On the move, the SLK 55 AMG immediately impresses you with its ride quality. For a sports car with low-profile tyres and handling-oriented suspension, the ride comes as a pleasant surprise. There are no harsh bumps and only the really bad roads let the bumps filter through; but they never managed to unsettle the car. The sound insulation is also top notch, with the roof up, of course; and with the roof down, the only sound you want is from the engine. Right, then, switch to the ‘Sport’ mode, and what was a dishearteningly subdued exhaust note transforms into a throaty bellow that makes your sense of hearing break into song.
The V8 is surprisingly docile at low revs, and the throttle feels as if it needs a bit of coaxing, but that’s only when crawling in traffic behind a pair of heavy trucks which are desperate to overtake each other while blocking both lanes of the national highway. Find that all-important gap and floor the pedal, though, and you’re greeted with a shove into the seat as 540 twists kick in first, unleashing 421 rampaging horses with the unabashed trumpeting of unmitigated triumph as you power through the slow lot, watching them shrink ever so quickly in the rear-view mirror. In the ‘Manual’ mode, the paddles are a joy to use and the shifts are quick. However, lift off the accelerator for that split second when you shift, and you’re rewarded with a bark from the engine when you step on it again.
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