In 1996 Mercedes literally opened up a new era in drop-top motoring with the small but hugely appealing SLK roadster.
This car was a game-changer because it had a removable hard-top instead of the usual fabric and it became instantly successful and has remained so for the past 20 years, with the insanely quick SLK 55 AMG flying the flag for super-fast roadsters.
As part of Mercedes’ rebranding exercise and to celebrate two decades of success for the SLK it has been renamed the SLC. I originally thought the C stood for convertible but apparently it is a nod to the C-Class which I don’t quite understand, as it’s nearest stable-mate is surely the lovely SL.
Anyway, that is hardly significant in the greater scheme of things but what is important is that this car is good enough to take the SLK which, to be honest, was looking a little bit tired, onto a new chapter of success.
I drove the entry model in the UAE, the SLC 200, courtesy of EMC, the exclusive Mercedes dealership in Abu Dhabi, and at first sight it is a very pretty car, if tiny.
The front has been revamped with a new black diamond grille with the signature Mercedes star sitting proudly in the middle, larger cooling ducts, sleek new LED headlights and front spoiler. The sculptured design of the bonnet and the grille gives you the impression that it is longer than it actually is. The side profile of the car doesn’t look much different from the SLK it replaces but the rear has also been tweaked to include new LED tail lights and a more muscular but refined appearance with a rear splitter incorporating two exhaust pipes.
This car has an intelligent LED headlight system which means that it adjusts the beam according to light and weather conditions to ensure you always have maximum illumination. There is a pretty spacious boot for a small car although it becomes significantly smaller with the roof down but there is still enough space for a small amount of luggage.
The interior of the car is really luxurious with lovely leather seats, lots of chrome and piano black trim and a seven-inch screen where you access an improved infotainment system via a circular dial on the centre console. This is not a touch screen which means most things have to be done via the dial but it works perfectly well once you are used to it and the graphics are exceptional. The instrument is classic Mercedes and it is nicely designed and delivers all the information you need.
There are a lot of buttons on the dash which are hard to navigate until you have had a few attempts when it becomes a little easier. The cabin is compact and there is zero room in the back so this car is strictly a two-seat but you never feel cramped, even with the roof up and it is extremely comfortable.
The SLC 200 is powered by a two-litre, four cylinder engine which has 184bhp and 300nm of torqu. It is married to a nine-speed automatic which means that even at its top speed the revs are relatively low which makes the engine super-efficient. There are five driving modes, Eco (should be banned from sports cars) Individual, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus. No prizes for guessing which mode I used the most.
The car makes a nice noise when you drive it enthusiastically but I have to say that I was a little disappointed by the lack of anything but mediocre acceleration, even in Sport Plus. It has a 0-100kmh time of 6.9 seconds which is hardly going to make your eyes water but, at this level, it doesn’t really matter that much because I see the SLC 200 more of a very smart, compact cruiser rather than a high-performance machine. If you are looking for the wild child of the stable then there is an SLC that ticks all those boxes – the AMG SLC 43 which is the replacement for the mentally fast SLK 55 AMG which I loved but found impossible to drive anywhere close to the speed limit because of an irrestistible urge to put pedal to metal just to experience the blinding acceleration and noise that came with it.
Anyway, back to the 200. The slightly too relaxed acceleration is my only complaint about what is a lovely looking roadster. As the fourth generation of this baby Merc it certainly looks the business but it is up against some pretty serious rivals in the shape of the Porsche Boxster and the Audi TT, both of which are faster than this model and have better interiors.
That said, this car is good fun to drive with the top down and with a starting price of Dh180,339 you are getting a great looking machine which is surprisingly versatile for its size. Personally, I would look to buy the slightly faster SLC 300 or, if I could afford it, the AMG SLC 43 but if style and comfort are your priority over a need for speed then this classy bit of kit is ideal.
