SLK 32 AMG

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Page Content: DaimlerChrysler Press Text, AutoExpress Article, Official Technical Data

Photo copyright: DaimlerChrysler Additional preparation for the web by MBEP webmaster

Mercedes-Benz SLK 32 AMG:

354-hp V6 new leader among the compact roadsters

· Exclusive: DTM champion Bernd Schneider tests the new SLK 32 AMG

· Kompressor: Supercharged engine provides 450 Newton metres of torque

· Low emissions: SLK 32 AMG meets the EU 4 std. applicable from 2005

· Individual: New AMG sports seats with integrated head restraints

Stuttgart – Mercedes AMG GmbH has introduced a new dimension to the compact roadster sector. In the spring of 2001, the SLK 32 AMG, with its 260-kW/354-hp AMG V6 supercharged engine, will take up a new leading position in this sector, which has been dominated from the very early days by the SLK. No other roadster in this class shows quite such a supreme development of power. The same is valid of the engine's maximum torque of 450 Newton metres, thanks to which the Mercedes SLK 32 AMG can speed through the 100 km/h mark in a mere 5.2 seconds. Yet despite such sporty evidence, the roadster uses an average of just 11.2 litres of premium lead-free fuel (95 ROZ).

As racing driver Bernd Schneider, who recently won the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) with Mercedes AMG and was given an exclusive opportunity to put the SLK 32 AMG through its paces, explained, "This fascinating new roadster is not just about pure power. The SLK 32 AMG has been re-defined in all its essential components. Its excellent performance and sporty suspension, with ESP as standard, are not just fun; they give the car a dynamic character whilst enabling it to remain absolutely controllable and viable for everyday use.This homogenous picture is further enhanced by details such as the newly designed AMG sports seats and the tasteful but commanding AMG bodywork styling. I am also impressed by the way that this high-performance sports car manages to keep its emissions low and to meet the EU 4 emissions standard. All these aspects, as well as the overall concept of the vehicle with its practical Vario roof add, in my view, to the definition of a roadster which is still unique in the way its concept is so logically thought through".

The AMG V6 Kompressor engine: A technical masterpiece

Photo copyright: DaimlerChrysler Additional preparation for the web by MBEP webmaster

The Mercedes AMG V6 Kompressor offers very clear dynamic advantages over the familiar 3.2-litre naturally aspirated engine of the SLK 320. The use of a supercharger means that the engine output could be increased by 100 kW/136 hp and the maximum torque by 140 Newton metres. The Affalterbach engineers were particularly keen to give the vehicle a dynamic torque characteristic, as a consequence of which the roadster develops its power at low revs, whilst also being able to move smoothly in higher gears. At 2300 rpm the engine is already able to use 400 of its 450 Newton metres. This power is passed to the rear wheels via a very sportily tuned five-speed automatic gearbox. As an alternative, the gear ratios can be changed by hand using the one-touch shift (+/-).

No less innovative is the charge air cooling system used by AMG, which features a very efficient air-water-heat exchanger system. The biggest advantage here is the compensating ability of the system to counteract temperature peaks. As a consequence, unlike conventional air-to-air systems in which, under certain thermic load conditions, the ignition angle and hence the output usually have to be corrected downwards, in the SLK 32 AMG the full spectrum of the vehicle's performance can be used at all times.

Technological refinement also marks the engine acoustics. With the exception of the intake manifold, the whole exhaust system, including the oval, chrome-plated twin tailpipe, has been completely redesigned. And you can hear it; for the sound produced has a very special resonance that manages to avoid being irritating.

The suspension: Active safety at the highest level

Photo copyright: DaimlerChrysler Additional preparation for the web by MBEP webmaster

Due to the vehicle's high performance, the SLK suspension has been especially adjusted for the AMG version, whose top speed is electronically regulated to 250 km/h. In addition to a new spring/damper configuration, the wider rear track width and a larger dimension torsion bar on the front axle, the good deceleration figure for the brakes (approx. 10.5 m/s2) is a particular highlight. The braking system features internally ventilated disc brakes all round (diameter at the front 334 mm, at the rear 300 mm), ABS, Brake Assist (BAS), ESP and an integrated ASR system. The sterling silver-coloured 17-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with their twin-spoke design are a completely new development. Not only do these look good, fitted as they are with size 225 tyres on the front and 245 on the rear, they also offer optimum cooling for the high-performance disc brakes.

The AMG styling package: Rear axle lift reduced by 50%

Photo copyright: DaimlerChrysler Additional preparation for the web by MBEP webmaster

As is normally the case with vehicles in the Mercedes AMG range, the bodywork design of the SLK has been given its own, very individual design. The front and rear aprons, side skirts and an elegantly integrated airflow breakaway edge on the boot lid, which reduces the lift on the rear axle by more than 50 per cent, give the SLK 32 AMG its own characteristic appearance.

The AMG styling elements are continued in the interior. Sports seats with integrated head restraints, designed especially for the roadster, ensure perfect lateral support, whilst the well-balanced ergonomics of the seats guarantee comfort on long journeys. Both seats and door panels are trimmed with two-tone leather as standard, the same material that is to be found on the AMG steering wheel and gear knob. Similarly attractive is the trim on the centre console in high-quality, dark bird's-eye maple. The individually designed instrument faces, including a speedometer that shows speeds of up to 300 km/h - in the case of the SLK 32 AMG in silver - are also typical of Mercedes AMG; for the first time the speed is shown in steps of 30 km/h.

