Buying Guide

Stuttgart’s baby sports car matches clever tech with rakish good looks – and with prices starting at £1500, it’s never been cheaper. Here’s what to watch out for

Mercedes-Benz SLK

‘If you want performance, the SLK32 AMG boasts 349bhp’

The SLK certainly wasn’t the first car to feature a folding metal roof but it was arguably the most popular, and went on to spawn a whole host of imitations. It’s not hard to see why when you watch the ‘ Vario’ roof in action as it’s very eye-catching.

After a European debut at the 1996 Turin Show, it went on UK sale the same year, and at less than £30,000 offered an awful lot for the money. Sitting on a revised C-Class platform, it was launched with a supercharged 2.3-litre four-pot motor, offering decent – if not blistering – pace.

It soon became a rival to the likes of the BMW Z3 and Porsche Boxster; the latter was the one to have if you valued proper driving thrills, but for sheer style the SLK was definitely a winner. In fact, such was its popularity that Mercedes shifted 311,000 of them in total with almost 25,000 coming to the UK, so there are plenty to choose from. And with prices for usable ones starting at £15002000, it’s something of a bargain, though it’s not without problems. Still, that kerb appeal saw the range expand to include both lowerpowered 2.0-litre models and a satisfyingly smooth 215bhp 3.2-litre V6. And if you wanted performance, the SLK32 AMG boasted 349bhp and a 0-62mph time of just 5.2 seconds.

2000 saw fresher looks with revised bumpers and side skirts and suspension tweaks for improved handling. It’s a bargain way into a droptop Mercedes – here’s how to buy one the smart way.