Looking at the video, we can tell that, even though the new SLK's silhouette remains familiar, there are plenty of new details and a crisper styling for the body which brings to mind the larger SL model. Notable changes include the new CLS-inspired front grille and the air vents on the front fenders.
Driving with the top down is not always an option. There might be clear blue skies, but temperatures could be also very low. Other times the car's interior gets way too hot if it has a panoramic glass roof. Either way, your drive is ruined.
And this is where the Magic Sky Control system comes into the picture. A roughly 2,000 euro (US $2,772) option for the next generation SLK, the MSC is, in essence, a panoramic roof that can be made either transparent or darkened, just by pushing a button.
While Mercedes is sticking with the two-piece retractable hard top, the two-seater 2011 SLK is expected to bring a sportier design theme with a more angular direction inspired by the well-received SLS AMG Gullwing supercar.
The new images show that the 2012 SLK ditches the current model's F1-inspired nose in favor of a much bolder grille and more geometrically shaped headlamps, all themed after the SLS AMG Gullwing model. However, Stuttgart's Z4-fighter will continue to be a strictly two-seater roadster with a two-piece folding hardtop.
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Like the current version of the SLK, Stuttgart's BMW Z4 rival will feature a two-piece folding metal roof, but it will also receive all of Mercedes' newest gadgets and accessories.
While the heavy camouflage doesn't allow us to get a clear view of the new SLK's looks, it is expected that Mercedes will drop the current model's F1-inspired nose in favor of a much bolder grille and more geometrically shaped headlamps, all themed after the SLS AMG Gullwing model.
*Article Updated With New Spy Photos
And while the excessive black cladding on the outside obstructs our view of the 2012 SLK's exterior styling, our man with the long lens managed to bag a few revealing pictures of the interior.Though not of the best quality, the images show that the new SLK's dashboard is clearly inspired from the SLS AMG.
It features a similar instrument cluster layout with two large gauges as well as an almost identical center console design boasting a pair of prominent air-vents with cruciform nozzles that are reminiscent of a jet's engines.
It very likely that the new SLK will grow in dimensions, thus improving passenger and luggage space.
Underneath the skin, Mercedes' new roadster model will make use of the C-class platform and suspension hardware, tuned of course to deliver more responsive handling characteristics.
The SLK's engine lineup will comprise of four-cylinder and V6 options at launch. As for the AMG version, there are all sorts of rumors circulating on the net, ranging from a twin-turbocharged V6 to a smaller displacement V8 turbo, but none have been confirmed.
Most automakers use specific styling cues to make their vehicles look and feel like they are a part of an extended family - even when they belong to different segments. That's even more true in the case of premium carmakers like Mercedes. And while it's too early to make any final assumptions regarding the appearance of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLK, speculating that the styling of the next-generation compact hardtop-roadster will be heavily inspired from the new SLS AMG Gullwing may not be far from reality.With this in mind, photoshop expert Theophilus Chin created what is best described as a "mini SLS AMG Roadster" proposal. Click on the photos below to check them out in high-res quality and tell us what you think.
Photos: Thelophilus Chin , Via: Autoblog.nl
