Mercedes SLK, TT and Z4
13.02.2011
D he new Mercedes SLK is indeed in length, width and The height has increased somewhat, but with a length of 4.13 meters, a wheelbase of 2.43 meters and a height of 1.30 meters, the Swabian remains more compact than its direct competitors. In its current form, the Audi TT has a length of 4.18 meters, a wheelbase of 2.47 meters and a height of 1.36 meters. The BMW Z4 crouches closest to the road at just 1.29 meters, but has the longest wheelbase at 2.49 meters and the longest body at 4.24 meters.
Mercedes with the largest Luggage compartment
When it comes to curb weight, the Mercedes SLK has 1,435 kilograms in the basic model. The payload is 315 kilograms. The maximum baggage allowance is up to 335 liters; those who drive the SLK open can only stash 225 liters in the luggage compartment. The Audi TT counters with an unladen weight of 1,360 kilograms, but the payload is only a narrow 245 kilograms, the trunk volume always remains at 250 liters regardless of the roof configuration. The BMW Z4 is the heavyweight in the trio with at least 1,480 kilograms, but with a payload of 330 kilograms it also sets the benchmark for payload the highest. The trunk of the Bavaria swallows between 310 and 180 liters.
The three roadsters also go their own way with the roof construction. The Mercedes SLK relies on a three-part vario-roof, which can be made entirely of sheet metal, as a panorama roof with a large proportion of glass or as a panorama roof with an electric blackout option. The Mercedes SLK roof can transform from a coupé to a convertible in around 20 seconds. BMW also relies on a solid roof. The two-part aluminum roof, however, offers no further features and opens in about 22 seconds. Only the Audi TT has a classic soft top, manually operated in series production and only available fully automatically and in a thickly insulated version for an extra charge.
All-wheel drive only at Audi
The nose very far The Audi TT is ahead when it comes to the all-wheel drive requirement. While Mercedes and BMW consistently only offer rear-wheel drive across all engines, Audi has four engine variants with the Quattro drive. In contrast, the basic engines in the Audi TT rely on pure front-wheel drive. Another unique selling point of the Audi TT is the offer for a diesel engine. The engine range of the Audi offers five gasoline engines with four and five cylinders with a power range of160 to 340 hp and the diesel with 170 hp. The BMW Z4 is powered by four six-cylinders. A power range from 204 to 340 hp is available here. Four and six-cylinder engines make up the current engine portfolio of the Mercedes SLK. The power available ranges from 184 hp to 306 hp. A diesel, presumably the 250 CDI with 204 hp and an AMG variant, presumably with a naturally aspirated V8 engine, will be added later.
Audi with the widest range
The Mercedes SLK is geared towards the future predominantly with a seven-speed automatic transmission, only the basic model can optionally also be ordered with a manual six-speed transmission. BMW also relies on manual six-speed gearboxes as basic equipment. Optionally, six or seven-speed automatic transmissions can be ordered, depending on the engine. Only six gears are available at Audi in the TT, usually either as a manual or automatic transmission. Only the TT RS can also be ordered with a seven-speed S-Tronic. Whichever drive combination you choose, all roadsters make rapid progress. The slowest are the Audi TT 1.8 with 160 PS and the TT TDI with 170 PS, which still bring it to 223 km /h, there is a tie at the top, because the big engines in all models are limited to 250 km /h. Bargain hunters are served at Audi with the TDI, which is supposed to consume only 5.5 liters on average. The most economical BMW, the Z4 23i, has 8.5 liters and the economy SLK is the 200 with an average of 6.1 liters.
The Mercedes SLK can then score points for the equipment options. As the youngest model, the Swabian offers the most extensive range of assistance and the unique Airscarf neck heating. Audi and BMW counter this with foldable wind deflectors.
When it comes to price, the Audi will then accommodate a broader group of customers. The range extends from the 1.8 TFSI for 31,550 euros to the TT RS Roadster for 59,600 euros. The BMW price list starts at 36,400 euros for the Z4 23i and ends at 57,000 euros for the Z4 35is. The Mercedes SLK offers currently range from 38,675 euros for the Mercedes SLK 200 to 52,301 euros for the Mercedes SLK 350. So much for the Mercedes SLK in the dry comparison. The sales figures will show how the new Mercedes SLK will fare on the market. Advance sales of the new Mercedes SLK started on January 17th.
