Mercedes-Benz SLC prices and specifications have been released, with the formerly named SLK starting at £30,495 in entry-level SLC200 Sport guise.
Two 2.0-litre petrol engines are available, offering 184bhp in the SLC200, which replaces the SLK200, and 245bhp in the SLK250-replacing SLC300. One diesel engine is offered, with a 2.1-litre unit producing 204bhp uit in the SLC250d, along with CO2 emissions of 114g/km. Emissions for the petrol engines start at 137g/km in the SLC200 equipped with a 9G-Tronic gearbox, 138g/km for the SLC300 with a standard-fit 9G-Tronic ’box and 150g/km for the six-speed manual SLC200.
Read our full Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 review here
No direct replacement for the SLK350 is catered for in the new line-up, UK deliveries of which are set to begin in the spring.
The top-spec SLC43 starts at £46,355. Pictured here at the Detroit motor show, the SLC43 replaces the SLK55 AMG. Power for the heavily reworked rear-wheel-drive roadster hails from the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine used by the S400 Coupé, here using a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
With 362bhp and 384lb ft, the new engine delivers 53bhp and 14lb ft less than the naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8 petrol unit used by its predecessor. But while the SLK55 AMG developed its 398lb ft peak at 4500rpm, the SLC43's can be tapped from 2000rpm. The 0-62mph sprint takes just 4.7sec and the top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
The SLK55 used a seven-speed version of AMG’s Speedshift automatic gearbox, while the SLC43 is fitted with Mercedes-Benz’s latest nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, which features Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Eco and Individual driving modes.
Two spec levels are available: Sport and AMG Line. Sport models feature 17in alloys as standard, while AMG Line brings 18in AMG Line alloys. In SLC200 and 250d format, AMG Line brings a £4000 premium to the respective £30,495 and £32,995 prices, while the SLC300 is only available in AMG Line spec, at £39,985. The 9G-Tronic gearbox on the SLC200 is a £1485 option.
Official performance claims put the SLC43’s 0-62mph time at 4.7sec – 0.1sec slower than the SLK55 - while top speed remains limited to 155mph. The move to the smaller capacity engine has brought about a 2.5mpg improvement in combined cycle fuel economy at 36.2mpg, with average CO2 emissions of 178g/km.
The '43' model designation was first used on the C43 AMG launched in 1997. Powered by a naturally aspirated 4.3-litre V8 petrol engine, the predecessor to today’s C63 produced 302bhp and 302lb ft, sufficient to provide the 1571kg saloon with a 0-62mphh time of 6.5sec and a 155mph top speed.
