Local fans of the star badge can now get their hands on Mercedes-Benz's new sleek roadster and svelte coupe

Mercedes-Benz yesterday launched two new sleek models for the local market: the new SLK and the much anticipated C-Class Coupe.

With the completely new SLK, one of the most exciting and successful sports cars ever built is entering its third generation.

The new roadster uncompromisingly takes driving pleasure and open-air enjoyment to a new level.

What’s more, the SLK is proud to present the world premiere of the panoramic vario-roof with ‘Magic Sky Control’, which switches to light or dark at the touch of a button. The designers have tailor-made an outfit for the new SLK, emphasizing its classic roadster proportions and puts them in the spotlight to thrilling effect. Behind the long bonnet is a compact passenger compartment positioned far back, and a short tail end. The SLK will tempt potential customers with the key attributes that characterizes all the classic roadsters from Mercedes-Benz and that have also made many of them automotive icons.

The amazing and measurable proof of the meticulously detailed work that has been carried out is that in spite of the more striking, steeper front and the larger frontal area, the Cd value has been cut to just 0.30 — in comparison, the preceding model’s Cd value was 0.32.

With the most compact dimensions in its class, the new SLK has an interior whose generous size is exemplary. To achieve this, the designers have developed interior appointments which offer the driver and passenger a real feel-good ambience. Even in the base version the center console and other trim parts gleam in brushed aluminium. Wood can be selected as an option in high-gloss dark brown walnut or high-gloss black ash. Four round, galvanised air outlets integrated in the dashboard emphasize that this model well and truly belongs to the Mercedes-Benz sports car family, their shape being derived from those in the SLS.

Two models of the SLK is available. The four-cylinder engine in the SLK 200 BlueEfficiency produces 184bhp courtesy of a turbocharged 1.8-liter engine. The SLK 200 has the lowest CO2 emissions in its segment - with the enhanced, optional seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-Tronic Plus, it consumes just 6.1 litres of premium petrol over 100 kilometers, corresponding to 142 g of CO2 per kilometre. This sporty model sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds, and achieves a top speed of 237 km/h.

The 3.5-liter V6 engine in the SLK 350 generates 306bhp, using this power to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds (top speed 250 km/h). Its consumption is 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres (167 g of CO2 per kilometre). The V6 engine has been completely newly developed. Its most important hallmarks are third-generation direct injection, piezo injectors and multi-spark ignition. Eco start/stop system is fitted as part of the standard specification in all models.

The SLK 200 retails for $248,888 while the SLK 350 at $298,888. Both prices include COE.

With the new C-Class Coupé, Mercedes-Benz now enters a new market segment offering a compact coupé with classic proportions for the first time. From the side, the new coupé will impress onlookers with its flat silhouette with powerful shoulders and narrow C-pillar in a classic three-box design. Typical coupé features include the short front overhang, long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and long, stretched-out roof.

A highlight in the interior is the coupé seats with integral head restraints and single seats in the rear, thereby demonstrating the car's sporty credentials to the driver. The dashboard reveals a strong, sporty and high-quality design including three tube rings with a galvanised finish. A large section of trim is a high-quality part of the dashboard instrument panel. This extends from the center air vents across the front passenger side to the outer air vent, emphasizing the interior\'s generous proportions. For the first time in automotive engineering, the trim parts are available in a porcelain piano-lacquer look, so complementing the car's exclusive interior feel.

The ‘Agility Control’ suspension, which is standard equipment and has a sporty configuration, complements the dynamic engines to perfection. This is based on an amplitude-dependent damping system: when driving normally with low shock absorber impulses, the damping forces are automatically reduced for a noticeable improvement in road roar and tyre vibration characteristics — but without any compromise in handling safety.

Four variants are available — the C180 Coupe BlueEfficiency, C180 Coupe BlueEfficiency Style Package, C250 Coupe BlueEfficiency and C350 Coupe BlueEfficiency.

Both C180 and C180 Style Package come with a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine that’s mated to a 7-speed 7G-Tronic Plus transmission to produce 156bhp and 250Nm of torque. The C250, on the other hand, gets an uprated 1.8-liter turbocharged engine, also mated to a 7-speed 7G-Tronic Plus transmission but produces 204bbhp and 310Nm of torque. The C350 is the most powerful of the lot — with a 3.5-liter V6 powerplant mated to the same 7-speeder ‘box, it whips out 306bhp and 370Nm of torque.

Prices are $196,888 for the C180 Coupe Style Package, $204,888 for the C180 Coupe, $217,888 for the C250 Coupe and $267,888 for the C350 Coupe respectively. All prices include COE.