From 2001 onwards, there are plans to build around 2000 SLK 32 AMG per annum. Approximately half of the production is destined for the USA, where the Mercedes Sport division has enjoyed enduring success for quite some time now. The other units will be distributed primarily in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain and Japan.

End of DaimlerChrysler press text, November 14th 2000

Here`s what British car mag AutoExpress reports on November 16th 2000:

Merc's Thunderbird Is Go!

Whenever Mercedes has a problem, it doesn't bother with International Rescue. It calls in its tuning operation, AMG. And this is what happened when the boffins at the high performance outfit worked their magic on the hitherto mild-mannered SLK. Put your hands together for the SLK 32 AMG, due out next spring.

The problem Mercedes faced was that the coupé's innovative Vario collapsible hard-top roof was no longer persuading punters to part with their pennies.

BMW's fiery M-Roadster was stealing^performance-seeking customers, while Porsche's Boxster S was tempting still more to swap allegiance to Stuttgart's other car maker. Mercedes needed a special version of its sports car, and with 354bhp and a 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds, AMG reckons this silver streak will probably do the trick.

The brains from the Affalterbach HQ have worked hard at making the two-seater more invigorating to drive. And they've had help from Bernd Schneider, former world GT champion and newly crowned king of the inaugural German Touring Car Masters series. He said: "This coupé is not only about power. Its excellent performance and sporty suspension are more than fun, they also give the car a dynamic character while allowing it to remain controllable and viable for everyday use."

AMG has kept the same 3.2-litre V6 engine that graces the current range-topping SLK320 and added a supercharger. The result has boosted power output by 136bhp, and this uprated unit will also be used in a hot new C-Class. The improved torque gives effortless performance at lower revs. To cope with the extra power, the new car has a tweaked suspension with uprated springs and dampers, plus a wider rear track. The two-seater will also have a new braking system that features internally ventilated discs. And those freshly designed five-spoke alloys have been developed specially to cool the stopping system. As with the standard vehicle, the SLK 32 AMG is rear-wheel drive, and will be available with a five-speed automatic gearbox that has a sequential-style shift.

There are new front and rear aprons, side skirts and a bootlip to reduce lift on the rear axle by more than 50 per cent, while the exhaust system has been redesigned to give a throatier sound. Extravagance is also apparent on the inside styling, where the designers have gone to town, with specially designed sports seats that have integrated head restraints and improved lateral support. These, as with the door panels, are trimmed in two-tone leather and the speedometer is finished in silver. Expect to shell out between £40,000 and £45,000 for this machine, which will still have the collapsible hard-top that makes the SLK a unique draw in its class. AMG is only planning to build 2,000 annually, with about half destined for the USA, and only 100 due to reach UK shores.

End of article from British car magazine AutoExpress written by James Foxall

Technical Data SLK 32 AMG Baureihe R170

Engine	.	.
No./arrangement of cylinders	.	6/V, 3 valves per cylinder
Displacement	cm3	3199
Bore x stroke	mm	89.9 x 84.0
Rated output	kW/hp	260/354 at 6100 rpm
Rated torque	Nm	450 at 4400 rpm
Compression ratio	.	9.0:1
Mixture formation	.	Microprocessor-controlled petrol injection, supercharger
Transmission	.	.
Gearbox	.	5-speed automatic
Ratios	Axle	3.07
.	1st gear	3.59
.	2nd gear	2.19
.	3rd gear	1.41
.	4th gear	1.00
.	5th gear	0.83
.	Reverse	3.16
Suspension	.	.
Front axle	.	Double wishbone, anti-dive control, coil springs, gas pressure shock absorbers, torsion bar stabiliser.
Rear axle	.	Independent multi-link; anti-squat and anti-dive control, coil springs, gas pressure shock absorbers, torsion bar stabiliser.
Brakes	.	Hydraulic dual circuit brakes with brake booster, stepped master brake cylinder, disc brakes all round internally ventilated, rear drum parking brake, ABS, Brake Assist (BAS), ESP with integrated ASR.
Steering	.	Recirculating ball power steering, steering shock absorber
Wheels	front	7.5 x 17 ET 37
.	rear	8.5 x 17 ET 30
Tyres	front	225/45 ZR 17
.	rear	245/40 ZR 17
Dimensions and weights	.	.
Wheelbase	mm	2400
Track width front/rear	mm	1488/1477
Length	mm	4010
Width	mm	1712
Height	mm	1269*
Turning circle	m	10.58
Max. boot capacity**	litres	145 - 348
	cu ft	5.12 - 12.29
Unladen weight (EU)	kg	1495
Payload	kg	260
Permissible gross vehicle weight	kg	1755
Fuel tank capacity/ incl. reserve	litres	60/8
.	gallons (US)	15.9/2.1
.	gallons (UK)	13.2/1.7
Performance and fuel consumption	.	.
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-62mph)	secs.	5.2
Acceleration 0-200 km/h (0-124mph)	secs.	18.4*
Acceleration 0-1000 m (0-0.62138 miles; 0-1093.637 yards)	secs.	24.2*
Top speed	km/h	250
.	miles	155
Fuel consumption NEDC total	litres/100km	11.2
.	mpg (US)	21.0
.	mpg (UK)	25.2
Emissions class	.	EU 4

*provisional figures **according to VDA measuring method
All technical data DaimlerChysler Germany; US and UK conversions by MBEP webmaster

More SLK articles on this site:

^{New SLK AMG R170}

^{New SLK for Year 2004}

^{SLK R170 Face-Lift for Year 2000}

^{New SLK Coupe Variant}

Last revised: Nov. 17th '00...Visits since Nov. 17th '00.....

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