Convertibles are pretty and stylish too. And Mercedes has had a history of building great convertibles including the iconic SL series. With the new nomenclature coming in and Mercedes trying to index its million models, the pretty lovable SLK has now become the SLC. The first SLC that will come to India is the SLC 43 AMG, the fastest SLC built till date.
The SLC 43 AMG is powered by the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 engine that develops 367bhp of power and is mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. While it may seem a far cry from the naturally aspirated V8 from the SLK 55 AMG, Mercedes claims that the 43 AMG is as fast as the previous generation car. It comes with Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ driving modes.
It takes up the now prevalent new Mercedes fascia of the curved rectangular grille and the LED projector headlamps. It gets the diamond grille, similar to the one that debuted with the A-Class hatchback. The slit on the front fender and the breathers on the hood give the SLC a sporty look. The SLC sits tight within the wheelbase with the two-doors and minimal overhangs on either side. The 18-inch alloys sit pretty in the muscular wheel arches making the car look stanced.
The interior is befitting a Mercedes – modern and luxurious. The leather-top dash along with the leather door-trims and the seats get contrast highlight stitching. The carbon fibre inlays on the centre-console and doors look sporty. It gets a flat-bottom AMG steering wheel and a binnacle for the instrument cluster with a multi-function display sandwiched between. The roof folds and unfolds electrically at speeds up to 50kmph and gets dual-zone climate control.
The SLC 43 AMG will compete with the upcoming Porsche 718 and the BMW Z4 amongst the few convertibles available in the Indian market.