So it has lost a couple of cylinders, but a sextet is still an agreeable number of pots, right? And then there’s the price: nearly £9000 less than the SLK 55. Think about that. It’s the equivalent of £4495 in compensation for each cylinder you’re down, which even in today’s PPI-savvy world is a lot.
What about the performance? At 367bhp, the 3.0-litre V6 is a little less powerful than the old 5.5-litre V8, but with more torque, less weight and a new nine-speed automatic gearbox, the run to 62mph takes just 0.1sec longer. If that still rankles, then rejoice in the SLC’s better fuel economy and emissions.
Other than that, not much has changed. A few styling tweaks inside and out freshen its looks, but you need to know your onions to spot them.