Currently reading: Merc SLK's new tech uncovered

Merc confirms launch date for new SLK roadster and details some of its advanced safety tech

Mercedes has confirmed it will launch its all-new SLK roadster in January 2011 ahead of it reaching UK showrooms in June. The firm's announcement was made alongside details of some of the advanced safety features that would be available as standard.

These include ‘Attention Assist’ - a system that detects driver drowsiness and warns the driver - and ‘Adaptive Brake’, which prevents the car from rolling backwards when stationary and which engages the brake lightly when the driver abruptly steps off the accelerator. As well as this, the latter system also applies a minimal amount of braking in wet conditions to dry the brake discs.

See Autocar's spy pics of the new Mercedes SLK

In the event of pedestrian collision, the SLK’s bonnet raises by 85mm, creating additional space between the bonnet and engine.

Other available safety features include ‘Distronic Plus’ and ‘Pre Safe’ brake, systems that work in conjunction with each other to initiate emergency braking automatically when an accident is detected.

Mercedes also offers a five-function ‘Intelligent Lighting System’, which adapts to differing driving conditions and ‘Speed Limit Assist’, which detects speed limit signs with an inbuilt camera and displays them in the instrument cluster.

Read Autocar's full scoop on the new Mercedes SLK

The SLK will initially be available in two versions: SLK250 and SLK350. The 250 uses Merc’s M271 EVO engine, a turbocharged 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol with 201bhp.

The SLK350 will get Mercedes’ new 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 petrol motor. The normally aspirated unit produces 301bhp, up from 268bhp, and features stop-start in a bid to improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

See all the latest Mercedes SLK reviews, news and video

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david RS 19 November 2010

Re: Merc SLK's new tech uncovered

My raccoon can drive this car.

Then a version with a tractor engine and you'll have it.

What customers :-(

coolboy 19 November 2010

Re: Merc SLK's new tech uncovered

you are right disco.stu, the ideous RS6 mentioned above has the brake disc wiping, but many of the car nuts that play around here just notice the DRL...

cheers

disco.stu 19 November 2010

Re: Merc SLK's new tech uncovered

Plenty of this stuff is not new, just new for SLK. For example, brake disc wiping has been a feature of Bosch's ESP 8.0 (I think) unit which has been available on other cars since about 2004. Given that plenty of manufacturers use this same unit, I am surprised that every car doesn't have this technology already. It's not complicated - when the wipers are on, the brakes activate very lightly every few minutes to generate just enough friction to dry the pads and discs, improving wet braking performance. Driver doesn't even feel it happening.

A lot of this stuff won't add huge amounts of weight, as it is using existing sensors and adding an additional ECU to do the computations. ECUs aren't heavy. However, the cameras and other gubbins are adding more significant weight.