Mercedes SLK55 AMG

AURAL SYMPHONY.

- Kevin Knight

I bought my Mercedes SLK 55 AMG in April 2013. Mine is a 2005 model in Silver. I considered quite an eclectic mix of cars before buying my 55 AMG, including a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S 996, BMW Z4M, Mercedes SL55 AMG, Porsche 928 GTS, TVR Speed 6, BMW M6, Audi RS4, BMW M3 V8 convertible, Honda VTEC powered Rover Mini and a Mazda RX7. As you can tell I am drawn to many different performance cars, I’ll consider pretty much anything that has had an injection of excitement!

I was drawn to the 55 AMG by the aggressive yet compact shape of the body and also the addictive noise that is generated by the AMG fettled 5.4 litre V8 engine. The intricate mechanism of the fold down metal roof is just amazing to watch. The fact that it was the official Formula One pace car when it was first released also gives it bonus points. Its relatively conservative look and small size means it is easily mistaken for a lesser model SLK. I have enhanced this “sleeper” look by de-badging the car too. If you know what you are looking for though, it is still easy to spot a 55 AMG by its rear quad oval tailpipes, side vents in the front bumper and distinctive multi spoke alloy wheels.

It took a while to find my ideal specification and colour. I definitely wanted a 2005 model because it would qualify for cheaper road tax than the post March 2006 cars, a saving of around £200 per year! I wanted a car that was fitted with the larger six piston front brakes, there is some variation in the brake sizes from year to year.