SLK 350
Engine: 3.5 litres, V6 engine
Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive
Horsepower: 272bhp@6500
Torque(ib/ft): 265@4900
Top Speed: 280km/h
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 5.4 seconds
The SLK 350 comes standard with Mercedes' 7G-TRONIC Sport seven-speed automatic. The transmission has a manual control mode operated via F1-style paddle shifters. SLK -- which means Sportlich (sporty), Leicht (light) and Kurz (short) -- is positioned below the considerably more expensive SL roadster. The SLK was actually Mercedes first hardtop convertible roadster, predating the SL hardtop. Priced at RM 523,888*
----BMW Z4 sDrive35i:
Z4
Engine: 3.5 litres, 6 in-line cylinders, Twin Turbocharges
Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive
Horsepower: 306bhp@5800
Torque(ib/ft): 300@5000
Top Speed: 294km/h
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 5.0 seconds
The more powerful twin-turbo sDrive35i has a maximum output of 300 horsepower, arriving at 5,800 rpm. The engine achieves peak torque of 300 pound-feet throughout a broad rev range from 1,400 to 5,000 rpm. The sprint to 100km/h takes just 5.0 seconds.
BMW says the motor is the first inline-six to come with twin turbochargers, High Precision Injection, and an all-aluminum crankcase. Weighing just 355 pounds, the motor owes its light weight to its composite magnesium/aluminum crankcase, cylinder head cover made of a special synthetic material and lightweight camshafts with aluminum VANOS control unit. RM558,800*
-----Audi TT 3.2 V6 Quattro
TT
Engine: 3.2 litres, V6 cylinders, with Quattro technology.
Drivetrain: Quattro (All-Wheel)
Horsepower: 250bhp@6300
Torque (ib/ft): 236@3000
Top Speed: 282km/h
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 5.2 seconds
Today, the TT uses an onboard controller area network (CAN) to link all the sensors and control units so the engine and transmission are privy to what's going on with the brakes, stability control, and other systems. Twelve different sensors help the transmission decide when to shift while running in the automatic- or sport-shift mode (and when to block shifts to prevent overrevving or stalling of the engine when the driver is flicking the shift paddles or rowing the lever manually). All shifts are then performed with perfectly matched engine revs. Gentle launches are comfortable, although experts will note that the wet multiplate clutch doesn't launch quite as imperceptibly as a conventional automatic's torque converter can. RM498,800*
In my opinion, these cars are meant to be owned by the more well to do upper echelon of the population. But we can always dream right? BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Renault, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, etc. These makes are all good. We dream of driving these engineering masterpieces, and one day we will. Now, we dream.
Who wins this time? Merc SLK 350? Audi TT? BMW sDrive35i? Vote in the poll on the top left corner for the blog.
~Leon Lim
*net selling price exclude road tax, insurance, & registration related charges
