SLK250 CDI - The 1st Diesel SLK

[scumbag]

. Sound rugged, tough, hard working.

Exactly.




Full tractor qualities going on there. ideal for driving around the country in.

 

[grober]

I thought MB were supposed to be marketing the new SLK towards men. If that's the case, strange choice of driver for the publicity shots...

MarkP

The video originates from the German motoring magazine Auto Bild not Mercedes marketing. It features a former DTM series driver Ellen Lohr perhaps a more discerning driver than the usual motoring hack .

 

[st4]

Exactly.




Full tractor qualities going on there. ideal for driving around the country in.

At speed you predominately get tyre roar and in a drop top wind noise. The sound of the engine I feel won't detract from the noise too much.

Plus, petrol really does smell worse, I filled a car up with petrol and the smell gave me a headache, never had that problem with a diesel car.

 

[scumbag]

At speed you predominately get tyre roar and in a drop top wind noise. The sound of the engine I feel won't detract from the noise too much.

Plus, petrol really does smell worse, I filled a car up with petrol and the smell gave me a headache, never had that problem with a diesel car.

I guess there are 2 points there.

1. If you are driving along country lanes with the roof down enjoying the view, you will hear the engine and you reverb from the stone walls. As an example if you were driving through the lakes, you would not be hammering along. With the roof down the wind from the higher speeds will be the predominant nose over tyre roar etc.

When I used to drive with the roof down, part of the aural pleasure was hearing the engine exhaust note.. The same applies today but the rollerskate has a tuned exhaust anyway.

2. I am being as blunt as I can be here. if you are driving any car and you can smell the fuel, you have a big problem. BIG. And you really don't want to be breathing in any of the fumes from any exhaust, but the black sooty stuff that comes out of diesel is something to avoid.


The thing with an SLK is you would want to be driving it where you can enjoy the car. So unless they have made the vibration from the diesel disappear, removed the rattle from it when at idle and made the exhaust sound exciting, it will ditract from a car which you have bought for pleasure.

And let's not get away from it, a 2 seater roadster is not bought for its practicality.

A soft top is not bought for its ability to do about 15mpg more than the proper fuelled versions. There are a whole host of dynamic equations which are part of the buying requirements, and there are narrowed down when it becomes a 2 seater, and further narrowed when it becomes a folding hard roof version.

They would not have made it if there was not a market for it.

But why does that market exist?

Choice? hmmmmmm.

Still, just my view so don't let it cloud your judgement.

MX5 Diesel next!

 

[timskemp]

The thing with an SLK is you would want to be driving it where you can enjoy the car. So unless they have made the vibration from the diesel disappear, removed the rattle from it when at idle and made the exhaust sound exciting, it will ditract from a car which you have bought for pleasure.

And let's not get away from it, a 2 seater roadster is not bought for its practicality.

A soft top is not bought for its ability to do about 15mpg more than the proper fuelled versions. There are a whole host of dynamic equations which are part of the buying requirements, and there are narrowed down when it becomes a 2 seater, and further narrowed when it becomes a folding hard roof version.

They would not have made it if there was not a market for it.

But why does that market exist?

MX5 Diesel next!

You are of course 100% correct, it is all about choices and compromises. I personally would find a any of the current 4 cylinder diesels a hard thing to choose as the refinement isn't there, the rattle at idle and the vibration. It's getting better with every generation though and the current Merc fours are better than the BMW and VW ones in that respect. The sixes though are definitely good enough, so an SLK350Cdi would not be a hard choice.

Main problem for me would be the price - the new SLK is so expensive.

Maybe if they did make an MX5 with a twin turbo diesel engine (maybe a 3 cylinder to keep the weight down?) it would sell well to those who currently buy smarts and aygos?

 

[MarkP80]

The video originates from the German motoring magazine Auto Bild not Mercedes marketing. It features a former DTM series driver Ellen Lohr perhaps a more discerning driver than the usual motoring hack .

- Well, I'm no wiser having had it spelt out who it is. DTM driver or not, the pics don't do anything to reinforce MB's efforts to market the car more towards male drivers, as far as I can see.

Cheers,
MarkP

 

[crockers]

Plus, petrol really does smell worse, I filled a car up with petrol and the smell gave me a headache

Try putting it in the petrol tank next time.....saves the seats and carpets too from getting soggy.

 

[grober]

For those that like this kind of thing.