coloured

* Downlights, in exterior door handles

* Exhaust tailpipes – round, stainless steel with chrome finisher, left & right

* Exterior mirrors – aspheric, tinted, heated, electrically adjusted and part-body-coloured

* Illuminated light rings, functioning as welcome lights, parking lights, daytime running lights and side lights

* Indicator lenses, clear

* Kidney grilles, chrome with black vertical slats

* Tailgate, one piece with intermediate stop function and sill finisher in stainless steel

* Windscreen washer jets – heated

Interior equipment

* Courtesy lights front and rear, with soft on/off dimming

* Cup holders front and rear

* Electric windows – front and rear with open/close fingertip control, anti-trap facility and comfort closing function all round

* Floor mats, velour

* Footwell lights, front & rear

* Glove compartment, centrally-locked and illuminated

* Instrument binnacle with speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, consumption, and coolant temperature

* Knee pads on centre console for driver & front passenger, upholstered in line with seat selection

* Luggage compartment lights in the tailgate

* Power socket (12V) in the luggage compartment

* Reading lights, front and rear

* Rear-view mirror, automatically dimming

* Securing rings in luggage compartment, four

* Smoker’s package

* Start/Stop button

* Storage compartments in interior door panels with anti-slip mats in amber

* Sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors

* Toolkit located in luggage compartment

* Windows – heat-insulated, green tinted all round

* Windscreen with grey shade band

Steering wheels

* Steering column with electric reach and rake adjustment

* Three-spoke multi-function sports leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles in pearl-gloss chrome

Audio and communications

* Auxiliary input point for auxiliary playing devices (eg MP3 player)

* BMW Professional twin-tuner radio with single CD player (with MP3 CD playback capability)

* CD changer preparation

* Control Display – 6.5″ colour display screen

* iDrive Controller on centre console

* Loudspeaker system with six speakers

* On-board Computer (OBC), comprising: average fuel consumption, average speed, on-board diagnosis, outside temperature display and range

* Preparation for six CD changer

Paintwork, upholstery and trims

* Interior trim – Dark Bamboo wood

* Metallic Paintwork

* Upholstery – Twill Cloth

Fuel consumption (Imperial)

Fuel consumption (Metric)

Urban (mpg)     19.0     Urban (ltr/100km)     14.9

Extra-urban (mpg)     31.7     Extra-urban (ltr/100km)     8.9

Combined (mpg)     25.4     Combined (ltr/100km)     11.1

CO2 emissions (g/km)     259

Tank capacity (ltr)     85

Figures in () represent automatic transmission

1st September 2009

Dimensions

Wheelbase     2933

Vehicle length     4877

Vehicle width     1983

Vehicle height     1690

Track, front     1644

Track, rear     1706

Performance

Weight

Drag (cD)     0.34     Unladen (EU)     2145

Top speed (mph)     149     Max permissible     2670

Acceleration 0-62 mph (sec)     6.7     Permitted load     600

Acceleration 50-75 mph in 4th (sec)     n/a     Permitted axle load, front/rear     1280/1470

Engine

Wheels

Cylinders/valves     6/24     Tyre size front     255/50 R19 107V XL RSC

Capacity (cc)     2979     Tyre size rear     255/50 R19 107V XL RSC

Stroke/Bore (mm)     89.6/84.0

Max output (kW/hp/rpm)     225/306/5800     Wheel size front     9 J x 19 Light Alloy

Max torque (Nm/rpm)     400/1300-3000     Wheel size rear     9 J x 19 Light Alloy

Fans of naturally aspirated V8 engines, rejoice! Mercedes-Benz and AMG have revealed the third generation of their enfant terrible, the new SLK 55 AMG, ahead of it’s world premiere at the Frankfurt motor show.

And, for once, the badge actually matches the engine. The drop-top roadster gets a 5.5-litre V8, essentially the same new V8 currently doing the business in the CLS 63 AMG, the S 63 AMG, E 63 AMG and CL 63 AMG. Just without the two turbochargers.

This V8 distinguishes itself from its turbocharged sibling with new intake air ducting, new cylinder heads, a modified valve drive, an adapted oil supply system, an optimised crankcase, four-valve technology and a Formula One-style cylinder ‘shut-off’ system. As the name suggests, under partial throttle, two or four of the eight pots are turned off to help fuel consumption and emissions. In fact, Mercedes claims it only emits 199g/km of CO2 and returns around 28mpg.

But you won’t care about the SLK 55 AMG’s preservationist credentials. Because that 5.5-litre V8 produces 420bp (60bhp up from the old SLK 55) and 400lb ft of torque, which feeds a Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic auto ‘box. It’ll accelerate from 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds and keep going to a limited top speed of 250kph.

AMG has fiddled with the SLK’s suspension too, stiffening up the springs, dampers and stabilisers as well as applying more negative camber on the rear axle to help combat body roll and aid high-speed stability. It also gets drilled and vented discs and torque vectoring brakes that actuate on one of the rear wheels during ‘critical cornering conditions’. There’s also AMG’s Direct-Steer system, which graduates the assistance from the power steering. ESP is available in ‘on’, ‘sport handling’ and ‘off’ modes, and you can opt for the AMG handling pack, with even stiffer suspension, a rear axle differential lock, composite brake discs and a three-spoke steering wheel.

The new AMG sports exhaust features two flaps: both are closed under 2,000rpm, then open gradually above this at 15, 30 and 50 degrees, and sit wide open under full throttle. For the layman’s definition of this, read ‘quiet when cruising, a bit louder when pushed then ruddy thunderous when hooned’.

Mercedes has looked to the halo SLS for the 55′s interior design, such as the brushed aluminium centre console, an AMG analogue watch, and ‘jet engine’ style air vents. As expected, you sit in plush AMG sports seats, nappa leather and, of course, get the option of the panoramic vario-roof, which switches from light to dark by simply pressing a button.

There’s also an ‘Edition 1′ 55 AMG ion the menu, specifying different interior and exterior details such as light-alloy wheels, three paint finishes and two-tone leather inside. Excited by this news?