Hello Petrolheads! Coming up next are my thoughts regarding what is, for me, the pinnacle of the R170, aka first generation, Merc SLK: the Final Edition equipment package. 2003 had just started and, after almost 290.000 units already having been produced, the SLK was finally losing momentum on a market it had dominated. After the success of the Special Edition P43 series – limited to 2.500 units – Merc decided to again develop a special equipment package to give sales a needed oomph, until the second-gen R171 arrived in 2004. That P43 already had unique equipment details, and represented good value in comparison with optioning up a base R170 to a comparable level, therefore having sold very well. Inspired by this success, Merc decided to go even further and create a non-limited edition, even more exclusive package: at the 21 st of February, the P29 Final Edition was unveiled to the world in the Geneva Motor Show. Contrary to what normally happens with most “special ser
Hello Petrolheads! The next lines regard the car I have been daily driving for the last four months: Audi’s previous generation S3 Limousine. Having regularly driven the pre-facelift version with some frequency, and never having fallen in love with it – blame a lack of soul – wasn’t expecting much from the mild makeover. Yet, it reminds me of Merc’s facelift of its SLK R170: appearances can be deeply underwhelming! The 8V Generation was first released back in 2012, then only as a three-door hatchback, and only two years later the full range was available in the market, with the arrival of the Cabrio version complementing the three-door hatchback, five-door estate and this four-door Limousine. Being one of the key models in Audi’s range, the design was an evolution of the predecessor’s: understated, technological and very elegant – a true future classic. Audi didn’t feel like changing a proven formula, and that was the best option in my opinion (as the fussy latest-generation