2010 Mercedes-Benz Roadsters SLK300 vs. SLK350 Overview.

2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK300 Roadster vs. SLK350 Roadster Overview.
(December 30th, 2009 by BenzOnly - Exclusive Editorial Review)

    The only difference stands between the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster Class and the premium Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster Class is the letter “K” at the end. “K” stands for “Kurze” and translates from German: “Short”. Basically, SLK Class is a short version of the legendary and World - Famed SL Class. 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class consists of two non-AMG models: SLK300 Roadster and SLK350 Roadster and one AMG model: SLK55 AMG Roadster. BenzOnly.com will discuss non-AMG models in this article.

    Dimensions:
    All dimensions of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class: SLK300 and SLK350 models are completely the same - the identical length, width, wheelbase, size of wheels and the same room. As true Roadsters – they have only 2 seats. Both of them feature Power Hard Convertible Top as Standard equipment. Full Top of a regular car disappears in the trunk in just 22 seconds to quietly transform from coupe to cabriolet, by using either a button or a remote control.

    Sport Package:
    Optional Sport Package is available on both models to add Sport Body styling, Sport suspension, 18 “ AMG wheels and steering wheel mounted shift-paddles. While Sport package adds a dramatic Formula-1 inspired body sculpture, you need to be aware of hard stiffness of the sport-tuned suspension! Test - drive before you buy!

    Powertrain:
    Both models feature 24 Valve V6 engines. “300” stands for 3.0 liter engine and “350” stands for 3.5 liter engine expectedly. However, these two engines are two different animals. 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK300 engine produces a mere 228 Horsepower, while SLK350 outputs healthy 300 Horsepower. 72 Horsepower is a huge difference in performance! More power is not just a faster drive, more power means: easier handling, better maneuverability and refined control of the vehicle under any circumstances.

    Acceleration:
    2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 beats SLK300 by 0.7 second from 0 to 60 miles per hour. 5.4 seconds vs. 6.1 seconds is the difference in their acceleration. Another noticeable fact is the easiness of SLK350 acceleration comparing to the maximum effort of SLK300 to get going.

    Transmission:
    SLK300 comes with standard 6-speed manual transmission and optional 7-speed, Touch-Shift Manually Interactive Automatic Transmission - which is already standard equipment on the SLK350. If you are considering getting an automatic transmission, then you have to narrow the difference in price between two models, because you have to pay extra money for auto transmission on SLK300.

    Drivetrain:
    Mercedes-Benz sticks with Rear Wheel Drive design, because it helps to distribute the weight of the front and the rear of the vehicle almost equally – to produce effortless handling. Vehicles with Front Wheel Drive don’t have the same luxury. That’s why all high performance cars, sports cars and even police cars are usually Rear Wheel Drive. All 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class is a Rear Wheel Drive.

    Fuel- Efficiency:
    Although, SLK350 produces 72 more Horsepower than SLK300, at the same time, it does not burn more gas! Both SLK350 and SLK300 can drive 18 miles per 1 gallon of gas on average in the City-drive! But SLK300 edges SLK350 on the Highway-drive just by 1 mile. 26 MPG of SLK300 vs. 25 MPG of SLK350 is the difference.

    Bottom Line:
    There is a $5,000 difference in price between 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK300 base MSRP of $47,775 and SLK350 base MSRP of $52,775. If you add 7-Speed Automatic Transmission to SLK300, which is $1,490 - then the price difference will drop to just $3,500!
    BenzOnly.com recommends SLK350 as a clear winner in every category! $3,500 is a very small price difference on the $50k-plus vehicle to offset its technical shortcomings. However, SLK300 may be a better choice: if it has sufficiently better financial program or factory incentives, which can generate a lot more overall saving. BenzOnly.com aims to give you useful information to digest, but lets you decide.

2010 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Photos, Models, Options and Brochures.
2010 Mercedes-Benz Financial Specials.
2010 Mercedes-Benz Dealer Quotes, Test Drive or Information.
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