Don't vote on this, just on the aesthetics or performance of the two cars.

What I want to compare is two styles of driving. Take the Mercedes SL for instance. This is a sports car, that not only changes gear for you, but also applys the handbreak for you, tells you when it need tyres, services, and a refill of petrol, It tells you when you're goin too fast, and with distronic, it also tells you how far away the car in front is, and applies the breaks for you where it feels necisary. It will close the doors properly if you fail to do so, adjust the stereo depending on wind speed and car speed when the roof is down, Turn on the headlights when it gets dark, and turn on the wipers and raise the roof if it should rain! That aside, it has an armoury of electronic driving aids to help you if the situation requires it.

Now consider the new style SLK. This is a similaly styled sports car, from the same Manufacturer, however, with this car, you change gear (with a clutch), you close the doors, you can choose to switch off the ESP, ASP and TC, you use the manual handbreak, you turn the headlights and the wipers on...

Which do you prefer. For this, disregard price and any preferances to looks, just look at the driving experience...

As a driver, do you like the direction that technology is moving towards. Personally I feel that there is a time and a place for both, but I realise that some would hate to be driven by their car.

Just want to clear a few things up, I'm wondering about the differences between your UK spec Mercs and what we get here in the US..

Take the Mercedes SL for instance. This is a sports car.....applys the handbreak for you, tells you when it need tyres

Our 230's still need to have the emergency brake manually pressed by the driver, is the UK version push-button like on the new BMW 7-series? Our tire monitoring system only indicates tire pressures and temperature, not tire wear.

It will close the doors properly if you fail to do so

Our SL's (any year or model) have never come with closing assist. Is this available in Europe?

Now consider the new style SLK......you can choose to switch off the ESP, ASP and TC

You can also turn off ESP, to a certain point, on a 230. Our vehicles only have ESP which integrates ASR and TC into the system. Do Euro spec Mercs have three different options?

you turn the headlights and the wipers on...

Our SLK's (170 & 171 chassis) come with automatic headlights and wipers. This is surely an option on your vehicle's too, right?



As for your original question. I take the SL without a doubt. It's just so much MORE of a vehicle, in pretty much every way.

I'm not refering to the old shape SLK 200k/230k/320/32AMG, but to the recent SLK (200k/350/55AMG) They feature a classic, centraly mounted, grab handle handbreak.

The "lights home", and "visibility pack" are available on the SLK, but at cost, where they are standard across the SL range.

It is true to say that my last SL, the 600, didn't close the doors for me, however, the new one does. I dont mean that they close from a fully open position, but if the door isn't quite slammed shut, then it will close it for you. This is also the case on the S class.

With the new SLK, most of the electronic driver aidscan be disabled. The ESP is always active, but you can reduce its effects.

I'm asking if you like these driver aids, of if you prefer the undiluted, purist driving experience? I to would take an SL over an SLK, but if I wanted a pure driving experience, I wouldn'd buy an SL.

I'd probably take an SL600 for its locomotive pulling power, but a 6-speed manual SLK is much more my style. So, I voted for SLK.