The Mercedes-Benz entry-level roadster, formerly known as the SLK, is now the SLC. Coincidentally, this name change happened on the same year as the roadster's 20th birthday, which called for a little more than just a single letter change. This 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLC 43 vs 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLK 55 comparison discusses the model changes between the two roadsters in an effort to find which one is the superior machine.
Unlike the other Mercedes-Benz vehicles involved in the recent name change, the SLC looks quite different than the SLK. The body style was redesigned, making the SLC a brand new car from head to toe. The next biggest difference is the rearranging of trim levels. The base-model SLC300 will still be available with the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, putting out 241 horsepower. The next model up, the SLK350, has been discontinued for the SLC platform and the AMG® SLK 55 has been changed to the Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLC 43.
Mercedes-Benz SLC G-TRONIC Transmission
One of the biggest improvements to the outgoing 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLK is the introduction of the 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission. This comes standard on both the SLC300 and the Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLC 43. With this transmission and a lighter curb weight, the SLC 43 only needs 4.6 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour. This is only a tenth of a second slower than the SLK 55 with the 5.5-liter V8 in it and the SLC 43 is powered by a 3.0-liter biturbo V6. These two engines only have a 50-horsepower incongruence despite the 2.5-liter range of displacement. But what is even more impressive are the torque measurements. At 384 lb-ft of torque, the SLC 43 is only 14 lb-ft behind the big-engine predecessor.
We expect many people will be skeptical about the loss in horsepower, but a quick test drive will change that. The perfect balance of the SLC provides a driving experience like no other. Because of this, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLC 43 vs 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLK 55 comparison goes to the new SLC. It is obvious that a lot of time went into designing it and it is proof once and for all that there is a replacement for displacement. If you would like to learn more about the 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG® SLC or the 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG®, contact us today at Mercedes-Benz of Arrowhead.
